Decluttering has been a hot top
ic for some time now, with several best-selling books and numerous blogs offering tips on everything from storage solutions to advice on how to clean up relationships. More and more, people are awakening to the positive benefits of paring down their personal possessions. At the same time, they may be hesitant to tackle those messy junk drawers and bulging closets. So what is the best way to get started?
Determine your “why.” If you go into decluttering mode without a purpose or goal in mind, you are much less likely to maintain the changes you make. Consider the advantages to having fewer things to organize and clean, such as more time with family and friends. Write down your why and put it where you’ll see it every day, and use that as your motivation as you start to purge household belongings.
Mess causes stress. Many experts believe that clutter can cause stress, anxiety, and even depression. Limiting the amount of knick-knacks, artwork, and other non-essential items in your home is not only important for your mental well-being, this will also reduce visual clutter, free up space in your rooms, and make it easier to keep your home clean. Start small by grabbing a box and filling it with as many non-essential things as you can in a five-minute time period. Do this once a day until you feel like you have made good headway.
Create a clutter-free zone. Another good way to begin if you’re just starting to weed through your belongings is to designate a table, kitchen counter, or other convenient space in your home as a clutter-free zone, with a rule that nothing can be put there unless it is being put to use. Once you have decluttered, take stock of what you have left. Make sure every item has a home, and that all members of the family know where that place is. Then when something lands in the clutter-free zone, it can quickly be diverted to the appropriate spot.
Keep flat surfaces clear. Don’t let papers, mail, and other odds and ends accumulate on countertops, tables, or other flat surfaces. Keeping these surfaces clear will go a long way toward maintaining a tidy home. Stow as many large appliances and household items as possible out of sight, leaving out only the ones that you use daily, along with a few decorative items if desired.
Get Inspired with Callen
Need some new flooring or kitchen cabinets to accent those sparkling clean, clutter-free countertops? How about some organized style for your closets? Callen, the leading remodeling company in Milwaukee, offers closet organization, bathroom and kitchen remodeling in Brookfield and surrounding areas, and many more home remodeling services. Call today!
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