You have a cluttered home and its causing you a lot of anxiety. You want to get your house on the market, but wonder to yourself ‘How on earth are you ever going to unclutter your home’? Well read on, we’ve got some great tips below on how you can do that in eleven easy steps.
Clutter, which is defined as things that lie about untidily, is often linked to creativity. So, just how much imagination will it take to tidy up your space? To be exact, you can make it happen in ten easy steps.
Step # 1: Set Up A Schedule
You are much more likely to stick to a routine, whatever it may be, if you work to a schedule. In addition, this also allows you to clean up when you can minimize any interruptions and maximize your time available.
Step # 2: Set Up A Goal For Each Room
If you can visualise the end result and what you want, then you will be better able to achieve it. By setting up simple goals for each room, you can make a note of the things that need changing and work towards that goal one day at a time.
Step # 3: Create A Timeline
When do you hope to have your home completely free of clutter? One week, two weeks or perhaps a month? Depending on your schedule and the amount of clutter that you have to deal with, it may take anywhere from a few days to a few weeks before you can kick back and relax again.
Step # 4: Start Small
To unclutter your home, you need to understand that the clutter didn’t appear overnight, and it usually won’t disappear overnight either. If you start small, you will be less likely to get frustrated and give up midway through your cleanup.
Step # 5: Categorise Your Home’s Clutter
When cleaning, it’s important to categorise your items into groups. By separating the items that you want to keep, toss and/or donate, you will be able to move through your clutter quickly and efficiently.
Step # 6: Letting Go
A good rule of thumb to unclutter your home is to get rid of anything that you haven’t used within the past year, or two. If it’s still useful, consider donating it to a good cause. Otherwise, toss it. Anything you’ve been hoarding (in the hope that one day you’ll find a place and a time to use it again) that hasn’t been used, and you can be honest with yourself and say, ‘it’s unlikely I will ever use it again’ needs to go. Give it away or donate it, you’ll feel better too that you’ve helped someone else who could do with it.
Step # 7: Storing Your Seasonal Apparel
When storing seasonal clothing, purchase a sturdy plastic storage bin with a lid and roll your clothes instead of folding them in an effort to maximise storage capability. When full, snap the lid on and slide the unit into your closet. And again, you should be quite ruthless when it comes to what goes in the box. If something has been cluttering up your wardrobe for 5+ years and you know in your heart, you’ll never wear it again, don’t hold on to it in the hope that it will become fashionable again one day.
Step # 8: Closet Organisation
Did you know that your choice of clothes hangers can greatly impact the storage capacity of your closet? Wire hangers take up less space and can save your shirts from getting that annoying shoulder bump that often arises from the use of plastic hangers.
Step # 9: Shoes Blues
When it comes to storing shoes, many homeowners are fighting a losing battle with clutter. How many pairs of shoes do you own? How neatly are they stored? If your shoe storage has you down, try purchasing clear lidded shoe boxes. These handy creations can house each pair of shoes and can be stacked neatly in your closet. And best of all, you can see your shoe collection without having to sift through a sea of sandals.
Step # 10: Read The Labels
If you have medicine, food or anything else with an expiration date in the home, check to make sure that the items are still good. If the expiration date has already come and gone, throw them away.
Step # 11: Look at Your Living Spaces
Your living spaces often accumulate lots of bits and pieces over the years. If you’re contemplating selling your home, you need to reduce the ‘massive clutter’ of these areas. Things like photos, wall artwork, knick knacks, papers, magazines and general items that make the room look untidy and cramped. Anything you can’t bear to throw away, again, just get some cardboard or plastic boxes, and carefully file away the items that are personal (house buyers don’t need to see these) until the day you move into your new home.