These days it seems the house is always full of clutter. The daily schedule of work, family and all the things that go along with leave cleaning by the wayside. You can find time to run the vacuum around and load the dishwasher but it feels like you can't set aside a good chunk of time to get to all the clutter hanging around the house. But there is hope! By following a few simple tips you can get it under control.
Start with a Major Clean-up
Three bins: Keep, Donate and Toss. Everything gets put into one of those bins. If it's in good shape but you don't use it, put it in the donation bin. And by don't use it, we mean within least the last 6 months. We're not just talking about clothes. Keep and Toss are pretty explanatory, we think.
Here's the secret to a huge clean-up: don't try to do your whole house at once. Hit one or two rooms at a time. By breaking up the work it becomes much more manageable and doesn't feel overwhelming. You are wanting to do a purge here. Don't get all sentimental! Take pictures of items you want to remember but don't want to store.
Once the majority of the work is done, keep your giveaway box somewhere convenient (without being in the way) so you can continue to put items in it. Once it's full, take it to a donation centre.
Storage
There are tons of storage solutions available out there - rubbermaid bins, decorative baskets, shelving systems - if you've thought of it, it's probably already out there. Think of double duty furniture too. The ottoman that opens up to drop all the kids toys in at the end of the day. The entertainment centre with baskets for all those little items like the remotes and game controllers. If you're the crafty type, hit up a garage sale or thrift store and get a new piece for a great price. Then decorate it to match your home decor.
Keep one thing in mind: if you're using rubbermaid bins for the garage or under the stairs, make sure to label them! A piece of moving tape and a marker work great.
What About the Kids?
If you have kids, the clutter in your home always seems to be 100 times worse, doesn't it? So use the kids. Bring them in and have them help. Let them decorate their very own bin to store things so it's special for them. Plus, you'll be teaching them organizations skills at a young age - bonus!
Kids also love colour so use colour coding wherever you can. Try using a yellow bin for all electronics, a blue bin for colouring supplies and a green bin for cars or other small toys. This can be as simple as a coloured label on the outside of the bins/shelf/basket - whatever system you want to try with your kids.
The Origins
Look, you can clean up all you want but if you don't figure out where all the clutter is coming from, it will be back. Find the areas of your home you would call the "problem areas" and get those settled. It'll make it much easier to keep your home neat and tidy.
There you go! Some simple ideas to help tackle the clutterbug that has hit your home. Find a system that feels right to you and go with it. And by sticking with it, you'll have a happy and clean home!
Photo credits: shutterstock.com
Posted by Terry Paranych on
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