The Art of Clutter-Free Living: Tips and Tricks for Organizing Your Home
Clutter. It's something that we all deal with on a daily basis. Whether it's a pile of clothes on the floor or a stack of magazines on the coffee table, clutter seems to be an inescapable part of life. But it doesn't have to be this way. Like anything else, organization is a skill that can be learned. And once you know how to declutter your home, you'll wonder why you ever lived any other way.
This article will give you some tips and tricks for decluttering your home. We'll start with the most basic tip: get rid of anything you don't use or need. While this may seem obvious, you'd be surprised how many people hold onto things they never use. If you haven't used something in six months, chances are you never will. So get rid of it.
The rest of the article will be focused on the best tips for keeping on top of your organization to keep a clutter-free house in the long term.
Let’s dive in!
Baby Steps
Start with baby steps. If the thought of decluttering your entire home is overwhelming, start small. Begin by focusing on one area at a time—like your bedroom dresser or the kitchen counter. Once you've conquered that space, move on to the next area. And before you know it, your whole house will be clutter-free.
Set the Rules
Set some ground rules. In order to keep your home clutter-free, you need to establish some rules for yourself and your family members. For example, shoes always go in the closet by the front door, and toys always go in the toy box in the kids' room. By setting up simple systems like this, you can prevent clutter from taking over your home again.
Let Go
Don't be afraid to get rid of things. One of the hardest parts about decluttering is letting go of things that were attached to - even if we don't use them very often. But it's important to remember that material possessions are just that - things that can be replaced.
So, if you're holding onto something "just in case," ask yourself if it's really worth taking up valuable space in your home. Most likely, the answer will be no!
Categorize Clutter
If you're someone who doesn't like to throw things away, it's worth categorizing your clutter to help with the process. You can do this by creating four different piles: things to keep, things to donate, things to sell, and things to trash.
This habit will help you let go of items you no longer need while also allowing you to make a little bit of money off of items that someone else might find useful.
Create a Schedule
One of the best ways to keep your home clutter-free is to create a cleaning schedule for your family. Whether doing a load of laundry every day or decluttering your kitchen once a week, having a set schedule will help ensure that your home stays tidy so that people know whose responsibilities are whose.
Get the Whole Family Involved
It's important to get the whole family involved in the decluttering process. After all, they're the ones who are making the mess!
Assign each family member specific tasks and ensure everyone is pitching in. This helpful tip will make keeping your home clean and organized much more manageable.
A Place for Everything
One of the best ways to keep your home clutter-free is to have a place for everything. What this means is that you need to designate a specific spot for all of your belongings.
For example, your keys should always go in the key bowl by the front door, and your wallet should always go in the drawer by the bed. By having a specific place for everything, you'll always know where to find it when you need it.
The One-In, One-Out Rule
In order to maintain a clutter-free home, you need to be mindful of what you're bringing into your house. For every new item that comes in, one must go out. This rule will help prevent your home from becoming overrun with things you don't need or use.
Self-proclaimed minimalists often use this technique, but you don't have to be a minimalist to follow the simple one in one out rule.
Regular Cleaning Sessions
To keep your house decluttered is to schedule regular cleaning sessions. Whether once a week or once a month, set aside some time to go through your belongings and get rid of anything you no longer need.
These scheduled cleanings will help to prevent your home from becoming cluttered in the first place. If you know you won't do it when the time comes around, now is the time to book a cleaning service in advance.
Add Storage
Invest in storage solutions. There's no shame in admitting that you need a little help when it comes to staying organized. That's why investing in storage solutions that work for YOU, and YOUR needs is essential. For example, if you're short on closet space, invest in a clothing rack or some additional shelving units.
And if you find yourself constantly misplacing your keys or sunglasses, invest in a key holder or catch-all tray for your entryway table. Using products designed explicitly for organization can make your life (and your home!) much less cluttered.
Here are some storage recommendations:
Reset the Room
Resetting the room is essentially keeping your house in order before it gets messy. So every time you leave a room, take a quick scan of the space and put anything that's out of place back in its rightful spot. This task may seem small, but it can make a big difference in the overall clutter level of your home. By doing this, you will never lose anything ever again, and from this, you'll save yourself a bunch of time.
For example, say that you put the TV remote on the TV stand every time you finish watching TV. When you next come to watch TV, you'll know exactly where the remote is, and you won't need to spend any time looking for it. If you flip this around and leave the remote lying around, it may take 30 seconds to find it, which seems trivial, but over a year, you'll be saving yourself over 3 hours!
Avoid Impulse Purchases
One of the best ways to keep your home clutter-free is to avoid impulse purchases. Before buying something, ask yourself if you really need it or are just buying it because it's on sale. If you can't answer yes to both of those questions, then it's probably not worth buying. This rule will help keep your home from filling up with things you don't need or use.
Utilize Your Walls
Wall space and shelves are so underrated when it comes to keeping your home organized. If you're struggling to find a place to put all of your stuff, look up! Chances are, there's some untapped storage space just waiting to be utilized.
When it comes to shelves, less is more. You don't need a ton of little trinkets taking up space - a few well-chosen pieces will do the trick. And when it comes to wall space, don't be afraid to get creative. Hang things like jewelry, scarves, and hats on hooks, or use floating shelves to create a display area for your favorite books and knick-knacks.
Here are a few shelving options:
Conclusion
The article provides expert tips and tricks for decluttering your home, including following the one-in, one-out rule, scheduling regular cleaning sessions, investing in storage solutions, resetting the room, and avoiding impulse purchases.
By following these tips, you can keep your home decluttered and organized. Doing so will save you time and energy in the long run.