It’s time to get in the habit of letting go of excess stuff, rather than finding a place to fill it up. Having to walk around things or over things does not create a peaceful living environment. Let’s go room by room and fix some of the most common clutter problems.
1.) Kitchen: ask yourself what items I use on a daily basis.
These items really deserve prime-time space in your kitchen. They should be within easy reach in the best available location. Watch out for space pigs in the kitchen, like multiple coffee cups, plastic bags, and cleaning supplies.
two.) Next, ask yourself how many of each of these items you need to have a reasonable supply on hand.
Got 6 of something but only use one? This is a common problem. Setting limits will help you keep a kitchen organized easily. Any broken, stained, or chipped items should go.
3.) Donate or discard your extra items, or in the case of glasses or plates, put them away in long-term storage until you need them.
That’s only if you have room in or for long-term storage. If you already have a long-term storage problem, please dispose of the excess, unless it is an item that you cannot replace, such as Grandma’s good china, in that case, dispose of something else and save Grandma’s china. Remember to periodically check cabinets and drawers to purge extras and replace worn or damaged parts.
4.) Clean your countertops: the most visible part of your kitchen.
Begin by storing all items in boxes or trays. Take this opportunity to clean your counters thoroughly. Now return only the items you use daily. Eg toaster, coffee maker, utensil pots. Only display decorative items on your countertop if you have enough space to do so. Otherwise, decorations in moderation should be on the walls to save valuable real estate in the kitchen.
5.) Avoid stacks of paper by creating an RAF file or as some people call it an action file.
A RAF file can be anything that can contain 3 files or folders. RAF stands for Read, Act and File. As the paper arrives at your home, you need to use your RAF file to place each piece, whether it’s for reading, acting (meaning you have to take action), or archiving. Every sheet of paper you save is important for one reason or another, so you should be able to find it quickly. Then thick is the wastebasket, use it regularly. You can also set up folders with clear plastic pages for things like receipts, recipes, takeout menus, school information, and numbers you call frequently.
6.) Clean your fridge!
Reduce or eliminate old refrigerator magnets or at least move them aside. Erase the entire front, put important items like takeout menus in a folder or your RAF file. Store your kid’s best artwork in a plastic container with their name on it, be sure to write their age on the back with an acid-free pencil or an acid-free pen that you can find in the scrap booking section of any store . Once the refrigerator is clean, just put your current items back.
TIP: Keep a cleaning calendar on the front of your refrigerator, update it on the first day of each month from your pocket calendar in your purse or briefcase. That way, you won’t miss an appointment or meeting or schedule your schedule twice.
7.) Bathroom: Clean your medicine cabinets.
Throw away expired medications and throw away any perfume, lotion, and nail polish bottles that are nearly empty. Keep the products you like and use. Don’t save products that you didn’t like or were ineffective just because of what it cost you. In the long run, they will cost you more in wasted space.
8.) Clean stuffed drawers.
Okay, we’ve all done it at one point or another, we shoved one more item into a drawer that was already full. Now is the time to change all that. Go drawer by drawer, get everything out and ask yourself “Do I love this?” I need this? “Why am I keeping this?” The answers to these questions will tell you what to do. Then you save it, donate it or throw it away. By lighting your drawers, you reduce stress and find the things you need faster and easier.
9.) Transparent bathroom counter.
It makes getting ready in the morning so much easier and reduces stress when bathroom countertops are clean. This is also a time saver because cleaning is very easy. See tip no. 12 for the solution on where to put all the things you removed from the counter.
10.) Use your wall space.
If you are having a hard time finding storage solutions, take a look at your walls. There are many options for creating storage and reducing counter clutter. Ask yourself, is there a place where you can add a shelf or shelves? Maybe a wall mounted soap dish or toothbrush holder. Look on EBAY for hotel towel racks that contain 2 bath towels, 2 hand towels and 2 washcloths each.
eleven.) Create a peaceful retreat.
Most bathtubs and showers seem to be filled with bottles of shampoo, conditioner, bath toys, and body soaps. Again, start by removing all the items; Clean surfaces thoroughly with a foam cleaner. Then just return the products you use daily. Consider purchasing a shower caddy if you don’t already have one and a stick in the basket or bag for children’s toys.
12.) Make personal toilet bags.
Each member of your family should have their own container to store and transport their own personal bathroom items. This container can be a small plastic box, a wicker basket, or any other small container that can hold your items neatly. Placing each family member’s items in their own container makes it easy to store these items under the bathroom sink or in the bathroom or linen closet until they are needed. This also holds your personal hygiene items together, making it easy to find your comb or hair detangler and it’s not a problem to move to another bathroom when company comes.
13.) Create a peaceful haven.
Your bedroom should be a place where you can rest. It is not the place for work or other stressful activities. Don’t let things unrelated to sleep accumulate there. This room should contain a bed, a dresser, nightstands, a lamp, and perhaps a chair or bench. Don’t overcrowd your bedroom with furniture, as it will make it feel small and will not promote peace. Your nightstand should be clear except for reading glasses (if you need them), a book or magazine (just one, not a battery), alarm clock, and maybe some tissues. Start by cleaning the room of all excess things, only put away those items that promote peace and rest. Donate or store extra items elsewhere.
14.) Remember the one-on-one rule.
Once you have your home where it looks and feels good for every new item you purchase, you will need to donate, sell, or give away an item. One by one, it is the only way to maintain the balance that you have achieved.
fifteen.) Place 4 containers in your laundry room.
There are 4 containers that each laundry room should have. Three of them can be boxes, bags, laundry baskets or whatever you have on hand. The last one is a trash can. Label your containers, donate, tidy up, rags and trash. The donation box means that you continually separate items that are past their prime but still have some wear or are too small. Repair means you need to do a small repair. Rags means they have holes or bad stains, so you can use them to clean or stain furniture, cotton or wool clothing is best for rags. The trash can is for items found in pockets, dryer lint, and other trash. This way it doesn’t pile up in the dryer and eventually hit the floor.
There you have it 15 steps to a clutter-free home.
