Have you ever seen those shows about hoarders? Can you relate to that kind of lifestyle? If the answer is yes, you might need to think deep and hard to realize what led you to this point and whether you need professional help to deal with this issue. However, in case your hoarding habits are on the smaller side, there are some things you can do to create order in your home once again. Here are some ideas for making your home more organized.
Understand the risk of having too many things
The first step to having a less messy house is actually having fewer things. Of course, there are items that we enjoy and are necessary for everyday functioning, but others just present a huge obstacle to that everyday functioning. Having clutter everywhere is quite dangerous as it can result in injuries, medical conditions and even death. For example, Australian fire services recommend unblocking exists and installing smoke alarms to reduce fire risks in overcrowded homes.
Buying less is important
Continuing from the previous point, you need to work on your buying habits. If you like to collect certain things, reconsider whether they are actually useful and spark joy, like Marie Kondo likes to say. Sure, collecting shoes might be a hobby, but does anyone need 250 pairs they are never going to wear? You probably do not have a way to store all of them anyways. Another thing you can cut down on is buying magazines and keeping old issues. Nowadays, you can find most things online, sometimes with a subscription and a lot of times without one. A nifty way to save even more space.
Consider selling and donating
Once you get your buying under control, you need to try and downsize your current possessions. Take the previous example of shoes – if you have multiple pairs you don’t wear, consider donating them to someone in need. Plenty of charities are glad to accept free items of clothing and footwear. You can also sell them during a garage sale, see your options at consignment stores or post ads online.
Throw away things you don’t need
Surely, there are things in your home that serve no purpose and would probably be quite hard to sell. You should go room by room and find all these items that you need to get rid of. If you expect huge amounts of trash, you can follow the example set by the Aussies, who often get a skip bin hire in Brisbane to deal with this obstacle. Depending on the type of waste and the quantity, you can rent out various types. The great thing here is that you just need to fill it up and the company you hired will take it away and dispose of it.
Find creative storage solutions
Now that your home is free of all the unnecessary stuff, you need to learn to keep it uncluttered and use every inch of space that you have. This is where handy storage solutions come into play. For instance, you can use the space under your bed for storing things you don’t need every day or even seasonal decorations. There are various other kinds of modular furniture that serve multiple purposes, such as ottomans that can also be used as storage or wooden chests that can keep things safe while also providing your living space with a unique look.
Make the most of your walls
When looking to save space and keep everything tidy, making the most of a bare wall is vital. For example, if there are any empty walls, you can consider installing shelves to utilize this space. Putting them a bit higher can allow you to have more space below them, whether it’s for seating options or any surfaces. You can use them to put away things you don’t need on a regular basis but still want to keep. Other than shelves, there are various kinds of racks and hangers you can install. They can be used for anything from organizing your kitchen to arranging the cleaning supplies.
Learn to keep it organized
If you managed to follow these steps through and rid your home of all unnecessary things, it’s important to keep up the good work. The little things matter – don’t let the dishes pile up, so wash them right after your meal. The same goes for laundry, wash it when it’s dirty and put away when it’s clean. Do a little picking up ritual before bed and put things in their designated place. In order to prevent clutter, you have to work hard.
All in all…
These seven steps should be able to help you deal with your cluttering problem. Just remember to not buy things you don’t need, donate your extra stuff and implement easy tricks to keep everything tidy. You got this!