It’s time to get in the habit of letting go of excess stuff, instead of finding a place to store it. Having to walk around or over things does not create a peaceful living environment. Let’s go room by room and tackle some of the most common clutter problems.
1.) Kitchen: ask yourself what items do I use on a daily basis?
These items really deserve prime space in your kitchen. They should be within easy reach in the best available location. Watch out for kitchen space hogs like multiple coffee cups, plastic bags, and cleaning supplies.
two.) Next, ask yourself how many of each of these items you need to have a reasonable amount on hand.
Have 6 of something but only use one? This is a common problem. Setting limits will help you keep an organized kitchen easily. Any broken, stained, or chipped items must go.
3.) Donate or dispose of your extra items, or in the case of glasses or plates, put them in long-term storage until needed.
That’s only if you have room in or for long-term storage. If you already have a long-term storage problem, go ahead and get rid of your excess, unless it’s an item you can’t replace like good grandma’s china, in which case get rid of something else and store grandma’s china . Remember to regularly check cabinets and drawers to purge out extras and replace worn or damaged parts.
4.) Clear your countertops: the most visible part of your kitchen.
Start by placing all the items in boxes or trays. Take this opportunity to thoroughly clean your countertops. Now put back only the items you use on a daily basis. Eg Toaster, coffee maker, pots of utensils. Only display decorative items on your countertop if you have plenty of room to do so. Otherwise, decorations in moderation should be on the walls to save valuable kitchen real estate.
5.) Avoid paper clumps by creating an RAF file, or as some people call it, an action file.
A RAF file can be anything that can contain 3 files or folders. RAF stands for Read, Act and File. As the paper arrives at your house, you must use your RAF file to place each piece, whether it is to read, to act on (meaning you must take an action), or to file. Every sheet of paper you keep is important for one reason or another, so you need to be able to find it quickly. Then of course there is the trash can, use it regularly. You can also set up folders with clear plastic pages for things like receipts, recipes, grab-and-go menus, school information, and frequent phone numbers.
6.) Clean your fridge!
Reduce or eliminate old refrigerator magnets or at least move them to the side. Clear everything from the front, put important items like grab-and-go menus in a folder or your RAF file. Keep your children’s best artwork in a plastic container with their name on it, be sure to write their age on the back with an acid-free pencil or acid-free pen you can find in the scrapbook section of any store. store. Once the refrigerator is clean, just put back the current items.
TIP: Keep an erasable calendar on the front of your refrigerator, update it on the 1st of every month from your pocket calendar that you keep in your purse or briefcase. That way, you won’t miss any appointments or meetings or double your schedule.
7.) Bathroom: Clean out your medicine cabinets.
Throw away expired medications and throw away nearly empty bottles of perfume, lotion, and nail polish. Stick with the products you like and use. Don’t stick with products you didn’t like or weren’t effective just because of the cost. They cost you more in wasted space in the long run.
8.) Clean out full drawers.
OK, we’ve all done it at one point or another by pushing one more item into an already full drawer. Now is the time to change all that. Go drawer by drawer, take everything out and ask yourself “Do I love this?” Do I need this? Why am I keeping this? The answers to these questions will tell you what to do. Then you save it, donate it or throw it away. By lightening your drawers you will reduce stress and you will be able to find the things you need faster and easier.
9.) Transparent bathroom counter.
It makes it so much easier to get ready in the morning and reduces stress when your bathroom counters are clean. This is also a time saver because cleanup is a breeze. See tip #12 for where to put all the stuff you removed from the counter.
10.) Use your wall space.
If you’re having a hard time finding storage solutions, take a look at your walls. There are many options for creating storage and reducing countertop clutter. Ask yourself, is there somewhere you can add a shelf or shelves? Maybe a wall-mounted soap dish or toothbrush holder. Search EBAY for hotel towel racks that hold 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels and 2 washcloths each.
eleven.) Create a peaceful retreat.
Most bathroom tubs and showers seem to be overflowing with bottles of shampoo, conditioner, bath toys, and body washes. Again start by removing all the elements; Clean the surfaces well with a soapy foam remover. Then just replace the products you use on a daily basis. Consider buying a shower caddy if you don’t already have one and a basket or bag for the kids’ toys.
12.) Make personal toilet bags.
Each member of your family should have their own container to store and transport their own personal bathroom items. This container can be a small plastic box, a wicker basket, or any other small container that can hold your items neatly. Placing each family member’s items in their own container makes it easy to store these things under the bathroom sink or in the bathroom or linen closet until needed. This also keeps your personal hygiene items together, so it’s easy to find your comb or hair detangler and no problem moving to another bathroom when a visitor arrives.
13.) Create a haven of peace.
Your bedroom should be a place where you can rest. It is not the place to work or other stressful activities. Do not allow things not related to sleep to accumulate there. This room should contain a bed, a dresser, nightstands, a lamp, and perhaps a chair or bench. Do not clutter your bedroom with furniture, it will make it feel small and will not promote peace. Your nightstand should be uncluttered except for reading glasses (if you need them), a book or magazine (just one, not a stack), alarm clock, and maybe some tissues. Start by clearing the room of all excess stuff, only replace those items that promote peace and rest. Donate or store extra items elsewhere.
14.) Remember the one in one out rule.
Once you have your home where it looks and feels good for every new item you purchase, you will need to donate, sell, or give away an item. One by one, it is the only way to maintain the balance you have achieved.
fifteen.) Put 4 containers in your laundry room.
There are 4 containers that every laundry room should have. Three of them can be boxes, bags, laundry baskets or whatever you have on hand. The last one is a trash can. Label your bins, donate, repair, rags and trash. The donation box means you continually sort out items that are out of style but still have some wear or are too small. Repair means you need to do a little repair. Rags mean they have unsightly holes or stains, so you can use them to clean or stain furniture, cotton or wool clothes make the best rags. The trash can is for items found in pockets, dryer lint, and other trash. This way it won’t pile up in the dryer and eventually end up on the floor.
There you have it 15 steps to a clutter-free home.
