When you are living a busy life, tasks like cleaning and decluttering your home are often left for the future. And, it does not take long for all of it to build up into clutter in each room. Often, this disorganized mess takes a toll on the homeowner’s mental and physical health and leads to stress and anxiety. (Source: University of Technology, Sydney)
If you’ve also procrastinated for a long time and find yourself in a situation where an organized home might seem like an unrealistic fantasy, this article is for you. This room-by-room decluttering guide covers, from “where to start” to “how to maintain a tidy home”. Read on to learn more!
KEY TAKEAWAYS
- Creating a TV cabinet in the living room can help organize stuff better.
- Designate a specific place for all your groceries and kitchen items to avoid mess.
- To keep your outdoor spaces tidy, add hangers/ cabinets to your garage.
- Do not overpurchase skin care or body washes to save yourself from cluttered bathrooms.
Living Room
Your living room is the area that can get easily cluttered due to the presence of numerous household utilities. You can arrange them by creating a TV cabinet surrounded by a shelf to get more storage access. Put media away on shelves. You can arrange your gaming controllers and remote by creating an essential space near you. Stack coasters that aren’t in use.
If you don’t use something, consider giving it away or recycling it. If you don’t use something often, put it away out of sight in a storage drawer, shelf, or cabinet. Tucking cords behind the furniture will also unlock tidy space.
Entryway
The entryway can easily become a drop-off point for clutter, including junk mail, muddy shoes, car keys, and more. You can declutter this area by putting away shoes that aren’t being used regularly in a shoe closet, garage, or under-bed storage. Keys can be hung up on key hooks or in a stylish key or trinket dish.
Sort through your junk mail and recycle what you no longer need (likely most of it). Add a small recycling bin in your entryway to make it easier to sort mail and other recyclables. Put away coats or accessories that are out of season; winter coats do not need to be hung up in the entryway during summer!
Kitchen
Kitchens are also essential for homes for excess groceries, kitchen tools, store receipts, and junk mail that become a part of the cluttered background. Due to food safety concerns, the kitchen is a crucial area of a home cleaning routine. Designate a specific place for all your groceries as soon as you bring them home.
Clean out your refrigerator of any leftovers older than a week, including fruits and vegetables. Eliminate expired or outdated pantry items, as they can spoil and deteriorate quickly. Find spaces for kitchen tools; pot racks and over-cabinet hooks can make an excellent space for oven mitts, oversized pots, and large colanders. Foldable tables and shelfs are also a sustainable option for small homes.
Utilize this furniture to store tabletop appliances, such as blenders, when they are not in use. Downsize your kitchen tools if needed; you likely don’t need 20 mixing bowls or 10 different whisks.
INTRIGUING INSIGHTS
The infographic below shares five fun ways to declutter your apartment this summer.
Bedroom
Clothing is usually the culprit for clutter in bedrooms, but trash, reading materials, and other miscellaneous items can also accumulate. Go through and discard or recycle the junk that has accumulated in your sleeping area; place a trash can in the room for easier waste disposal.
Placing books that are not in use in the stands also eliminates the formation of heavy dust. Utilize under-bed storage and over-door storage to create more space for stowing away your belongings you want to keep. Go through your clothing to see if any can be donated. Place trinkets and display items in glass cabinets or shelves.
Bathroom
If you have an elaborate shower or skincare routine, you may be overwhelmed by the clutter of different bathroom products regularly. Ensure you don’t purchase more skincare or soap products than you actually need. Add some bathroom shelving to help organize and store any items you need to keep. Toss out or recycle any empty bottles or cosmetics, including those with expired contents
You can go for buying some cool shower storage that can make your body essentials even more organized. Toilet shelves can also enhance the overall appeal. Keep towels in drawers or closets when not in use. Add a hamper to your bathroom for storing any laundry that needs to be cleaned.
Play or Entertainment Rooms
To keep playrooms neat and tidy, it’s all about giving everything its own spot. When the kids are done playing with their toys, make sure they have a specific drawer, box, or bin to stash everything away. These organizational tools can come in multiple colors that work excellently and look charming in a play area.
Books, movies, and video games can be stored on shelves, while toys can be placed in storage bins or chests. Include a small wastebasket here to avoid trash clutter build-up. Putting everything in a designated, organized spot is the best way to declutter these zones.
PRO TIP
Create a “Maybe Box” with a 90-Day RuleIf you’re unsure whether you should keep or toss a certain item, place it in a labeled box with today’s date. Store it out of sight (like in a closet or garage). If you don’t reach for the item within 90 days, you probably don’t need it—donate, sell, or discard it.
Garage and Outdoor Space
Yards and garages are some of the places that can get filthy after routine maintenance, and upgrading or arranging utilities is the best way to avoid it frequently. You’ll want to start by putting away and organizing the tools you actually use. Hang power tools on racks or hooks. Put gardening tools in a shed or bin. Nails and drill bits should be stored in a toolbox or tool drawer. Recycle or discard spare parts that you’re no longer using.
If there isn’t room for something, it’s best to get rid of it. For larger equipment that needs to be disposed of, you may need to rent a dumpster and self dumping hoppers to complete the job quickly and easily. Get rid of any broken lawn maintenance equipment, patio furniture, or child playsets that aren’t useful anymore.
You may be surprised by how much room you create! Once you’ve eliminated clutter, trim the shrub and tree overgrowth to give your outdoor space a fresh new look.
Conclusion
An effective cleaning and decluttering of your space can easily happen when you break down the mess room by room. Take breaks in between each cleaning, and sort through trash on one surface at a time. Before you know it, you’ll be able to enjoy a cleaner and more organized home.
To keep things organized in the long run, grab some storage bins, shelves, and hooks so everything has its own spot. Don’t forget to add a few more wastebaskets around to make tossing out trash a breeze!. Add more storage furniture solutions in areas such as kitchens or living rooms, where clutter tends to accumulate more quickly. A decluttered home promotes stress-free living.
What are the 5 C’s of decluttering?
The 5 C’s of decluttering are: Clear Out, Categorize, Cut Out, and Contain.
What is the 1% decluttering rule?
The 1% decluttering rule states that doing just one small thing per day is enough to make your home better.
What are the three categories for decluttering?
The three categories of decluttering are: Throw Away, Give Away, Put Away.
