Can’t find your favorite shirt amidst a sea of clothes on the floor? Do you find it exhausting to sort through your belongings?
These are signs you have a cluttered house. It’s time to learn how to reduce clutter and reorganize your belongings.
Not sure how to begin? It’s okay if you feel intimidated by the task. We’re here to walk you through the process.
Read on below and learn how to reduce clutter.
1. The KonMari Method
Ever seen the show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo?” It’s hard to miss it—Marie Kondo is sort of a funny but relevant meme nowadays. This is a good thing, however, because her show highlights many important steps in organizing a cluttered house.
Out of all her tips, the most important one involves getting rid of things you’ve hoarded.
Look at each item you have and consider if it sparks joy in your heart. If it doesn’t, that means it’s not as sentimental as you once perceived. Let that item go and then move on to the next one.
2. Unused and “Might” Use Must Go
Found something you haven’t used in a while? If it’s sitting in your closet or garage, collecting dust, let it go. You don’t need it which is why it’s still out there wasting precious space.
Don’t hold on to things because you might use them one day. There’s no guarantee you need them. “Might use” still counts as unused, so get rid of these to make room for more important, more functional items in your home.
3. Scan Old Photos and Documents
Clothes and souvenirs often take up the most space in a cluttered home. However, documents and pictures can consume valuable space too. Don’t forget to sort all your old paperwork and photos.
Apply the KonMari method and only keep the photos that matter the most, like wedding photos or graduation photos. Everything else, no matter how sentimental they might seem, should go.
Fortunately, you don’t have to say good-bye to these forever. Get rid of the physical copy, but scan them first so you’ll have a digital copy. Upload these on social media or a cloud server to keep them wherever you go.
4. Storage Units
There are things you need, but you won’t use them daily. These include grass cutters, generators, the photos you want to set aside, or boxes of items you want to donate in the future. You can’t keep these in your house or garage because they’ll defeat the purpose of de-cluttering your home.
Instead, use a storage unit. Simply view here to find one near you.
5. Boxes and Containers
Don’t use boxes and containers for everything! You don’t want your closets and shelves to look like an unpacked apartment. However, you should use small boxes to neatly organize all the tiny things you own.
Use boxes for items like keys, pens, and jewelry. Larger containers are great for things you want to keep but not display, like winter coats or shoes. Try to keep these boxes within reach, ensuring you don’t forget about them.
6. Function and Sentiment
Sentiment can cloud your judgment. Learning how to clean a cluttered house fast involves focusing on function before sentiment. This is why Marie Kondo requires people to hold an item and consider if it sparks joy.
If that item doesn’t spark joy, that means it doesn’t hold as much sentimental value as you thought. Without any sentimental value, do you need that item? Does it serve any function other than remind you of a happy memory?
Get rid of items that don’t hold any sustainable function. If you found something that doesn’t do anything but still sparks some joy, take a photo of it and keep that picture stored. Get rid of the physical item.
7. Make Use of Built-In Storage
Does your home have shelves in the kitchen, bathroom, and closets? Don’t let those storage spaces go to waste!
Built-in storage is great because it now lets you keep things according to category. You can put all your favorite books on one shelf and all your souvenirs from your last vacation on another.
Long, vertical closets with no divisions aren’t that useful. If possible, replace them with shelves. They divide your attention but this helps you avoid scattering things across your house.
You should make use of hidden storage options too. If your bed has space underneath, take advantage of it. Get a storage container and put in things you seasonally need, like summer and winter attires.
8. Clean up as You Go
Learning how to clear clutter isn’t simply about proper storage and getting rid of things you don’t need. It’s also about removing clutter in your daily activities. Make sure to clean up as you go.
Finished eating dinner? Don’t let the dishes sit in the sink. Go ahead and wash them before moving on to your next evening plan.
Got home from work? Don’t simply toss your clothes in the hamper. If you see the hamper is nearly full, take it to the laundry and get it washed.
9. Sell, Don’t Store
Gather all the items you sorted out and no longer need. All the items you don’t need right now but are sure they’ll come in handy during winter or summer can get placed in your storage unit. As for everything else, you must decide whether to donate or sell it.
Donate items that are still somewhat functional. These are items that you won’t use but someone else may need. They’re not broken and dirty, so you might as well let somebody put them to good use.
Sell the rest. This includes the junk that you can’t fix or the items you’re not sure other people would want. Conduct a garage sale for the items still in decent condition and then sell the remaining junk to a junk shop.
Organize Your Cluttered House Today!
Cleaning up a cluttered house can seem like a lot of work, but it’s not impossible! Follow these steps and in time you’ll have a neater, more organized home.
Of course, you shouldn’t stop here. We have a bunch of useful guides like this one. Check them out now and discover more helpful tips!