Clutter is one of the biggest enemies of productivity. When your home is cluttered, it can be difficult to find anything you need and it can be hard to focus on tasks at hand. Here are some tips for keeping your home clutter free so that you can be more productive!
Most of us know that clutter doesn’t make us feel great, but research shows that clutter is actually bad for our brains! Apparently our brains much prefer to see things in an orderly fashion. And if we see clutter instead of order, it lessens our cognitive abilities. Overall, it makes it harder for us to concentrate and focus, and it even causes a level of underlying stress.
So how can you keep your home clutter free?
Find A Cause
First, take a look at what’s causing the clutter in your home. Is it because you don’t have enough storage? Do you need to get rid of some things? Once you know what’s causing the clutter, you can start to declutter your home.
One of the best ways to declutter is to do a little bit every day. You don’t have to do a huge declutter all at once, but if you take some time each day to put things away and get rid of things you don’t need, it will make a big difference.
Invest In Storage
If you find that you don’t have enough storage, it’s worth investing in some storage solutions. There are all sorts of storage options available, so you can find something that will work for your home. If you’re short on space, there are even some creative storage solutions that can help you make the most of the space you have.
Some storage options that make a big difference to most people are shoe and coat storage near your front door and built in wardrobes in bedrooms. Having plenty of kitchen storage and places to put children’s toys is also a must.
Add Some Beautiful Decor To Your Home
It might sound counterintuitive to add more things into your home when you’re dealing with clutter problems! But actually, having some decorations and furniture pieces that you love and are really proud of can motivate you to keep your home tidier. Choosing just the right pieces of art for the walls is a good place to start – select something that suits your style and the mood of each room, from cosmic art for a chill-out room, to something bold for your kitchen. Clutter doesn’t look great next to beautiful pieces of art, so you might find this keeps you more disciplined.
Set Some House Rules
Once you’ve decluttered and organized your home, it’s important to set some rules to prevent the clutter from coming back. One rule could be that for every new thing that comes into your home, one thing has to leave. That way you’re not constantly adding to the clutter.
You could also have a rule that everything must have a place. If something doesn’t have a place, it doesn’t come into the house. This is a great rule for preventing clutter, because it means you only have things in your home that are actually useful and that you have a place to put them.
Make Everyone Responsible
Clutter often happens because all members of a household add to clutter, and only one person does the tidying up. You need to change the status quo if this is a problem for you. Make sure everyone in the household is responsible for tidying up after themselves. You could have a set time in the day when everyone puts their things away too. It’s best to ensure this isn’t too close to bedtime, because you’ll be tired and less likely to stick to the plan. Just before or after dinner time works well for many people.
Avoid Bargains
Try to avoid buying things just because they’re cheap or on sale. It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that something is a bargain and then it just ends up as clutter in your home. Only buy things that you really need or that you know you will use and love.
Some people who love bargains but struggle with clutter keep a list of things they need and are ‘allowed’ to buy that month. This means you’re still allowed to buy things, but you’re limited to this restricted list. It can actually be a fun challenge for many people, especially shopaholics!
Look At Items Local Charities Need
Some families are better able to declutter their homes if they know their things are going to a good cause. If you look at what local charities need, you might find it easier to get rid of things. For example, if a charity is asking for winter clothes donations, then it will be easier to go through your wardrobe and get rid of any clothes you don’t wear anymore.
If you have children’s clothes or toys that your own children have outgrown, you could see if there are any local families in need who would appreciate these items. There are often programs that help low income or struggling families, and they would be very grateful for your donations.
It can be difficult to keep your home free of clutter, but it’s definitely worth it! A decluttered home is a peaceful and tranquil environment, whereas a cluttered home can be stressful and difficult to live in. If you follow these tips, you can declutter your home and keep it that way.