We don’t know about you, but a new year makes us want to get rid of old habits and simplify. It’s easy to gain clutter, especially if you are home more often and home deliveries seem to be a daily occurrence. It’s said that most households only use 20% of their possessions. Why keep the unneeded 80%? Clearly, we could all use a little order, and we have five pointers on how to get the job done.
1. Start small
You’ve stuffed your junk drawer to the brim, and it’s calling your name. Start with the kitchen drawers and then work your way to the other rooms. There’s a particular type of peace that is tied to a beautifully arranged drawer. Purchase small baskets and enclosed containers to keep your items from rolling everywhere, and get a label maker so you know what’s what. Try to go through your junk drawers quarterly, that way they never get too overwhelming.
2. Another way to organize is shelves
Yes, that may sound obvious, but not only can shelves give everything a home, but they also declutter spaces. How should you arrange things? Well, if you’re using a bookshelf for storage purposes, we suggest getting a few bins for smaller items; however, don’t buy the bins until after you have purged your unwanted items. That way you can see what you really need, and what items need to fit inside the basket(s).
3. Create an office system
The one room that is often the most out of control is our home office. It’s easy for papers to create chaos, so having a place to store them would make life a lot less complicated. We suggest getting a credenza or a filing system. There are so many options on what you can do with office storage. You can go horizontal or vertical. Also, invest in color files to have a colored coded system (blue for bills, red for medical, etc.)
4. Get rid of Clutter Hotspots
Let’s not forget about the clutter hotspots: the dining room table. A rather simple approach to stop this from happening is one of two ways. First, before heading to bed, put whatever is out, away. If you take just a few minutes to put everything in it’s home, you’re able to breathe a little easier walking into that room in the morning. The second tip sounds simple enough; however, if you make it a habit to put placemats on the table, it lets people know, “Hey, this beautiful table is not for your stuff. Put your things away elsewhere.”
5. Closet clean-out
Your closets can be a catchall for things we can’t seem to find space for. Adding shelves, hooks, and cubbies in your closets can help this issue; although, it’s really important to downsize and donate the items you really aren’t using anymore. A closet organization system doesn’t have to go in your bedroom closet. They can be used in hallway closets or anywhere else in the home that makes your house a little more functional.
