Sarah Paulsen submitted the following guest blog. I hope you enjoy it!
A home that has been newly set up or freshly cleaned has everything in place, but not long after, clutter usually manages to accumulate. Some areas of a house tend to be more clutter-prone than others, but the mess can be contained with these measures and a commitment to a clutter-free house.
*Kitchen Counter:
The kitchen counter is meant for utensils, kitchen gadgets and food, but you will see unopened bills and magazines that came in the post, keys, and wallets among other items.
It is impossible to avoid some amount of clutter; odds and ends like rubber bands and screws keep popping up. Assign one drawer as a temporary storage area for such items. Empty it regularly; every weekend is ideal. It will limit the clutter to one place, concealed from view and not spoiling the kitchen's look. Putting a sturdy box under the sink can also help for odd items.
*Study Table:
You work with various files, documents and loose sheets of paper that tend to lie around the table, gathering dust, if not organized. It is tedious to sort through a thick mess, and you will be tempted to postpone it indefinitely. But there's nothing more frustrating when you cannot locate a document among the clutter on the study table.
Keep documents organized and prioritized in stacks. A waste-paper bin can be placed under the desk to get rid of unwanted paper right away. A shredder is ideal if you deal with a lot of paperwork.
*Entrance:
When you enter the house, you are usually carrying a lot of stuff and your hands are not free to lock the door. You hurriedly place your shoes, coat, hat and umbrella haphazardly around the entrance and the resultant mess created at the door remains unattended.
Instead of trying to clear this later, you can prevent the clutter in the first place by installing a shoe rack and a coat hanger in your entry. Setting a proper place for everything that you remove as you come in will make a good first impression on your guests.
*Storage Closet:
General cleaning items that are not used on a daily basis are kept in a storage closet under the stairs or kitchen sink, while medicines are stored in the bathroom. These can pile up quickly and cram the closet, making it difficult to locate required items.
Get rid of expired liquids and pills. Stained and worn out wash cloths and old newspapers and magazines should not be allowed to accumulate; this only attracts termites and other pests.
*Refrigerator:
The average house will have so many food items lying in the fridge that are unwanted, expired or stale. People tend to store leftovers to avoid wastage. But due to boredom or wanting fresh food, the old stuff remains untouched for days and eventually gets spoiled.
Take inventory of your fridge at periodic intervals; a good time is just before you go grocery shopping. When you notice something that is expired or which you won't be eating, throw it in the trash right away.
A general plan for de-cluttering your home is to spring-clean first. Be harsh, be firm; get rid of anything that does not have a definite or immediate usefulness. If they are not in very bad shape and you feel guilty for throwing it out, you can organize a garage sale and donate the proceeds to charity. Next, designate a permanent and convenient place for each item in the house. You can use prominent labels to ensure you and your family members adhere to it. A clutter-free home is the pride of the owners and an inspiration to visitors.
Author Bio:
This guest post was contributed by Sarah Paulsen for Factory Fast Australia – an Australian owned and operated online shopping mall. Sarah is a freelance writer and her articles appear on various home and lifestyle blogs.
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1 comment:
You hit the nail on the head! My kitchen counter turns into a mess of a drop zone for mail and kids artwork from school. What's the best way to prevent papers from piling up??
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