Ways to Reduce Clutter in the Home By Thomas M. Bird

Clutter seems to be the routine in homes of busy families. For one, families with small children have more belongings than most, not to mention less time to find a place for these items. Instead of taking the time to put things away, they push them off to the side or inside the first clear cupboard to get back to family-life. Over time, these items pile up, creating a disorganized mess. When this occurs, it’s difficult to find anything; cluttered homes are often avoided by repeat guests, as well. The core of the problem is the mentality of simply utilizing current space to place big or older items away. Often, there’s not enough room for these things or a scheme in place to arrange these items in a sensible order. There not only needs to be a new, established system to keep these elements away or attractively displayed in your space, but a mentality that begs these items to be properly put where they belong every time. If you share a home, you must discuss these new methods once you’ve created a new structure. In doing so, you’ll not only remove the clutter from your home, but keep it away.

* Create a space where it’s okay to place items for a brief amount of time upon entering a home. Most people come in with mail, car keys, groceries, bags, and the like. They drop them off in the middle of the floor or all over the kitchen table and then forget about them. By creating a space near the door that can be easily cleared, you’ll avoid the mess that builds in main areas. Side tables by the door and coat racks are great places for these items. You need to also make sure everyone understands that it’s temporary; it needs to be put away within a day.

* You need to remove the excess items. Go into each room with three boxes or bags, and place these things in the keep, garbage or donate receptacles. Every home has these things, but they are the primary cause of your mess. Items you struggle to throw away, but don’t use often need to go into storage. If you lack a garage or attic space, find a storage unit nearby. Avoid placing these items in the basement, as it increases the likelihood of damage.

* It’s normal to have a few books or magazines on your coffee table, but it becomes unsightly when the stacks grow too tall or the magazines worn. To hide them, purchase attractive, decorative boxes to store underneath the space. Display the beautiful books, but tuck the others away in the box. It will not only add to the décor in the room, but also easily remove the clutter.

* Group similar items in each room together. Sometimes you’ll even need to go through each room in the house to collect items that have become scattered. It’s normal in a cluttered home to put items where they fit, instead of a designated area. But storing similar items like batteries or paper goods in one place will make them easier to find and reduce the mess.

* Reorganize your bookcases and reduce items on the shelves, which are prone to collecting dust and extra items. Remove the elements that don’t belong on the shelves, while weeding out damaged books. With fewer items you can showcase your most beautiful belongings.