Tidy up with some organizing tips TODAY!
Let’s be honest, most of us are keeping items we don’t really need because well tell ourselves “I may use this one day”. That’s definitely a widely spread misconception that clinging to those unused things will save you money eventually one way or another, but the truth is that your clutter is costing you a lot of money.
It may sound unbelievable, but here are some proofs: according to statistics, Americans spend nearly $38 billion yearly on self-storage units. Now, think about all that money spent so we can simply have some unused items in storage.
Even if you don’t pay for a storage unit, your clutter can drain a lot of cash out of your wallet. Those items you don’t use anymore but you’re still keeping cost about $10 per square foot. Sure, this cost is determined by how much money you spend on your residence.
To estimate your “clutter cost”, divide your mortgage or monthly rent by the square footage of your house. That is the amount you’re spending on your space per square foot. Now add up the amount you’re paying to store just your stuff.
Decluttering isn’t always simple. Yes, it feels good when you’ve found some organizing tips to simplify your house, but getting there can be challenging. The outcome, however, makes you realize it’s worth the effort. Putting into action some organizing tips will definitely save you both time and money while also reducing anxiety. We all know that clutter means chaos. Just think of what it’s like to search for a particular item in a room full of things strewn around. Pure nightmare!
Now, some people may say that the first steps in decluttering are the hardest. That’s why you should start with those organizing steps that you like least. To help you with this, we decided to share with you some of the best organizing tips to declutter your house and increase space.
Are you ready to get rid of junk and clutter? Here are 8 awesome ways to make your house look tidy and organized.
1. Turn Clutter into Cash
That’s definitely one of those organizing tips that are going to motivate you. Once you’ve established which things can be discarded or donated, decide which are worth your time and attention to sell. Of course, you can try to sell every unused item, but low-value ones are unlikely to be purchased. Recycle or donate those instead.
Your aim is to get rid of them as quickly as possible and to stop wasting money on storage units. So whether you decide to sell or donate, do it as soon as you can.
Luckily, selling your unwanted items was never as easy as it is nowadays. You can list your items instantly on several sites and turn clutter into cash. You’d be amazed at how badly some folks want to buy some items. Not only is this one of the greatest organizing tips, but it’s also giving you the opportunity to make some cash.
2. Keep Those Things You’ve Used in the Last Year
To be honest, you should get out of the mindset of “maybe I’ll use this thing one day.” Nope! If you want a tidy and clutter-free house, you can’t think like a packrat. So, if you haven’t used something in the last year, it should be donated, sold, or tossed in a trash bag.
This time frame of a year is one of the best organizing tips as it gives you enough time to conclude which seasonal items and decorations you’re using and which you don’t anymore. Basically, throughout the year, you should be able to make a decision about every item in your house. If you haven’t used something in a year, it’s time to simplify.
3. Ditch Duplicate Items
If you own multiples of an item (practical storage items such as batteries and lightbulbs being excluded) then you need to let them go. It must have occurred to you to forget you have something and you’ve bought it again. Also, sometimes you upgrade but still keep a lower-quality, less-useful item. So one of our organizing tips would be to stop holding onto duplicate items.
This thing happens especially when it comes to organizing and decluttering your drawers and closets. Do you really need six white sweaters? You may realize that you haven’t worn some of them for years. Sort through all your multiples — shirts, pants, accessories, and other items. Choose which items are in a good condition and what fits well. Keep those items you know you’ll be using and trash or donate the rest.
4. Buy Organization Items
This is definitely one of those life-changing organizing tips! Some organizing items are making our lives easier but keep in mind that you shouldn’t buy organization items until after you’re done with decluttering. While it’s easy to get distracted by the enthusiasm of decluttering and you want to spend a lot of money on home storage items — don’t.
Before you buy this stuff, you need to know exactly how many items you’re actually keeping. Besides this, don’t rush into buying every storage product you like. The secret is to look after the best bargain on organizing items, even if that means going through dollar stores.
You can also find some organization items at a reasonable price on Amazon. This wall-mounted broom holder, for instance, is a great way to keep your mop, broom, and other cleaning items in one single place.
Keep reading to find out about some other helpful organizing tips!
5. Create a Special Place for Things You Want to Keep
Every item needs a home. No matter if it’s a drawer or a cabinet, that space can be turned into a house for many different items. A great idea to maximize your storage space would be to use clever container solutions for drawer organization. Find inventive ways to hold and store all the items you want to keep.
Boxes, wicker baskets, trays, and even repurposed shoe boxes may help you to stack things in your cabinets while also organizing tough areas. When it comes to organizing tips, there are countless possibilities.
Don’t have enough storage space for your items? Maybe it’s time to go back to step No. 2.
6. Label Every Item
Have you ever wondered why organizing tips found on Pinterest look so great? It’s usually because they’re skillfully labeled. Some people may find labeling a time-consuming task, but the final outcome is definitely well worth the effort. Seeing everything stacked and labeled in neat storage areas is pretty satisfying.
A label provides a visual element. Basically, every label you add will help you to find things quicker. Even when you can’t see the contents of one box or into the back of a cabinet, you still know what’s inside. Also, labeling your organizing items will stop you from digging through your tidy space for something you need and making the whole area a mess again. You can tell exactly where everything is. Isn’t it wonderful?
7. Make a Habit Out of Putting Items Back Where They Belong
As we said before, decluttering is the first step. But this doesn’t mean there aren’t other organizing tips you should follow to have an organized home. You see, the real challenge is to keep your house tidy and decluttered. To make this happen, you should shift your mindset and embrace organizing in your day-to-day life. For instance, adopt a new policy to ensure that you always return items back where they belong after using them.
We all feel guilty when we fail to do this and that’s ok. The secret is to take small steps and constantly perform this habit of putting things back in their places.
8. Schedule Another Decluttering Session
As you may already assume, decluttering isn’t just a one-time thing. In order to maintain a clutter-free house, you need to clear the clutter every 3-6 months to avoid getting it out of hand again. It’s a habitual process, and you’ll have to schedule and prioritize organizing times.
It isn’t as hard as you may think. You can even ask for your partner’s help while organizing a wine night at your house. Good friends are usually the best motivators for getting rid of things you don’t need. An honest friend will tell you what you should really keep and what things should go into the donation pile. The goal is to make decluttering enjoyable so that you’ll be motivated to stick to it.
Besides organizing tips, you may also be interested in the 10 Best Ways of Decorating a Small Kitchen!