If you feel as if your home is always drowning in stuff, you may not want to start shopping around for a bigger house or apartment just yet. De-cluttering and organising your home can make even the smallest space more workable and usable and make it easier to find something you need at a moment's notice. Consider some simple tips for doing this.
Choose just one memento
If your home is full of mementos from your childhood, past vacations and other special events, pare these items down to photos and then just one memento. For example, you might want to keep all the pictures of that trip you took last year but don't need every souvenir to remind you of the holiday, but then only keep a blanket you bought from a local vendor or hand-carved item and get rid of the rest. If you have all the items from your schooldays still in your basement, keep the yearbooks and other photos, but then choose just one other memento: a special jacket, prom dress, trophy and the like. Get rid of old report cards, sporting goods and other items that you don't display, don't use and don't need in the home.
Get rid of things that don't look good
You may be holding onto clothes that don't fit because you assume you'll lose weight one day or think certain clothes will come back in style. However, this just adds clutter to your closet. Toss out or donate clothes that you know are downright unflattering to you. If you must keep clothes on hand because you feel it's motivation to lose weight, get some storage bins and keep them under the bed or elsewhere; hanging them in the closet only uses up space you need for clothes you do wear every day.
Get a self-storage unit
If you have items that you must keep but which are crowding your home, invest in a self-storage unit. Don't simply toss items into bags and boxes, however, as this can make it difficult to find them in the unit. Separate your items before putting them in storage; your clothes, your spouse's clothes, items from your childhood, old tax records and so on. Invest in sturdy storage bins so nothing gets damaged, as cardboard boxes can absorb humidity and then allow for mould and mildew growth. You might also opt for colour-coordinated bins, such as red totes for holiday decorations and blue totes for clothes. This will keep your self-storage unit from then becoming cluttered and disorganised!
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