Spring cleaning at my house doesn’t just mean cleaning, it also means time to declutter! I honestly love decluttering my home, probably a little to much my family might say but when I have less clutter my mind can think clearly. So here are my top 10 items that cause your home to look and feel cluttered.
- PAPERS – I think this is a given but take a look around at all the paper in your home. This is a great time to clear it out. I’ve honestly switched to a digital filling cabinet. So any medical/bank statement or important paper work is filled digitally on my phone. There are quite a few apps out there but for right now I’m just using my google drive. Don’t think about scanning in all the papers you have laying around right now, just start today. Set up a system that works for you and start “filling” those papers that come into your house digitally. Then you’re not worried about playing catch up.
- CORDS – we live with so much technology that everything comes with a charging/power cord now a days. These cords start to add clutter to your home if you’re not careful. We’ve found that having a basket in the main part of our home for all the charging cords has helps a ton. Then when our kids or ourselves need to charge a device, we know right where to look. I’ve also started using zip ties for the cords that run the computer and items on the kitchen counter. It’s cleared it up and makes it more appealing to the eye.
- ITEMS ON THE FLOOR – this one I’m a little OCD about. I don’t like things on the floor that don’t belong. I’m constantly having to pick up shoes or put away nerf gun bullets off the floor. (Please tell me I’m not alone on this?) But I’ve found even in a closet or the pantry, when I keep things off the floor the whole closet looks better. So clear up that space and leave it as empty as you can. You’ll be surprised just how much better that area looks with nothing on the floor.
- DECORATIONS – I have a weakness for decorate items, especially when I’m at Hobby Lobby. They’re just so cute. But the more items I add to my house the more it starts to look clutter. I’m all about less is more when it comes to decorating my wall space and shelving. Even stuff on the kitchen counter can start to make the area look cluttered if there’s to much. Take a look around your house and decide what you love and should stay and what you might be able to part with to help clear up the space.
- BATHROOM ITEMS – this takes up space and with all the little items laying around it can look cluttered. I recommend making it organized and easy to access but tucked away under the sink. I know those cute little trays they make for your makeup can look pretty, it can also make it look cluttered when left on the counter.
- REMOTES – We have about 3 different remotes in must our family room (on top of all the gaming systems controllers). So we made a basket for all these loose items to be stored it and it’s cleared up all the clutter. Then it’s a lot easier to find the remotes when we’re ready to sit down and relax.
- THE FRIDGE – I think there’s mixed feelings on this one. I prefer a cleared off fridge with nothing on the outside of it. I find it makes my kitchen feel less cluttered. Don’t worry the kids still have a place to hang their artwork and creations it just not on the fridge anymore. So if you can clear that off, you’ll see a big difference.
- PET TOYS – do you have a furry family member in your house? You’ve probably noticed they’re not that great a cleaning up after themselves causing more clutter. Find a cute basket or container that you can collect all their toys into when cleaning up. And keep them minimum. Just like kids, animals don’t need a lot of toys to keep them happy, a couple will do just fine.
- MAGAZINES – I know there’s so much good information in them but I promise you can find all the same information right online and avoid adding clutter to your house. Now if it’s just one or two and you rotate through I can see that not being bad but when they start to pile up and you’re having them all over the house it’s time to unsubscribe to all those magazines and get your house clutter free.
- CLOTHING & SHOES – does everything fit and do you wear everything in your closet? If not you probably find your closet cluttered and it’s time to clean out! Keep only the items that “spark joy” and toss the rest. You’ll find power in being able to make hard decisions and enjoy walking into your closet once you’ve cleaned it out.
