Meta: There’s a lot to get stressed about, especially during quarantine. Here are a few tips on decluttering your home so you have one less thing to worry about.
Oh COVID, how hast thou altered our lives?
To be honest, we can’t even estimate how much more stress this on-going pandemic has added to our lives. Plus, when you include the social unrest, economic uncertainty, the election and everything else that has made 2020 a… year to remember.
Families across the country have had to change many aspects of their lives and some are still struggling with trying to make it work. There are some households where both parents and children have to work from home because their workplaces and schools are still closed. In HomeLight’s Q3 2021 survey, top real estate agents report that the no. 1 wish list item for buyers in a post-vaccine society is a home office, with 60% of respondents citing the feature as a top priority for clients in their market.
With everyone staying home, there’s a strong likelihood that the amount of clutter that’s accumulated over the past nine months has grown exponentially. And, if you’re feeling stressed out because it seems to grow everyday, fear not! We have some useful tips that’ll help you declutter your home and alleviate some of that mounting anxiety.
1. Start with the small stuff
Figuring out where to start in and of itself can be overwhelming! Don’t freak out! It’s okay to start with the small stuff first. In fact, that’s the perfect place to start! Let’s say you have a pile of mail that’s been sitting on the counter and it’s getting out of control. Go through that mail and discard what you don’t need and keep the important stuff.
Once this is done, you’ll feel accomplished and you’ll be ready to move on to the next small task. Keep doing this and you’ll gradually move on to larger piles of clutter.
2. Don’t move stuff from one place to another
It’s super easy to fall into the mindset of thinking that you’ll need something in the future and move it to a storage closet, garage or even another room. You can’t do that because it’s just probably going to sit there, cluttering up another space!
As you’re going through things, take your time to consider whether or not you actually need something. If you decide that you don’t need something, it’s okay to get rid of it by donating it, selling it, or even tossing it in the garbage. If you’re tackling your kids’ toys or books, figure out when the item was last used and if it’s been a while, encourage them to donate it so that another child can enjoy it as much as they did.
3. Use clear containers and label them
As you’re going through stuff, store the things you’re keeping in clear storage bins and label them appropriately. The labels will make it easy to find what you’re looking for and the clear bins will let you see exactly what’s inside.
As an example, perhaps you’re going through your massive movie collection. You can store your children’s movies in one bin and label it. You can store comedies in another bin and label it. You get the picture.
4. Put things back in its place
This probably seems like a no-brainer, but it’s easy to fall into the habit of just leaving stuff wherever, especially for kids, and over time all that hard work you’ve done will be for nothing! Create a space for everything and make sure your children put things back where they belong as soon as they are done with them. Not only will this help keep the clutter to a minimum, it’ll be so much easier for them to find their belongings the next time they need or want them!
5. Utilize vertical space
Look around your home and you’ll see how much wasted space there is simply because much of the vertical space is under utilized. Sure, you may have a few shelves here or there, but you could do so much more! Your children’s toys could be stored in hanging toy organizers. The family’s shoes could be stored in vertical shoe racks. You’d be amazed by how much the clutter will decrease by using tall bookshelves, portable closets, shelves, and other organization solutions!
Although we’re tired of the rollercoaster ride that is 2020 has been, you don’t have to let that carry to 2021. Just by removing the chaos that overwhelming clutter can bring into your life, you may very well feel like you can take on whatever the new year brings. Just remember – start small!