Now that stay-at-home orders have started to ease in many places, Americans are enjoying a little more freedom. A lot of people found the time and space to clean and organize their home while their city was on lockdown. For those that had to work from home and/or take care of their families while in quarantine, their normal tidying routines were thrown out the window. If you are planning to take some of your new found freedom to tidy up and organize your home, here are a few tips to get you started.
A Game Plan to Reduce Clutter
To start things off, first identify the areas of your home with the most clutter. Take a quick stroll through your house and write down the problem areas. You might know off the top of your head which areas are the worst, but using this method will uncover areas you haven't considered. This brings us to the second tip, define what clutter means to you. Everyone is different and what is important to you may not be important to others. For some, that stack of books on your desk looks like clutter, but you may be a collector or plan to read them soon. In any case, clutter is anything that serves no purpose in your home. For example, that stack of clean clothes on your bed is serving you no purpose and is clutter, especially if there is a more efficient place to store them like in a closet or drawer.
Then start putting together a plan of action. When you have multiple rooms to clean out, brainstorm ideas on how to address each problem. Some areas may not be your responsibility to organize if you have roommates or children. In this case, hold a meeting to see which person is in charge of what. Decide where things can go, what types of items can be donated or trashed, and what to use during clean up. Consider what tools and containers to use to help organize the clutter. Go with the three B's when it comes to containers: baskets, bins, and boxes. The solutions and tools you decide to use should reflect the realities and limitations of your space. In other words, don't use large containers if there's no room to store them. Writing down your plan and reflecting on what works and what doesn't is a great way to future-proof your household on clutter. Simply refer back to your plan when it's time to clean up again.
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