If you've lived in the same house for a long time, you've probably noticed some areas of your home attract more clutter than others. These are usually frequently used rooms with a bunch of various things that are tough to organize. Despite our best effort to tidy up a little bit every day, these areas are still chaos magnets that are difficult to maintain. But, don't worry - we're here to help you. This article will talk about the most common clutter hotspots in your home and give you valuable ideas on how to get rid of the chaos. So, grab a cup of coffee, and let's learn how to declutter!
The entryway
The first thing you see when you enter a house is the entryway. Every time you pass through it, you leave something here - keys, shoes, coats, jackets, wallet, etc. Little by little, this space becomes cluttered. You won't even notice it until you come home one day and there isn't enough space for one more jacket or pair of shoes. This is why this area is one of the most common clutter hotspots in your home.
The question is, what can you do to organize it better? First, put away everything you won't be wearing this season - winter coats and boots in summer or leather jackets in winter. Then, think about clever storage ideas. You can go for baskets, bins, cubbies, etc. Buy some hooks or a coat rack, if the space allows. Be creative but organized at the same time, and you won't struggle with this small, easily cluttered area of your house anymore.
The garage
One of the most common clutter hotspots in every house is certainly the garage. Garages are practically storage units of every home. Here, we put everything we don't need anymore but may use sometime in the future, from old clothes and baby cribs to tools, bicycles, cars, toys, etc. So, if you want to clean out your garage in order to have a garage you can actually use, you'll have to set aside enough time and prepare appropriately.
First, make three big piles - one for things you need and use, the second one for items you can donate, and the last one for old things that need to be thrown away. Secondly, don't forget that garages are meant for parking our cars, so make sure to leave enough space for it! Finally, purchase a couple of plastic bins and wooden baskets so that you can store some smaller stuff there. And there you have it - an organized garage you can use every day!
The kitchen counter and drawers
Whether your kitchen is small or big, you'll end up turning your drawers into junk drawers and your kitchen counter into a messy disposal site. Since every kitchen is a high-traffic room filled with little items with no permanent place in the house, it's no wonder this is one of the most common clutter hotspots in your home.
To clean out your kitchen counter, make a command center with hooks, tiny bins, and perhaps a magnetic or pinboard (ideally one that you can hang on the wall). This way, keys, mail, and other small items can be quickly organized and stored for later use. Buy drawer dividers and tiny containers for your kitchen drawers as well. Not only will you have a more organized kitchen, but you'll also improve the aesthetics of your cooking space and your house!
Where to store fragile dishware after decluttering your kitchen?
Everybody has fancy china and rarely used dishware that is hard to get rid of. So, after decluttering and reorganizing your kitchen, you'll need to find a place for this. We recommend renting a storage unit. A storage unit is a great way to keep your dishware protected and safe. Since you rarely use it, you won't have to worry about finding a place for them in the kitchen or your kids breaking them. Especially if you have expensive and valuable china. So, contact a local moving company and ask them about storing your fragile items. They often offer packing services, so you can even hire them to pack these delicate pieces properly!
The pantry
We all go crazy from time to time and buy a bunch of food and spices we don't ever use. Once we get home from the grocery store, we toss them in the pantry and forget about them. As a result, we end up with a pantry filled with expired foods and untouched kitchen stuff. More often than not, we can't even find the things we use because of the chaos we have created.
Fortunately, there is an easy way to keep things organized at all times. You should do the following to reorganize this common clutter magnet in your home:
Pull everything out of your pantry;
Throw away anything that reached its expiration date;
Put aside everything edible you don't like to use - you can donate it later;
Sort foods into groups and store them in labeled jars or baskets, put bulkier stuff in wooden baskets;
Put everything you use every day at eye level, so you can easily find it.
Once you organize your pantry this way, it will be easy to keep everything in line!
The closet
If you think about it, pantries and closets are very similar. Usually, they are small spaces used for storing our stuff - the former for food and kitchen items and the latter for clothes. So, it comes as no surprise that closets are on this list of the most common clutter hotspots in your home.
It's extremely easy to pile things up in your closet. Too many clothes crammed into a wardrobe make putting together an outfit difficult. So, if you're currently in this situation, it's time to start decluttering. This is not a fun project - we're not going to lie. However, it is necessary. So, start by taking everything out of your closet. You can arrange clothes by season and type. Get rid of everything from the 'maybe' pile - let's be honest, you won't wear it. Donate it instead! You'll end up with more closet space and easily accessible outfits.
Are you ready to de-clutter?
Now that you know all about the most common clutter hotspots in your home and how to declutter them, it's time to get to work. The longer you procrastinate, the more mess you'll have to clean. Start now so that you can enjoy your decluttered home as soon as possible. Good luck!
