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As the weather warms up, it's time to think about spring cleaning. One of the best things you can do to get your space organised is decluttering. Research has shown that clutter can contribute to feelings of stress and anxiety, making an orderly space a benefit to your mental health. If you get overwhelmed by decluttering, try breaking it down into smaller tasks. This step-by-step guide can help.
Recognise the benefits of a clutter-free home
In addition to potential mental health benefits, decluttering your home has other advantages too. For example, if you decide to sell your house, decluttering is essential to staging it. Clutter-free rooms look larger and are more appealing to buyers. For temporary storage, while staging, rent a storage unit. This can also be a useful space to store belongings while you're in-between homes.
Sort your belongings
As you go through each room, sort items into one of three categories—keep, donate, or sell. Make sure you aren't donating broken or dirty items to charity. Also, beware that some items shouldn't be donated at all, such as large appliances or mattresses. Once you've separated your belongings, get rid of the items in the "sell" and "donate" piles. For the goods, you decide to keep, make sure to institute a new system of order. If you're having trouble coming up with a system, a professional like Le Cartem can help.
Go room-by-room
Going room-by-room is an efficient way to declutter. You're less likely to get overwhelmed when you only have to focus on one space at a time. Plus, your house won't feel unliveable while you're in the midst of the process. In addition to tackling rooms like the bedroom and bathroom, take time to tackle your home office too. Create a storage system for your papers, office supplies, and tools to avoid clutter in the future.
Digitise your paperwork
Paperwork can take up lots of space in your home. Make it disappear by digitising it. It's easier than ever to cut paper clutter with DIY scanner tools. G2 offers a roundup of the best free scanning software, from Laserfiche to Pocket Scanner. With some of these tools, you need your phone to scan. You don't have to buy an extra device. Once you've digitised everything, use a secure cloud storage tool like DropBox to keep it safe.
Find creative ways to store items
Once you've decluttered your home, you have to figure out where to put the items that you've kept. Get creative by embracing unique storage ideas. For example, you can put your laundry supplies into containers, which look prettier than packaging. This trick also works for your pantry. Also, maximise lesser-used spaces. For example, under-bed storage is often overlooked. All you need is some under-bed storage boxes to make the most of it.
Make a commitment to remaining clutter-free
Once you've decluttered your home, don't let it get messy again. Follow best practices for maintaining a pristine space. Apartment Therapy offers tips for maintaining a tidy space. For example, purge items you don't need regularly and make sure there is a place for everything. Also, try to clean and organise regularly—not just once per season or year. Every day, make time to put items back where they belong and clean your space.
Decluttering your home can bring you greater peace of mind and create a more organised space. It can also be practical if you're planning to sell your home, making the space look larger. Follow best practices like going room-by-room, and don't leave out spaces like the home office. By following these practical pointers, you can declutter quickly.
For more tips on keeping a clutter-free, organised home, visit the blog.