Cleaning and decluttering are not activities that many of us enjoy, and that means that sometimes the clutter in our home can get overwhelming. It is not unusual to suddenly look around and think, how did all of this accumulate? The good news is that you can make a dent by spending an hour and a half a week making small changes that add up to big results. Here are our favorite tips for decluttering and on how to keep things organized.
Start Small
You do not need to tackle an entire room at once. Start with the smaller areas you use the most often. Focus five minutes a day on these areas. For example, if you are working from home, declutter your desk on Sunday to ensure that you have a clean space for the coming week. The easiest place to start is with any item that you no longer need (wrappers, food, etc) and throwing that out. Then put rogue pens, elastics, post-it notes, and calculators back where they belong.
Another space to tackle with five minutes each day in the bathroom! Ask yourself if you really use all the toiletries you have under the sink and in drawers. Amalgamate band-aids and medications into one space. These small actions can make a space you use often more pleasant to be in.
Create a Decluttering Power Hour
Most of us want to spend our weekend or days off relaxing, not cleaning up! This is what makes a decluttering power hour so wonderful. You spend one hour in the morning decluttering and have the rest of the time to enjoy yourself.
Your decluttering power hour will be unique to you. You can tackle it room by room, or by space, starting with floors and then counters and working your way up. The power hour can be organized by type of object as well, starting with throwing out the trash, moving to doing the dishes, or taking out the recycling and making space for things that need to get done on the weekend.
It can also be a wonderful family bonding activity. Put on some favorite music and dance together as you move items out of the house or back to their rightful space.
Make Space For The Things You Love
You do not have to get rid of the items that bring you happiness. You do, however, need to be mindful of the space that those items occupy. You don’t want your house bursting at the seams. There are many storage options available to assist you. Love yarn and knitting? Try file holders to hold your tools and craft materials. Do you have a lot of makeup or hair care items? Get storage boxes that allow you to see what you have and what you may no longer need.
Labeling your items and creating a home for them means that during the week when you do your 5-minute sprints, or during your decluttering power hour, it will be easier to put things back where they belong. Design your storage solution for you and what you love.
Maintain
Completing tasks right away means that maintaining your space becomes easier. Wash your dishes right after a meal. Fold and put away laundry when the dryer goes off. This means less overall time spent decluttering during the week, and more time for the things you love, in a space that will slowly feel more and more open.
By tackling the clutter in bits and pieces you will make long-term progress. Sometimes getting started isn’t easy, and we’re here to help. If you or a loved one is affected by hoarding or unable to get started decluttering a space, reaching out is the first step. 1st Hoarding Clean Up is here to help. To learn more about our services, click here or feel free to call us today at 855-465-2597
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