A home is supposed to be a place that gives you a sense of security and calms your feelings down. Picture this, after a long day spent at work, or school or elsewhere, surely all you wanted to do is find some comfort in your home. But say, you forgot to make your bed this morning before you step out, so you lounge on the sofa. Unfortunately, you got poked with your kids' Duplo Lego. Therefore, instead of relaxing, you get up and start to clear things up first, which is not ideal again after having a long day at work.
With parents working full-time and kids get much more involved with life after school, time moves pretty fast indeed. And that is when a family finds keeping a clutter-free home quite a challenge.
So even before things get out of hand, here are seven ways we've rounded up for you on how to efficiently keep your home organized and clutter-free.
Set Goals
Set a definite goal before your operation "clutter-free house" kicks off. You have to make sure that you won't end up creating more mess before you even started. Begin with simple goals and make sure to commit to each one of them. If this calls for a family emergency, then meet everyone up and get each one's commitment too. Especially the kids.
First, survey the whole house. Sometimes, juggling with a lot of things day in day out, you often get unfamiliar with your own home too. And that's perfectly normal, so don't feel bad. Maybe spend half of the day to acquaint yourself with the whole place, so that you have an overview of what needs to be done. Decide which room or area needs to be cleared first, and then tackle one place at a time. Once you've entirely organized one room, make sure to commit that you as a family should keep that room as neat as it is moving forward.
Give each member a responsibility too. It makes the cleaning up much more comfortable and more meaningful too.
Create a Sorting System
If organizing a particular area overwhelms you, the best way to overcome it is to create a sorting space. As you clear the things out of your closet, for example, separate the clothes you usually use, the ones which do not fit anymore, and those that you've not seen for the past six months. Those that do not fit can be put on a garage sale, while those you've not seen may be donated.
Do the same technique in your kitchen and your bathroom too. Check the expiration dates and discard those that no longer serve its purpose.
Use the 80/20 rule
The Pareto principle or the 80/20 rule means achieving more by doing less.
If you are to use the same principle in having a more organized home, then the idea is to get rid of the 80% worth of clutter and make use of the remaining 20% to its maximum. It can be a little bit too good to be true when you first hear it. But ultimately, you will learn the fact that most of the time, you only get to use 20% of the stuff you own. Surprisingly, this rule applies to everything; your clothes, and even in your pantry.
Get Over Sunk Costs
Sunk costs are charges you've already incurred and can no longer be recovered. For example, you bought a brand new dining set two years ago. They're sturdy, and the design is very classy, which is why you paid for quite a generous amount then. However, for some reason, this dining set doesn't suit your taste anymore. Nor, you're unable to utilize it as much as before because of the newly built kitchen counter. You're adamant about throwing it away, and so you decided that it stays there - in your kitchen area, unused and gets filled with unopened mails.
Clutter then gets piled up.
You have to get over that sunk cost fallacy quick! It is human nature to irrationally keep things even if they no longer meet your requirements. People are sentimental and, again, cannot get over sunk costs most of the time. Hence the reason why living a minimalist and clutter-free life is a challenge. But remember that the sooner you escape that fallacy, the sooner you get closer to your goal.
Use Self-Storage
Sometimes, no matter how much stuff you have thrown away already, the built-in storage in your home is not just enough. And this is when renting a garage or a self-storage or renting perhaps could help. This type of service satisfies your urge to keep a piece of bulky furniture without sacrificing the space of your own home.
Luckily, there are a lot of options for storage units in Auckland to choose from. Make sure to keep a list of the items for your reference, and do not forget to keep up with your rent.
Keep Like Things Together
One way of keeping things organized is by keeping similar items together. Simply because it takes lesser time to find them. Keep your child's toys in one corner and school supplies in another.
Use Storage Bins for Things Used Infrequently
Give yourself a retail therapy by going into your local furniture shop. Get some storage bins in different sizes and designs. So, even if you place them in the middle of your living area, it doesn't cause any distraction. Storage bins are more practical after all, rather than getting a carpenter to make a brand new drawer, right?
In Conclusion
Keeping things in order can be quite a challenge. At least at first. But as soon as you learn the ropes and keep your commitment to your goal, things will become easier as days go by.
So the key is to start now and drop all those procrastinating hormones!
Author Bio: Andrew is an NY-based writer who covers DIY home projects, cleaning, and organization. When not writing, he spends his time with his two rescue dogs, Jet and Rocket.
