Regardless of how much you try, the clutter around the house seems to pile up, finding its way into the cabinets, under staircases, and behind the shelves. And before you realize it, your living space gets crammed with so much clutter that locating necessary items becomes a challenging feat.
You grow so accustomed to this gradual accumulation that you hardly register the pressure in the background, compromising your inner peace and disturbing your thoughts.
There’s no denying that clutter tends to amass rapidly, considering the modern way of living. However, it’s also relevant to note that clutter not only assuages the appeal of your living space but also affects mental health. Approximately 25% of Americans struggle with clutter in their living spaces.
While decluttering is an excellent way to organize stuff and simplify things, practicing good habits to build a clutter-free and functional home is equally important, if not more. That’s why we’ve rounded up some tips to help get you on the path to maintaining a clean and organized space.
Tips And Tricks To Maintain A Clutter Free Home
Utilize a Storage Unit
When keeping your house clutter-free, a common stumbling block is deciding what to do with the stuff you love but use rarely. All the more so, if you live in Arlington, a city in Washington state, where the temperature goes as low as 21°F and high as 84°F, you might feel indecisive about temperature-sensitive items.
Of course, you don’t want to purge them, but you also don’t want them to take up considerable space in your home. Nor do you want them to get affected by extreme temperatures.
In such a case, renting a storage unit is a viable decision. So, look up self storage Arlington WA online and pick the best storage facility. A storage unit allows you to stow your belongings securely without permanently bidding farewell to them. This way, you can free up significant space in your attic, garage, and basement.
Get Rid of Unnecessary Stuff
Clutter, more often than not, accumulates when you own excessive possessions. In contrast, if you bring in less stuff in your home, it will be easier to cut down on clutter. Thus, in your effort to keep your home clean, get rid of redundant items that are draining your life and energy.
Begin sifting through each room. Check drawers and cabinets and search for unneeded items such as old batteries, rubber bands, and keys. Go through the stuff stored in the loft and purge antiquated decoration items.
To further streamline this process, follow the one-in, one-out principle. That means for every new thing you purchase, aim to discard an existing one.
The rule, in no way, restricts you to keeping your possessions to a specific number. You can always buy the stuff you genuinely need; however, don’t purchase things unless you are ready to let go of something you already own. Since less is more, this rule will ultimately help you build an organized and serene living space.
Make a Donation Box
Building on the above point, creating a donation box is another excellent way to maintain a clutter-free home. Generally, most people collect worn-out clothes and leftover things to donate on specific occasions.
For instance, when charitable organizations request help or perhaps when relocating to a new place. Nevertheless, you don’t necessarily need to wait for particular occasions to give away the things you no longer need.
Preparing a donation box is a great way to declutter as you navigate your daily life. Rather than waiting for the specific decluttering periods, by which time you might have already lost track of items you intended to dispense with, a handy donation box can help reduce clutter significantly.
So, as you go about your day, look for the items you no longer need or want and add them to the donation box. Once this box gets filled, you can donate the stuff at the nearest donation center and begin again.
Tackle the Floor Clutter
Ensuring that nothing remains on the floor is the best household rule to meet the expectations of orderliness. Since everything has a place in your home, tuck away all your possessions somewhere. It could be a cabinet, storage bin, drawer, or bookshelf.
Also, once you return home, put away the shoes neatly on the shoe rack. Don’t just toss them in disarray on the floor. Likewise, once the clothes get dried, always place them in the wardrobe. There’s nothing worse than coming to your humble abode and being welcomed by heaps of laundry that still needs sorting.
That said, you can hang a basket in the corner of the room to put away pet toys, leashes, grooming tools, and collars. You can also drape decorative storage baskets to store magazines and other paperwork.
Change Your Mindset
There’s no denying the fact that to live is to consume. Given the past-faced lifestyles, it’s simply inevitable. However, if you decelerate the inflow of belongings in your home, you can effectively manage clutter. And this calls for a shift in mindsets.
The best way to ensure that something never happens is to prevent it before it begins. So, before you make a purchase decision, ask yourself – do you need this for the right reasons?
From impulsive buying to receiving complimentary gifts, you might pick up items that aren’t necessarily important. And the best way to stop this never-ending cycle is to say “no.”
Evaluating buying patterns and asking such questions promote intentionality in your life. Additionally, they make you conscious of the fact that some items take more from life than the value they offer.
Final Words
Leading a clutter-free lifestyle is a skill that anyone can learn over time. While it requires continuous effort and time to establish healthy habits, it’s well worth it over the long haul.
However, that doesn’t mean you need to begin all of a sudden. Aim to implement one or two routines at one time. For instance, allocate time to organize stuff to keep your home tidy and clean.
Also, get rid of the things that are no longer useful. As such, put your energy into keeping things that add a sense of purpose to your life. Once you become habitual, you can aim for new habits. Taking it slow will improve the likelihood of sticking to these healthy routines.
Remember, when keeping your home clean, it’s imperative to aim for progress rather than perfection. Even if you skip some days, keep going. This way, you can attain a clean living space that provides peace and comfort.
