If you struggle to find items around the house and your home feels cramped and messy, decluttering can help. However, for some homeowners, removing clutter is daunting. Cleaning and organizing don’t have to be overwhelming. Use these eight tips to declutter your home and keep it organized.
Make Time to Declutter Your Home
Decluttering is work, and unfortunately, there’s no quick fix. You’ll need to set aside time to clean and organize the living spaces. Find days and times when you are available to focus on the project and put them on your calendar. This will prevent you from getting distracted by other tasks.
Deciding What to Discard
Identify items you don’t need or want and get rid of them. As you clean an area, group items into categories: trash, donate, sell, and keep. Throw away things that cannot be donated or sold. Box up donations for charity and use storage bins to hold items you intend to sell. Give yourself a set amount of time, a month or two, to list and sell those items. If they haven’t sold in the allotted time frame, donate them as well.
Tackle One Room at a Time
Don’t try to declutter several rooms at the same time. You’ll feel overwhelmed and won’t achieve as much. Instead, declutter one room or one area before moving on to the next space. Removing clutter from your home is a big undertaking, and breaking down the task into small parts will keep you motivated and help you focus.
Declutter Your Home by Organizing Paperwork
Paper accounts for a substantial amount of clutter in most homes. File important documents and discard paperwork you don’t need. To save space, scan and keep documents, like receipts, electronically to prevent papers from accumulating.
Label Storage Containers
Searching for an essential item can be stressful. Save yourself the hassle by labeling your storage containers. While it may seem like an unnecessary extra step, labels save time when looking for items in the future. Labels also encourage family members to return items to where they belong because the locations are clearly marked.
Get Rid of Large Items to Save Space
Large pieces of furniture occupy a lot of space, and they make a room look cramped no matter how well it’s organized. Get rid of furniture you don’t need or use and consider replacing oversized pieces with smaller styles. Your home will feel more spacious, and you’ll have fewer items to clean.
Use Organization Tools to Declutter Your Home
Once you’ve decluttered your home, stay organized to prevent clutter from accumulating again. Install wall hooks in your entryway to hang coats and backpacks. Use a basket in your living room to stash magazines and newspapers. Small bins or baskets on top of kitchen cabinets are a great place to store infrequently used kitchen utensils and appliances out of sight.
Monitor Clutter-Prone Areas
Some areas in your home, such as the entryway, are more susceptible to clutter. Pay attention to these areas and clean them frequently. In places that seem to stay messy, use organization tools. Pegboard, hooks, small shelves, and baskets are easy ways to organize.
Decluttering your home will alleviate stress and improve productivity. Use these tips to remove clutter and improve your overall well-being.
Dave Holt Home Inspections offers services to customers in and around New Orleans, LA. Contact us to request an inspection of your home.