Minimalism has become a trend in these previous years, and rightly so. Clutter makes your space seem smaller, lowers productivity, and affects efficiency, making decluttering essential. Owning less has numerous benefits. With less clutter, there is also less to clean and organize – and ultimately less stress and debt.
The idea of a minimalistic life sounds appealing to many. But the thought of decluttering can be scary and overwhelming, however, it doesn’t have to be as difficult as some make it out to be.
Decluttering does not mean throwing all of your stuff out. It means organizing your living space in a way that optimizes your lifestyle. It makes sense to store away things that have the potential to be either reused or recycled in the near future, but keeping items that serve no value anymore can be a slippery slope.
After a long day at work, coming home shouldn’t be a comforting feeling where you can unwind and relax without having to worry about a spilling closet or couch covered in dirty laundry. A cluttered home only adds to your worries, which is why organization and proper storage are crucial.
If you’re looking to clear up your space, we’re here to help. Follow these simple tips to get started!
Invest in a Storage Unit
The first step in decluttering your home is to remove all the extra stuff. Things you don’t need for the time being should be packed and stored away. Any additional household items that you believe can be reused or recycled in any way should also be stored in a storage unit. Lookup for safe and secure storage options, and if you’re based in Colorado, try storage Aurora Co for reliable storage unit options.
You can rent a storage unit of a similar kind all across the country. These storage units will keep your stuff safe for as long as you want. Things with sentimental value attached to them, that you are not willing to throw away just yet, can also be stored in these storage units until you are ready to let go.
Categorize Your Clutter
The first step in organizing your home, even before decluttering is categorizing everything into these five basic categories;
- Garbage: It includes items that cannot be recycled or reused. These items should be disposed of.
- Recyclable: Items that can be recycled clutter in any way should be utilized accordingly.
- Fixable: Fixable items include items like a dress that needs a stitch or two, a shoe that needs to be re-soled, or a kitchen appliance that needs to be checked by an electrician. Fixable items can be used again.
- Donations: Any item in good shape but no longer need can be donated to a charity.
- Storable: Items that you only need once in a while can be safely stored away for later use.
If something does not fit into any of these categories, consider their utility and prioritize their storage accordingly.
Keep Your Tables Clean
You may find it convenient to throw your keys or other small things onto a table. But things will pile up and make your space messy. To avoid such a situation, assign a specific place for everything in your home. From coats to shoes and something as small as your keys should all have a particular place. As soon as you get home, put them in their assigned place.
The same goes for your kitchen counters. Assign every appliance a unique place. Do not let mail, paperwork, or other household items pile up on the counters. Every day you should take a few minutes to put back everything where it belongs.
Reorganize Your Pantry
Just because it is out of sight, behind a closed door, doesn’t mean that you don’t have to organize it. Cleaning up your pantry will make it easier to store and access things you may need regularly. Thus, saving your time.
Start cleaning your pantry by throwing out any expired products. Unwanted items can be donated. As for the rest, group and organize, keeping daily-use items at the front and rest at the back or top shelves. You can invest in airtight, labeled jars to create a clean, modernized look. The benefits of these jars include;
- Snacks stay fresher for a long time
- Easier to know when something needs restocking
- Options to stack and maximize space
- Impeccable organization
Buy Products Wisely
When buying daily-use products for your home, always choose quality over quantity. Invest in high-quality hand soap, perfume, makeup, and other such daily use products, as you use them every day.
Good-quality products are made to last. Hence, they do not need to be replaced frequently. Therefore, buying good quality products will save you a considerable amount of money and stress in the long term.
Try not to keep items past their expiry date and only buy only as much as you need.
Organize Your Closet
Overstuffed closets with items rarely or never worn are a common sight in many homes. Finding a certain outfit in such unorganized closets can result in stress. Some tips for organizing your closet are;
- Organize your clothes according to the seasons. In winter, properly store away your summer clothes and vice versa.
- Design a capsule wardrobe to maximize the use of each piece and avoid unnecessary buying.
- Create zones for your clothes according to your routine. Keep the daily use clothes within easy reach. However, formal clothes worn once in a while can be stored away on a higher shelf.
- For a sleek-looking closet, invest in wooden or velvet hangers and avoid wire hangers at all costs.
- The same goes for shoes. Keep daily use shoes near the floor. Formal shoes can be stored away in their boxes on higher shelves or at the back of the closet.
- Keep separately labeled baskets for storing clothes that need to be donated or fixed.
- Do a regular clean-up of your closet to stay on top of the clutter and regularly eliminate unwanted clothes.
Optimize Wall Space
You can skillfully utilize your wall space for storage and organization. If you have less cabinet space, hooks can be lifesavers. Invest in good-quality hooks. They can be mounted onto your walls and ceiling and can be used for hanging towels, robes, coats, and even jewelry. Racks can also be added to the walls to place shoes. Pots and pans in the kitchen can either be hung on a hook or mounted on an easily installable rack.
Take Away
We hope that this article will motivate you to take that first step towards cleaning and organizing your space. A clutter-free home will make you more productive and you will complete your house chores more efficiently and easily. Nobody likes a messy home but if you don’t know where to start, these tips will surely be your guiding star.