How to Declutter Your Home with Custom Organization
Decluttering a home can be an emotional and overwhelming process, and maybe it’s not something you’ve ever had to do before. It may seem daunting at first, but once it’s all accomplished and you admire all the extra space and organization in your home, you can breathe a sigh of relief and it all becomes worth it.
Here we will provide you with some tips on how to de-clutter your home, tell you why it’s important, and provide some insight on how custom organization can help keep your home at its best once you’ve done the big sort.
Why clutter is a problem, and when you should address it
Clutter is anything that you are holding onto that does not add value or happiness to your life. It might not seem like a big deal at first, but the truth is it can cause a lot of unhappiness to those living around it, in ways you might not even realize.
Clutter can zap away your energy and be a real time-waster when you’re digging through boxes or scrambling through cabinets or drawers trying to find things. It can also cause stress and embarrassment, preventing one from having company over, and could even lead to, or be a sign of depression. In certain, more serious situations where mold and dust are present, it could even be a health hazard, or a fire hazard if boxes are high or blocking certain areas.
Of course, a common time to declutter is when you need to free up extra space in the house, or you’re about to move and you need to downsize/purge a bit. Whatever the reason behind it is, there’s never a bad time or reason to organize.
How to get started decluttering
Starting the process is the most difficult, but once you do, it’s easy to get into it. Take it step-by-step, and begin with this strategy:
1. Make a plan
Even if it’s just a small room that you want to sort through, starting with a specific goal will help you stay focused and make the process less frustrating. Some ways to do this are:
- Create a map of all the rooms or cluttered “hot spots” that you want to declutter.
- Tackle one room/space at a time.
- Rank each target space on a scale, say from 1-3 (3 being the most cluttered), to help prioritize and tackle the most essential rooms first.
- Set a timeline and completion date for each phase of your clean-up—and make sure that these are attainable and realistic to your schedule. Set up special times for those big spaces that could take a while, such as the basement or garage.
2. Time to sort
Creating a sorting system is the next step, where you can go through everything and decide what to keep or not. A common and useful way to do this is by using the three-box method. This is where you collect three large boxes (or storage bins) and label them as “Keep,” “Get Rid Of / Donate,” and “Storage.” Sort your items into the boxes or bins according to what you wish to do with them. Seasonal items, like that Christmas train set and tree ornaments, are things you’ll want to keep, but might be better in storage if you need space.
How to Get Rid of the Unwanted Items
Now that the hard part of sorting is done, it’s time to figure out what to do with all of the no-go’s. You can:
- Donate or freecycle (Facebook Marketplace is a great option)
- Recycle any glass, paper, or plastic items
- Hold a garage or estate sale (Great if you have a lot to get rid of before a move)
- Rent a dumpster or hire a removal company if you have a lot to throw away
Decluttering Tips
Here are some things to keep in mind while you declutter:
- Consider hiring a professional organizer to help you with the entire process.
- Don’t get rid of too much. While it may seem like a fresh start to toss everything away, you could be left feeling regretful, and it could end up costing you money.
- Make sure you organize similar things together (shirts with shirts, jackets with jackets), so you know where everything is and you can find things easily.
- Don’t organize before you declutter. Make sure all the things you don’t want are gone and out of the house, otherwise you’re just organizing your clutter.
- Leave the sentimental items for last. By this point, you’ll have shifted more into the logical mindset, and you’ll be better equipped to deal with those items. Check out these great tips on how to deal with those sentimental attachments.
How Custom Organization Can Help
So you’ve sorted and dealt with all of the unnecessary items, and now it’s onto organizing. Custom organization is a great way to help and reduce further clutter from happening. Not only will a custom closet help make your morning routine so much smoother, but a professional organizer will be able to help you utilize the space you have and assess the best plan of action for you and your home. You’ll be able to maximize storage and find things so much easier, so that your life will be simplified.
Our team at Incredible Home are experts in the field of custom cabinets and closets, and we would be happy to help you on your decluttering journey so that you can achieve a peaceful (and healthy) space.
If you’re looking to start decluttering and considering a custom storage solution to maximize your closet space, improve function in your kitchen or add dedicated storage to your garage, contact us at Incredible Home today. We can bring functionality and workflow into any space, and all of the products we offer are custom-made. We can answer any questions and help make the organization process easy, and provide you with endless design possibilities.
Feel free to book a consultation, or visit us at our Burnside Road location Monday to Saturday.