Keep It Clean: 5 Easy Tips for Reorganizing Your Home
There are around 300,000 items in the average American home.
Whether or not we want to admit it, our homes are stuffed with items we don’t remember buying.
Souvenirs, old band t-shirts, and bags with broken zippers clog our closets and you can’t bear to throw anything out.
If your clutter is getting overwhelming, you’ve come to the right place. Here are five easy tips to help you start reorganizing your home.
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1. Give Every Item a Home
When cleaning your house, there’s a high chance you’ll find items strewn across your counters or bookshelves. If you’re beginning to notice the same objects, find them a home so you can have a clutter-free space.
Make a list of items you want to save and those destined for the trash. Put the important objects in a basket or drawer so they’re no longer an eyesore.
2. Reorganizing Your Home: De-Clutter
One of the best home reorganization tips is actively reducing your clutter. The first thing most people do when they want to de-clutter is to buy storage supplies before clearing anything out.
Instead, purge your home from items first. Not only does this save you money on storage supplies but it’s easier to find items in case of an emergency. You can even use left luggage to store bedsheets if you don’t want to buy more storage.
As you decide what to throw, consider the ‘80/20 rule’, the theory that we only use 20% of the items in our homes. Consider clutter hot spots like your entryway table, kitchen counter, and a dining table that we’re prone to chucking old receipts and newspapers on.
To combat this, clear all flat surfaces before you go to bed to prevent a build-up. You can also block an area that’s becoming a clutter magnet by adding a centerpiece or flower arrangement in the middle of it.
Or imagine you’re a guest visiting your home for the first time. Note down the things a visitor would notice immediately whether it’s a pile of magazines in the corner or blankets thrown over your couch. Then return them to their original place.
Another decluttering home trick is to follow the ‘one in, two out’ rule. This means if you bring an item into your home then you’ve got to chuck out two similar ones like replacing old sneakers with a new pair. Continue this even after your purge so your home stays clutter-free.
3. Arrange Items Properly
If you’re unsure how to reorganize your home, arrange objects depending on how often you use them. For instance, the items you use daily should be the easiest to access. Items you use once a year should be in the attic or on high shelves in the garage so it’s organized and out of sight.
Another way to de-clutter is to donate old clothes or outdated furniture to charity. Thow your unwanted belongings into a box and keep it by the front door so you can grab it when you leave for work.
4. Organize Your Kitchen
Stumped on ideas for reorganizing your home? Then tackle the kitchen as it’s prone to clutter.
First, take condiments, cutlery, and crockery out of cabinets and decide what you want to keep. If they aren’t organized, designate a spot like baking sheets and pots near the stove and Tupperware near the sink.
You can even get pull-out cabinet organizers so it’s easy to access your large pots and pans. Or invest in hooks to hang your saucepans so they’re easy to reach and don’t clutter your kitchen cabinet.
And don’t forget the garbage can. If your family is leaving trash scattered around the house then make it easier for them to throw it away. Instead of hiding your garbage can under a cabinet, remove the lid and keep in a central area so it’s impossible to miss.
5. Learn to Make Quick Decisions
One of the best decluttering ideas is to change your mindset so your home stays spotless.
Be mindful of what you allow into your home so you don’t always accept hand-me-downs or store your neighbor’s skis off-season. If you have temporary space, set a pickup date so your attic or basement stays clutter-free.
Decide whether you need or love an item. If you hesitate then there’s no reason to hang on to it. You should also consider whether an object supports you and your goals like exercise equipment and if it does, the item can stay. Anything that’s a painful reminder like an ex’s sweater, let it go.
You should always remember the ‘3 Rs’. First, reduce what you have as it’s the key to efficient organizing. Second, be resourceful because when you have fewer belongings then you get creative. And third, be resilient and don’t rush out to the store if you can’t find something you need.
Organizing should become part of your daily life. Spend ten minutes every day tidying up your home when you’re waiting for the kettle to boil or before bed. This saves you from losing an entire weekend de-cluttering your home.
Those Are Our Tips for Reorganizing Your Home
Now you know how to start reorganizing your home.
Dedicate time daily to remove unwanted objects, monitor clutter hot spots, and consider donating old items. Remember the ‘one in, two out’ rule as it’ll stop you buying items you don’t need. Happy organizing!
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