Reducing Clutter Guide

Reducing Clutter Guide

We all have busy lives, work and family vie for our time constantly, and while this is all going on we would sometimes like to keep the house tidy too. This task proves to be monumental as clutter seems to simply seep from the floor, from between the cracks in the floorboard and gestates in the cupboard under the stairs – but with a few simple choices you can keep the clutter at bay!

Planning a Space

If you have a space which is undefined you will lose it to clutter and mess. Having a home office is fine but if you begin to use it as an overspill space of off-season clothes you may be in for a spot of trouble.

If you intend to use a space for two activities make sure you plan for enough room for it. If a home office becomes a home-office and sewing room then remember you’ll need space for the fabrics as well as the filing cabinet.

Ruthless Clutter Elimination

The simple answer to clutter reduction is to get rid of everything you don’t need or love. This stage is particularly hard for some people as it can often be a one-way ticket to the cafe at the end of memory lane.  While there is a certain amount of fun in plundering old memories it doesn’t really help when it comes to organization.

If you always feel that you might need something later there are a couple of solutions. You can set up a box or an area for things which might be needed later – in this box you put all the things you may need later. You then set a certain period of time which will allow you to test your theory. If, after a month, you haven’t needed an item at all you should recycle it or give it to charity. If you do not have the space for it you will simply need to be completely ruthless and remove it immediately.

After the Clutter has been Reduced

Put your room back together in whichever fashion you are happiest with. Testing new layouts on paper first is best – and remember to consider where windows and doors are, forgetting the position of the light can lead to more rearranging later.

Next, after furniture, add all your electrical items and set everything to your preference. Once this is done it is time to finally arrange storage. It is best to do this last because then you maintain the purpose of the room. It may even force you to make some hard choices which will reduce clutter even further. Make sure your storage fits your rooms and is not a pain to manage – for example, stacked boxes may look good but if you cannot access the bottom box without lifting off ten others there is little use to the system.

With these basic tips you should be on your way to having a clutter-free home.