“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – William Morris
Whether you have a few extra boxes of things laying around, or an entire room packed ceiling to floor, it can be refreshing to reduce clutter in our homes and spring is the best time to do just that. For many individuals the clutter is noticeable, but at times, it can be difficult to get ahead of the mess and develop a routine to keeping your home neat and tidy. Are you being forced to downsize, feel drawn to the minimalist lifestyle, or just looking to reduce clutter? If so, this post will give you the tips you need to get started!
One Room at a Time
Often times spring cleaning can be overwhelming to say the least. Focusing on one room at a time can help you notice your progress and hopefully motivate you to finish the job. When sorting through things many people use the keep/toss/donate method, which can work for some, however, others ask themselves “If I lost everything, what would I replace first?” Asking yourself this can help you to determine the things that are most important to you, the items that are not on this list should then be tossed out or donated. Remember, don’t bite off more than you can chew; It’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Remove the Excess
Most of us fill our home with many different things. Some serve a purpose, others maybe not so much. In general, the less we own, the easier it is to minimize clutter. The first step in reducing clutter is to remove the excess items found throughout your home. Begin with the places we all seem to “stuff” excess items into when company is coming over and we’re in a pinch, such as, junk drawers, closets, attics, and garages.
Healthy Habits
Maintaining clutter is something that should be kept up on daily, and to do this it's important to start healthy habits that, over time, become a part of your everyday lifestyle. Cleaning the kitchen after each meal, spending time every evening picking up your home, and putting things back in their place after use are all habits that can help reduce clutter. Find what works best for you and stick to it!
Controlling Buying Habits
Everyday that we live, we consume. This cycle is inevitable in our society, however, we can change our mindset in order to make purchasing decisions that are best for our homes, and our wallets. There are a few things that you can ask yourself when purchasing new items such as, “Do I really need this?”, “Does this item offer a value or purpose to me?”, and “Do I know where this item will go in my home?” Asking yourself these questions before hand will not only save you from buyers remorse, but help eliminate clutter that adds up over time.
Getting ahead of clutter before it gets out of hand, removing excess items from your home, creating healthy habits, and thinking before you buy are all steps towards keeping a neat and tidy home.
Have any other tips on how to reduce clutter in your home? Comment Below!