The holidays are upon us and the new year will be here before we know it.  It’s no surprise that on the top of many resolution lists is living a clutter-free lifestyle.  While it seems likely that most families will be spending the majority of the next couple of months at home, there’s no doubt that clutter will be more probable to build up.  So, get ahead of it before the holidays become overwhelming and be ready to give the upcoming new year a fresh start by following these simple steps!

 

Start by purging and don’t be afraid to donate often.

Begin your de-cluttering process by going through each room in your house and getting rid of everything that you don’t need.  If this seems overwhelming to you, there is nothing wrong with taking it room by room.  After all, any progress is good progress!

·        Organize the items into categories such as “throw away”, “donate” and “give back”.  Did you borrow a book from your mom and just haven’t had the time to return it?  Make time to give it back!  Do you still have all of the clothes that no longer fit the kids?  Donate them!  With so many people out of work, now is the perfect time to donate whatever you’re able! 

·        When going through your clothes closets, it’s important to be honest with yourself.  Do you have outfits that haven’t been worn in years but you’re holding on to them “just in case”?  Give serious consideration to donating them!

·        Make time to purge your home of items a couple of times a year.  You’ll be shocked at how much lighter it will make you feel. 

Make sure everything has a home.

This seems like a no brainer but we all find ourselves with items that we have nowhere to put.  If this is the case, is the item really needed? 

·        After you’ve gotten rid of the excess in your house, make sure everything has a spot to live.  Once you’ve done this, remember to stay consistent with keeping everything in place when it’s not being used. 

·        ORGANIZE!  Whether you have all of the necessary supplies but haven’t utilized them or you need to get shopping, organizing your closets, shelves and drawers will make all the difference. Never underestimate the importance of baskets, dividers and containers – there’s a reason why they say storage solutions are a minimalist’s best friend!  Once you have what you need to properly organize your storage spaces, finding a home for everything will be a piece of cake. 

Embrace your junk drawers.

While it might seem a bit contradictory, having a junk drawer in the right room will actually help to take away clutter!  Sometimes you just have to change your perspective of what a junk drawer actually is.  Instead of using It as a bottomless pit when you don’t have time to put things away, use it functionally. 

·        Start by getting baskets that fit into the drawer.  Is the drawer in your kitchen?  Decide what actually belongs in it.  Items such as batteries, pens, twist ties, chip clips, keys and tape are all ideal items for a kitchen junk drawer.  Just make sure they are properly organized!  Aside from the lack of clutter, you’ll be shocked at how much more space you’ll have in the draw. 

·        Junk drawers are perfect in spaces such as kitchens, offices and mudrooms!

 

Final thoughts.

When you’re done with the process of making your home clutter-free, you’re going to have to make a commitment to change certain patterns and behaviors in order to keep it this way.  Whether you make a daily/weekly checklist or you divvy the tasks to everyone in the family, you’ll want to make sure you stay consistent!

·        Buy for your needs, not always for your wants.  Do you really need another vase?  Stay consistent with how many of one possession you need.  If you already have 10 vases at home, consider deciding which one you’re willing to part with before you purchase a new one.

·        Prevent the clutter from getting into the house.  Make sure you aren’t bringing anything in that you know will cause clutter/won’t have a rightful spot.  Living within your means is a great way to keep this rule in the back of your head.  Is your home big enough for whatever you’re tempted to buy?  Is there currently enough space?

·        Keep a “cleanup basket” at the bottom of the stairs.  Keeping a decorative basket at foot of the stairs is a great way to get the whole family involved in cleaning up after themselves.  If they have items downstairs that eventually have to go back up, put them in the basket when the item is done with.  Whenever a member of your family goes upstairs, have them put whatever is in the basket away!

·        Keep up with the mail.  Mail is often the cause of clutter in the foyer and in the kitchen area!  It builds up fast and can take quite a while to go through.  Set up a designated day of the week to go through all of the leftover mail before it gets too overwhelming. 

·        Tidy up after yourself!  This applies to every part of the day!  Make sure you are keeping up with the dishes, wiping off the counter tops, and having the kids cleaning up after themselves.  The more consistent you are with cleaning up after daily occurrences, the easier it will be to stopping any clutter from forming in the first place. 

You’ll feel like you’re in a brand-new home in no time!

 

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