Audrey
Decluttering your home can be a demanding but worthwhile project. It can be therapeutic to declutter, freeing up space and giving you the opportunity to reset and re-organize your home. At the same time, it can also be overwhelming, leaving you feeling frustrated and overwhelmed. But don’t despair; these helpful, yet easy to follow decluttering tips will arm you with the confidence you need to transform your home interiors.
Before the Decluttering Begins
Before beginning the decluttering process, it is important to understand just how drastic a task it is. Some people may find themselves overwhelmed by the amount of items in their home that need organizing.
Others may feel excited and be completely up for the challenge ahead. Regardless, both parties should take the necessary steps to make sure they are well-prepared for the task at hand.
For starters, it is beneficial to set aside dedicated time and space for decluttering one’s home. It is also important to have appropriate supplies such as bins, boxes, labels, and markers where necessary. Knowing which items are important enough to keep, donate, or dispose can cut down immense amounts of time during the process.
Setting Goals for Your Space
The process of decluttering your home can be daunting, but setting goals for your space helps make it more manageable. To maximize the effectiveness of this process it’s important to identify why you’re cleaning and what result you want to achieve.
Approaching the task with specific goals in mind will help to focus the decluttering effort and ensure that you don’t become overwhelmed or give up when things don’t go as planned.
Removing Clutter
Removing clutter is an essential part of any decluttering process. Getting rid of the excess items, papers, and electronics can help you create a simpler, cleaner, and more efficient living space. Removing clutter allows you to focus on what’s important in your life rather than feeling overwhelmed by all the things that surround you. With the help of a locking dumpster, you can ensure that your discarded items are securely contained and won’t create a mess or cause any safety hazards.
That said, there are pros and cons to removing clutter. On one hand, it can free up valuable floor space and make a room look larger and neater without having to buy new furniture or make major changes to the layout. On the other hand, some people believe that getting rid of their possessions can be emotionally draining as they are tied to memories from the past.
It is entirely up to the individual such as which approach they want to take when it comes to removing clutter from their home. If someone prefers not to get rid of items because of sentimental value, they could always find creative ways to store the items safely instead of putting them on display or leaving them out in plain sight. Ideas like this can still help reduce clutter in a home while allowing those memories to remain intact for years to come.
Getting Rid of the Small Stuff
Getting rid of the small stuff can be a tricky endeavor as it often gets overlooked. However, this type of decluttering is essential for creating the desired effect. It’s easy to overlook items that seem insignificant, like expired style magazines and old spare parts in the closet. Assess every item within a space and determine whether it has a purpose or simply serves as clutter.
Though hard to let go, getting rid of the small stuff offers multiple benefits. Not only does it give a room an organized appearance, but it also reduces overwhelming feelings brought on by too much clutter. In addition, having fewer items will create more room for larger furniture pieces or decorations to complete a certain look.
Prioritizing What Needs to Go
When it comes to decluttering your home, prioritizing what needs to go can be both difficult and time consuming. On one hand there is a certain sense of immediate gratification that comes from getting rid of any items that are no longer needed or used.
On the other hand, some possessions can have sentimental value and seem nearly impossible to part with. It is important to step back and identify the items that may prove the most useful after decluttering, such as furniture pieces, artwork, and decor that bring visual pleasure. These items should be given top priority when deciding what should stay and what should go.
Additionally, it is helpful to assess the functionality of each item. Do they hold any functional value? Won’t you find yourself needing them later down the line? If not, then these items will need to be given proper consideration for removal. Additionally, if a piece of furniture or an electronic item is broken beyond repair, then it would make better sense to get rid of it instead of repairing it or taking up valuable space in your home. It is often more beneficial to purchase a new item instead of wasting resources on something that has no further use.
- According to a survey conducted in 2019, 69% of people who decluttered their homes reported feeling less stressed and anxious.
- A study published in 2017 found that de-cluttering can improve overall moods and emotional stability.
- A survey conducted in 2020 found that 91% of participants who decluttered their homes experienced an increase in productivity as well as improved satisfaction with their home environment.
Deciding What to Keep and What to Get Rid Of
When deciding what to keep and what to get rid of, it is important to take a few moments to assess your belongings. Are you holding onto something because it has sentimental value? Is it still usable? Is it taking up valuable space that could be better utilized elsewhere? If the item doesn’t add any perceived value to your life, then it may be best to let that item go so that you don’t become weighed down with clutter.
On the other hand, some items may have a functional use that can ultimately benefit your home. Consider keeping items that fit this criteria because functionality and practicality are important when it comes to decluttering. While reducing the amount of clutter in your home is the main focus, make sure you pay attention to the items that would truly bring joy into your life or be helped in some way or another.
Creating Storage Solutions
Once you’ve gone through the difficult process of deciding what to keep and get rid of in your home, it may be time to create storage solutions to help make your home look more presentable.
Luckily, there are now many cost effective and creative approaches to organization that don’t require extensive renovations. For example, when organizing bookshelves, colored or mismatched baskets can provide a more appealing alternative to boring boxes while also keeping items out of sight.
Additionally, multi-level shoe racks and shelves are great for those with limited space in their closet. Consider also investing in magazine organizers and over-the-door hangers to ensure everything ends up off the floor and kept neatly tucked away. Finally, consider hiding items behind stylish cabinets and chests if they take up too much visual space.
Utilizing Out of Sight Out of Mind Solutions
After taking the time to create more storage solutions and organization systems in your home to accommodate all of your belongings, it is important to remember that utilizing out of sight, out of mind solutions can also be beneficial.
Putting items away that you use rarely or just no longer need can help reduce clutter and free up more space in your home. Keeping them stored away, either in containers or in another room, makes them easier to find when needed while also getting them out of your everyday visual space.
De-Cluttering Finishing Touches
Once you have completed the task of decluttering and organized the spaces in your home, it is time to use finishing touches to make your newly reorganized space complete. There are advantages and disadvantages to both minimalism and maximalism when it comes to these finishing touches.
Minimalism emphasizes few but diverse elements that draw attention more specifically towards a single or few items so as not to overwhelm the senses. On the other hand, maximalism uses many items or an extravagant style to create an intentional yet busy atmosphere.
When deciding between the two approaches, consider how long you plan to keep this design in place and weigh the amount of money and effort required for each option. For a short-term solution, such as redecorating rooms for special occasions, maximalism may be preferable as it allows an individual to add a wide variety of decorations quickly with great cost efficiency. By comparison, minimalism requires more thoughtfulness and creativity, thus making it better suited for a longer-term change.
Inspiration for a Refreshed Interior Design
After applying all of the helpful decluttering tips discussed in the previous section, homeowners may be inspired towards a refreshed interior design. Some people often place too much emphasis on the furniture and artwork when trying to spice up a home’s design; however, other techniques are available that only involve minimal effort and cost.
One good way for homeowners to infuse their own style into a living space is by bringing in vivid colors. Homeowners don’t necessarily have to buy new furniture; they can simply paint a wall or two, and even purchase colorful throw pillows and rugs to create an accent wall. By purchasing colors that match with existing furniture, homeowners can bring life back into the room without spending too much money.
Another great way for homeowners to refresh their interior design is by rearranging the furniture as well as incorporating plants. Rearranging the furniture allows for more creativity, whether it be to center a focal point or create more room for activities and walking space.
These are just a few small ideas to get homeowners started on rebooting their interior designs after decluttering their homes; there are many other different options out there besides painting walls or incorporating plants. Ultimately, finding something that resonates with one’s own style should be the top priority when deciding which design strategies to use.
