Whether it’s a heap of dirty laundry on the bedroom floor, books all over the study room, or children’s toys in the doorway, it is hard to keep your home clutter-free. Everyone struggles with clutter in one way or another. Sometimes the build-up is too obvious to ignore, and this might prove the best time to do some tidying up since you have the motivation for it. Read on for five hassle-free ways to get rid of clutter and put your home to rights:
Get rid of what you don’t need
Whether it’s still functional or not, what you don’t use regularly shouldn’t be in your house. It could be a kitchen appliance, a set of utensils, clothes and toys that your children have outgrown, or even furniture that you don’t use anymore.
illustration by Dmitrij
Before you start cleaning up and getting things in order, ensure you take out everything that’s just occupying space. Broken toys and appliances should go straight to the trash; functional items should be sold or donated to charity. If you choose the latter option, consider calling the Salvation Army donation pickup team, which performs donation pickups for free.
Find a place for everything you want to keep
When decluttering, the bottom line isn’t to remove stuff from the floor and create space but to keep those things where they are supposed to be. You can employ many creative storage solutions, but first, make a point of exhausting existing storage spaces, including drawers and shelves, so you know how much extra space you need. Boxes, buckets, and trays can do the trick, depending on what you have to pack. Just make sure not to create more clutter by bringing in more containers than you need.
Label everything
Items you put away in boxes are likely the kind you don’t use regularly. Even so, it is good to know where everything is for easy access when you need it in the future. One easy way to ensure that is by labeling every storage container. This way, even if you stack your boxes in one room, you won’t have to search through each one individually to find the items that you need.
Adhere to the 80% principle
As you figure out what items should go into specific spots, keep in mind that no living space should be 80% occupied. Spread out your items throughout the house to ensure your house is balanced, and every room is comfortable to be in. If you have more items than your home can accommodate, that’s a sign you need to find another house or rent a storage unit for the extra stuff.
illustration by Gleb Kuznetsov
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Clutter can affect the look and ambiance of your home. It can also cause your stress levels to rise, which can affect your mental and physical health. The above tips should come in handy if you are looking for an easy, quick, and effective strategy to get rid of clutter in your home.
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