Did you make a New Years Resolution to declutter and organize your home? No? Maybe you should have but didn’t. It’s a daunting task. You can change the way your home looks and feels when you simply declutter. When you walk into your home do you feel the chaotic energy? If you want to create visual chaos in an otherwise clean home, toss those blankets over the couch or recliner, scatter the papers on your island or coffee table, add a pile of shoes and back packs or gym bags by the front door.
The good news is that a quick round of decluttering is enough to make your home clean and comfortable again. Simple daily tasks will help your home feel fresh for the New Year and give off a positive vibe each and every day. Start in one room and stay there until you’re finished. Put the items you find in that room that don’t belong there in a laundry basket. Carry that laundry basket room to room, collecting everything that belongs elsewhere. This is an easy even your little ones can get involved in. It even teaches them how to start putting things back where they go.
Once you’re done decluttering, return everything in the laundry basket to its proper place. Keep a damp rag to wipe up any dust bunnies (Save vacuuming for later). Reduce and recycle: Keep a hamper or basket to collect items you no longer need and put them in the recycling, trash or earmark them for donation. One rule, once it’s placed for recycle or donation you cannot take it back out of the basket. It’s time to let it go. Keep a small trash or recycling bin in each room to encourage tossing items right away.
Buy a labeler! Now we are having fun!! Label your canisters, drawers, shelves, the sea is your oyster! Label it all! This way everyone in the home knows where it all goes and there is zero question as to what is where! Also, when things have a proper place, there tends to be less clutter. Make use of over-the-door storage, hooks and vertical space. Consider having a loft installed for extra storage space. Do you have papers that pile up in the kitchen? Keep one spot for mail, bills, etc. Consolidate piles. Once a week, sort through the pile and throw away, shred or file mail, bills, etc. If using the top of the refrigerator for storage, relocate those items somewhere else.
The visual improvement is noticeable right away. For deep clutter removal, check expiration dates on perishable items in the fridge, pantry and cabinets. Consolidate or dispose of old cleaning products kept under the kitchen sink. And keep all cleaning products inside a cleaning bucket – no need to go through multiple cabinets looking for just the right products; just grab the whole bucket and go! Limit yourself to just three magnets on the fridge – too many papers and notes will be visually overwhelming. I know that displaying your child’s artwork and poems are important. Rotate what gets displayed then when the time is up it gets placed inside a keepsake book or thrown away! Let’s be honest, how many handprints do we need? Save the ones that mean the most and toss the rest.
Organize kitchen drawers by category (baking supplies, utensils, spices-label it!) Install hooks inside cabinet doors to hang measuring cups, spoons and even pots and pans. Use a recycled cleaning wipe container to store plastic bags – keep one near the door so you’ll remember to grab a few when taking your fur baby out for a walk. The key is to start. Just start. Pick a room and go! It takes 21 days to break a habit. If you take 30 days to practice these decluttering habits you will not only have created a new habit but dissolved an old one. -Kelsey
