Habits for a Clutter-Free Home
No matter how many times you clean your house, it just doesn’t feel…clean. But why? You’ve vacuumed, polished the furniture, scrubbed the toilets, and put the clean laundry away. So what’s the problem?
It all comes down to one word – clutter.
The actual definition of the word is “a collection of things lying about in an untidy mass.” You’re probably looking around your house now and seeing things that can be considered clutter.
Don’t feel discouraged; it’s easily fixable. Keep reading for tips on how to have a clutter-free home.
A Place For Everything And Everything In Its Place
Being organized is not an easy task. And, even when we think we’re being organized, we probably aren’t. Stuff starts to pile up in a place where there wasn’t anything before. So, how can you organize to have a clutter-free home?
It really starts with having a place for everything.
Have a bowl or a rack next to the front door or the garage door for car keys. Set up a shoe rack in the coat closet. Use a basket or a napkin holder for mail that needs to be kept. Keep a bag for clothing donations going at all times. Have baskets for the kids’ toys. Keep the remote controls in a small container on the living room table.
Nobody is expecting you to have your clothing arranged by color, but using little things like baskets and plastic containers can be a great first step in preventing clutter at home.
It’s Okay To Have A Junk Drawer
Yep, we said it, and it completely contradicts the “place for everything.” It’s okay to have a junk drawer, and here’s why.
We all have those items that aren’t used very often, and we usually only have one or two of them. So it doesn’t make sense to have a completely separate container for things like tape, scissors, etc. Don’t lose sleep about how to organize these small, scarce items.
This is where the junk drawer comes in, and it’s totally okay to have one. However, when it won’t shut, it’s probably time to clean it out.
Change Your Way Of Thinking For A Clutter-Free Home
This is easier said than done, but it is doable.
Instead of buying things that you already have (and likely have too much of), think about only buying things that you need. Take a quick scroll through your local online marketplace and look at what people are selling. The majority of items for sale aren’t necessities – throw pillows, decorative mirrors, extra furniture.
Preventing clutter at home starts with taking stock of what you already have, and it’s probably true that you already have more than you need. Keep telling yourself this and you’ll fill your home with less “stuff.”
Do A Light Clean Every Day
First of all, take a breath – we’re not talking about coming home from work and deep-cleaning your entire house. However, a little bit of light cleaning will go a long way when you’re goal is to have a clutter-free home.
Put things away after you use them. Hang up jackets when they’re not being worn. Wipe down countertops. Unload the dishwasher. Put away laundry and mail when you’re done with it instead of leaving it out.
If you’re wondering, “How can I prevent clutter from building up?” This is how. Little actions like these will prevent clutter in your home when done on a daily basis.
How To Avoid Cluttering Your Home? Purge!
Is your closet overflowing? Are your kids’ dresser drawers stuffed to the brim? Do you have to make a path through all your stuff to walk across the basement?
If you answered “yes” to any of those things, it’s time to purge.
A cluttered house will only get worse over time if you don’t nip it in the bud every once in a while. When your kids grow out of their clothes, donate them. When you’ve got a box of Christmas stuff that hasn’t been touched in years, sell it. When the toy bins are full but haven’t been played with in months, get rid of them.
Don’t Be Afraid To Hire Some Help
It goes without saying that we are all incredibly busy. Work, school, after-school activities, sports, and our own mental health are all very hard to juggle, even if you’re house isn’t full of clutter.
Don’t feel like you have to go at it by yourself. Hiring somebody to help you clean your house isn’t something to be ashamed of; in fact, it’s quite the opposite. While you focus on organizing your stuff for a clutter-free home, hire professionals to do the “dirty work” for you.
Whether you have a maid come in once a month or once a week, it will give you more time to focus on decluttering your home without feeling overwhelmed with all of the other cleaning that needs to be done. You’ll also have more time to focus on your family and yourself, and that’s what’s most important, isn’t it? 1
Finally, Are You Ready To Have A Clutter-Free Home?
As much as you may want everything to be done right now, these things take time. Change is tough for everybody, and this is no different. Give yourself some grace and allow yourself enough time to change your method of thinking and your daily schedule to preventing clutter at home.
If you’re ready to make the change to have a clutter-free home, you can get $35 off your first cleaning. Take the leap into hiring some home help!
Don’t go at it alone. Taking care of a home, no matter how large or small, is a lot of work. The first step in how to prevent clutter is to contact us at 513-232-MAID(6243) or get in touch with us online.
And remember, a happy home is a clean home!