If you find yourself wishing your home looked tidier and less cluttered or wondering what to do with all the stuff your family has accumulated, it’s time to confront your inner packrat. Your strategy? Clear clutter and get organized.
It’s all in the timing
Clearing clutter can be overwhelming. If you don’t know where to start, or haven’t got the time to do it all at once, it’s tempting to put it off indefinitely. The trick is to break it down into manageable chunks and to de-clutter a little bit at a time, until the job is complete. Each time you tackle the clutter, the situation improves and you’re closer to your goal.
Begin at the front door of the house, or the door of the room you’re tackling, and work your way from one area to the next, dealing with clutter as you go. Even if all you can get done in a day is a couple of drawers, congratulate yourself, and pick up where you left off de-cluttering the next time.
Get sorted
Whether you’re doing the junk drawer or the entire house, when clearing clutter, things will generally fall into three categories: (1) trash and recyclables; (2) things you use and want to keep; and (3) things you no longer use that need a new home. Items in the second category should be put away where they belong and items in the third category should be assessed, and then gotten rid of or stored properly. Unless they have sentimental value, items in good repair that you haven’t used for six months or longer can be donated, given to family or friends, or sold in a yard sale or on a website such as Kijiji — this way they are still being used and appreciated by someone. If keepsakes and mementoes are a prime source of clutter, consider preserving them in photograph form or displaying them.
Everything in its place
It is essential when clearing clutter to have a place to put each and every item, whether it be in the blue box, on a hook, in a drawer, or in a closet. Bins, shelving units, functional furniture (such as storage ottomans), closet organizer systems, hooks and drawer dividers will all help immensely to ensure that everything has a place to go when clearing clutter. Setting up each room in your house for optimal organization will not only help make the process of de-cluttering easier, but will make it a breeze to keep the house clear of clutter in the future.
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