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Hassle-free ways to declutter your home

The simple things you need to know about creating a comfortable and peaceful space

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By Amy Saunders | August 31, 2020 | Diy

Picture: Unsplash

Begin with four refuse bags and label them.

The Bedroom

Make your bed and clear away the day-to-day mess such as any items on your bedside tables that you don't need to access for bed.

In your chest of drawers, sort each item of clothing using a good rule of thumb. If you haven’t worn it in at least six months or it no longer fits, it doesn’t belong. Try folding your clothes into small rectangles and placing them face-up instead of stacked atop one another, so you can easily see each item when you pull the drawer open.

Remove everything from your closet and lay it all out so you can easily see exactly what you have. This is also a good opportunity to wipe down any shelves and surfaces in your closet that rarely get cleaned.

Next, ask yourself a few key questions as you decide what items you want to keep:

When is the last time I wore this?

Does this piece of clothing make me feel good when I wear it?

Do I have something similar to this that I like more?

When putting things away again, organise them in a way that works for you, whether that’s by colour, season, or occasion.

The Bathroom

If you haven’t used a product in six months to a year, then perhaps it is time to get rid of it. Take stock of your medicine cabinet throw away products that have expired or are no longer usable. Remember to wipe down shelves, drawers and doors.

The Home Office

Remove or put away personal or household items that don’t belong there in your workspace. Non-work-related items act as reminders of other responsibilities, which can be distracting when you need to focus on work.

If your desk is barely visible thanks to a jumble of papers, now’s the time to sort through them. Make three piles: one for papers to shred or toss, one for documents to file away, and one for things you need to take action on. If most of your work-related documents are digital, go ahead and spend some time organising and cleaning those up, too. Even though digital clutter isn’t visible, it can be just as detrimental to your productivity.

Organising your drawers according to what items you use most frequently is extremely useful. For example, you might fill your topmost drawer with everyday items such as notepads, pens or phone chargers while the bottom drawer is home to things like your hole punch or envelopes. Within each drawer, have the most used items towards the front for easy access.

The Living Room

Your living room is where a lot of household action takes place making it a clutter magnet.

Décor items add style, however, too many can make it harder to make use of the space and harder to clean around, too. Take stock of things you have sitting out on tables and shelves, and decide what you might be willing to part with, whether old picture frames, throw blankets, or potted plants you no longer care for.

Create a permanent storage spot for everyday items. Instead of just leaving things lying on your coffee table, designate a basket for everyday items like remotes, chargers, and video game controllers. Stow the basket under an end table or in a drawer for easy access.