How to Declutter and Organize your Home

Space is something that just about everyone values. If you can find space in your existing home, by dispensing with all the miscellaneous junk that you’ve accumulated, then you’ll feel as though you’ve moved into a slightly bigger one. Or at least, so goes the theory.

Getting rid of clutter depends on a two-pronged approach. First, you’ll have to actually go through your stuff, and decide which items you don’t need to keep around anymore. Second, you’ll need to find somewhere to store the items you do want to keep. Let’s run through how this might be done.

Decluttering

Decluttering needn’t be a mammoth task that consumes an entire weekend. You might go through your home one room at a time. Take out all of the items you’ve got and put them into a pile in the centre of the room or outdoors like in enclosed patio. Then organise that pile.

First, pick out the items that you definitely want to keep, and then the items you definitely want to throw away. If you’re unsure of any particular item, it’s time to ask the question: does this thing ‘spark joy’? If the answer’s no, then you can bung it into the reject pile, where it’ll be destined for the bin (or the charity shop).

Once you’ve gotten on top of the problem, of course, then you can make it an ongoing part of your home life. Every time you pick up a new item, you can think about whether it’s really better than the one you’ve already got. If the answer’s no, you can keep your money in your pocket. If it’s yes, then you can dispense with the old one.

Organizing

Having gotten rid of all the items in your home that don’t add any value, you can think about how you’re going to effectively store them. This generally (though not always) means keeping them out of sight.

Go for a total redesign

Certain rooms might benefit from a total refresh. Redesigning your kitchen with a shaker kitchen that is specifically designed to unclutter can help you to get the most from the space available. That might mean drawers, which will make it easy to reach those rarely used items you have sitting at the back of your existing cupboards.

Boxing items in the attic

Your loft makes a great storage space – but it’s vital that you’re able to make sense of it when you’re up there. Organize items into cardboard boxes, and make sure that they’re clearly labelled – ideally with marker pen. Outdoor toy storage could be a better choice for storing boxes you don’t need now.

Made-to-measure shelving

In many cases, an off-the-shelf storage solution won’t do the job nearly as effectively as a made-to-measure one. This applies especially in loft spaces, where the ceiling sits at an angle. Going for a bespoke wardrobe or bookshelf might cost a little bit extra, but it’ll free up space elsewhere in the room.