Keeping your home organized can seem like a formidable chore. Everyone gets busy, life makes you lose sight of a neat home and it seems like you have too much stuff and not enough space to put it. This is especially relevant to working parents. Starting today, follow the decluttering tips below, make a routine out of your decluttering and organizational efforts and you will notice the clutter disappear!
Go Through the House One Room at a Time
Tackling the task of decluttering your home can be overwhelming. Focus on one room at a time, strategically working on the rooms you use most.
Clean Out Your Closets First
The first spot you should organize and declutter in each room is the closet. It’s where everything gets put out away haphazardly when you need to clean up in a hurry and it can accumulate a lot of junk.
Use the Four Box/Pile System
Set up four boxes or piles; one will be for items you intend to throw away, one for items you will give away or donate, one for storage and lastly for those things you will find a place to put away neatly.
Buy Organizational Supplies
Take a trip to the dollar store and buy plenty of containers, bins, boxes and file folders that will help you organize your cupboards, drawers and closets.
Get Creative with Organization
There are so many ways to be imaginative when organizing and decluttering your home. Look at online solutions for ways to personalize your organization in ways that work best for you and your family.
Use a “Lost and Found” System
Does this sound familiar: you walk in the door at the end of the day and you see a bunch of items belonging to members of your family strewn about the house? Save yourself time putting these things away by having designating “lost and found” bins for each person in the family.
Use Vertical Space
There is only a limited amount of space to set up shelves, desks and organizational tools. Utilize vertical space on the wall, the backs of doors and cupboard to maximize your space and decluttering capacity.
Use Spaces Nobody Thinks to Use
Measure your cupboards and the height of the space under your bed and buy containers and bins that will fit in these spots so they can be utilized for storage. Winter sweaters, crafting supplies, wrapping paper and more fit well into these spaces.
Label and Use Pictures
Sometimes a label or visual reminder can demonstrate how great a space looks when it’s organized and clean. Take a snapshot of your cupboards and closets when they are clean and organized. This method can work especially well with kids.
Make Organization a Routine
You home will stay organized and clutter free if you make it a part of your daily life. Ensure you keep on top of organization by scheduling a time to complete it and make your organizational system easy to use. Get your kids on board too by teaching them how to organize and reward them for cooperating.