Controlling Clutter & Organizing Your Home
When we’re suffering from the mid-winter doldrums, the urge often strikes to clean up and clear out all of our “junk.” Junk might qualify as boots, hats and mittens that never seem to find a home; dog toys that Fido carries from room to room; toiletries that clog up the counter on your bathroom vanity, or the seemingly endless array of electronics and charging cords that multiply on every flat surface near a wall outlet. Does any of this sound familiar? It’s all so visually annoying, and it makes your house look dirty and cluttered. What’s worse, the clutter can make you feel ashamed.
You’re not alone, and you can make your home cleaner and more organized. Here’s our four easy home organization hacks to make your home the peaceful and pretty place you know it can be!
Step 1: You’ve Got to Start Somewhere
Vowing to organize your whole home is probably overwhelming. Start small, so you can feel good when you accomplish something in one area. Success will motivate you to move on from there. If organizing a whole room feels daunting, focus on a single wall or a corner.
Are you itching to get going? An entryway or kitchen counter are great places to start, because they’re small, but make a big visual impact when they are neat and tidy. If you’re having trouble deciding where to begin, ask yourself what’s the one thing that bothers you most when it’s mess? (Think dirty clothes or towels on the floor, papers and mail lingering on the kitchen counter, shoes in every room of the house, etc.)
Step 2: Decide What Stays and What Goes
Starting in one clearly defined area, throw out or donate what you don’t use or don’t need. Make decisions and move quickly. Chances are, you won’t get rid of everything, and that’s OK. What remains should have a purpose, even if it’s just to look at (because decorations are fine as long as you enjoy looking at them).
Step 3: Choose a Storage Solution that Leaves Your Surfaces Clear
Clear tables, counters and floors make a room look clean, even when it’s covered in dirt and dog hair! It’s the visual clutter that’s probably bothering you more than actual uncleanliness. The trick is to find a storage solution that’s simple, keeps things out of sight (minimizing or eliminating that visual clutter), and allows you to find things quickly when you need them.
Storage benches are good solutions for entryways as a place to stow gloves, hats, mittens and boots, and they double as a place to sit when putting on outerwear or taking it off. Their versatility can really shine in other rooms too. This bench would be just as useful and eye-catching at the foot of a bed or in a family room.
This hamper is too pretty to be hidden in a bathroom. If your family is more apt to use it in a different room, its furniture construction makes it look good and fit in your bedroom or even in a hallway.
Step 4: Change Your Cluttering Ways
Home organization is only as good as your commitment to putting things where you want them to go. A caddy for all of your electronic devices is great, but only if you actually put the devices in it. Be realistic about whether you and your family will consistently use a storage solution you’ve selected before spending big money on it.
Coat racks aren’t just for your entry way anymore. This one is just as useful in a bathroom to hang towels and robes while providing more storage for towels and toiletries. Or, placed in a bedroom, use it to transform the space, getting your favorite jackets and bags up off the floor and offering new space for books, cosmetics, jewelry or electronic devices.
Stick with it!
As with any change, it can take some time to get used to a new storage routine. Placement and ease of use are important with any new storage solution. Easy to use, conveniently placed, and visually pleasing storage furniture can make a big difference, but at the end of the day, keeping your home organized and clutter free comes down to the habits you develop.
Leave A Comment