All it takes is one week packed with meetings, school assignments, and grocery runs to turn your home into a clutterville. And if you have pets, you can lose control even quickly. Well, don’t worry, you are not the only one dealing with clutter crises.
Maintaining a house is a full-time job. It requires constant attention. One miss and all the cleaning and organisation you did last weekend will be for nothing. While you do not need to be a cleaning ninja, there are a few simple tips that you can follow to declutter your home. The trick is to be creative with your cleaning strategies.
Check out these 10 creative ways of decluttering a home.
Daily Decluttering Sprints
Binge cleaning is real. Many people reserve their weekends for decluttering their homes. This is one of the most unproductive ways of organising your house. Decluttering at a stretch leaves you feeling overwhelmed and disappointed. At the end of the cleaning spree, most people think they have wasted an entire day on one task.
Instead of doing this, set aside 10-20 minutes every day for decluttering. Keep the big tasks like deep cleaning, dusting or fixing broken pipes for the weekend but do the small tasks daily. This will not only make your weekends better, but your house will look clean every day.
Sorting Paper First
It’s the everyday items that occupy the space. The biggest eyesore for moms is paper clutter. A simple sorting process can put you in control. Sort through your mails, newspapers, bills, and invites as soon as they come in. You can use organisational trays or dedicate separate drop zones to sort them.
Stay Motivated with Before and After Photos
Ever wondered why room cleaning time-lapse videos are so satisfying to watch? Because they give a sense of achievement. Taking before and after pictures can give you a similar adrenaline rush. Take before and after pictures of decluttered spaces, and you’ll certainly realise how many unwanted items you got rid of and how better your space now feels. This will keep you motivated, and who knows, maybe you could also start a YouTube channel!
Get Rid of Sentimental Clutter
Nostalgia pushes us to cling to things that have lost their worth. Whether you have a box full of odds and ends, old toys, outmoded fashions or clothes that don’t fit anymore, take the plunge and get rid of them. Objectively evaluate if you are ever going to wear that dress again. Perhaps, it would be best to pass on the heirloom that never gets to see the light of the day. For other items, the general rule is if you haven’t used them in six months, you probably won’t use them again.
Dump, Donate or Sell
Collecting and sorting should go hand-in-hand when getting your house in order. Sort all the items depending on their value in the following categories – dump, donate and sell. Items like broken hangers, jewellery and worn-out lawn tools must be ditched. On the other hand, you can donate your reusable clothing, sports equipment, books and furniture. Also, your old iPad, Tablet and other gadgets can help you earn some quick cash. Second-hand iPads are quickly bought by students and even parents. You can sell an iPad for cash and have a cleaner house and a fatter wallet for yourself.
Ditch, Donate, and Return – One Item at a Time
If you feel lost every time you try to categorise your pile of clutter, here is a way to make the process bite-sized for you. Assign a box to put items you want to trash, donate, or put them back to their place. Now, go to each room and find just one thing for each box. Over time when the boxes are full, you can go ahead and do what you intended.
Give Minimalism a Chance
The mantra of minimalism is ‘less items, less clutter, less stress and less cleaning.’ This is one of the best practices that busy homeowners can try. Opt for multipurpose and compact furniture. This will create more open space, which makes a house look cleaner, and it will help you with the organisation as well. For example, buy a table with deep bottom drawers. You can store your mats and crockery there easily. This will keep your living area sharp, and you won’t need a separate storage cupboard as well.
Involve Everyone in the Process
Instead of rummaging through everyone’s room and closets, make everyone responsible for bringing their unwanted items for donation. You can set up a station in your house once every week or every season, especially around holidays when gifting stretches your storage spaces. You can help your younger kids decide what toys they don’t like and will be happy to donate. This will reduce your workload and inculcate good habits in your children.
Organise Your Household Must-haves
Household necessities can be challenging to organise and a bigger challenge to find when needed. How many times were you able to find a pair of scissors when you needed them?
To avoid the mess and lose essential items, use stackable plastic drawers to organise small supplies like batteries, bulbs, stationery, craft items, and disposable bags. You can also add baskets to the back of cabinet doors for storing your cleaning and other supplies.
Don’t Chase Perfection
Don’t let decluttering get the best of you. Houses are not meant to look organised all the time. They are intended to celebrate lives. Let your children run free and have the best time. Yes, a big pile of laundry or toys spread across the living room are not picturesque, but you don’t need to push yourself just to attain the impossible standards of neatness. A little decluttering every day will work just fine.
A decluttered space makes you feel empowered and energised. At the same time, you rediscover forgotten treasures or find opportunities to earn quick cash. And all it takes is a little effort every day to realise your zen of clutter-free, streamlined living.
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