Decluttering for a calmer living space
When you spend more time at home, you soon notice how quickly things pile up. The clutter just seems to appear from nowhere and starts taking over. So, how can you get ahead? We’ve searched everywhere to find out favourite top tips for decluttering.
Declutter your bathroom bottle collection
If you are anything like us, your bathroom cupboards are full of spare shampoos and miniature bottles from hotels, unused Christmas gifts and free samples. Now’s the time to have a look through and create a few piles. What can you put aside for future school raffle prizes, and what could you give to your local food bank or charity shop? If they are new and unused, they could be very welcome.
Bedrooms are a place for relaxing
Your bedroom is your sanctuary – a place to calm down and unwind after a long day. You need space to soothe a tired mind, not a hazardous trip through piles of clothing.
Start by placing a laundry basket in an easily accessible spot and make sure it gets used. Then, take a look at the clothes lying about and be honest about why you are keeping them. Are you keeping a ‘they will fit again one day’ selection? If you are not actively trying to reach that day now, will it ever come? And, if you do manage to get back into the jeans you wore when you were 20, will they still be in fashion?
Next consider your seasonal clothes. We’re heading into spring now, so do you need to keep your heavy winter duffle on hand? Clean, dry and carefully fold your winter jumpers and put them into boxes for storage. If you need an extra cupboard, our small self-storage units are just the right size.
What could you do to make more storage space in your bedroom? Underbed storage boxes can hold surprising amounts, including spare guest duvets, especially if you team them with vacuum pack bags. If you have the floor space, place a blanket box at the end of the bed.
Get creative with your kitchen storage
There are plenty of ways to make the most of your existing cupboard space, particularly in the kitchen. Screw racks to the back of your cupboard doors to keep your spices organised and easy to access. Use basket storage to create some simple stacking storage, and don’t forget that underneath your kitchen wall cupboards there’s wall space to hang ladles and spoons.
There’s one item that always takes up a lot of space in the kitchen – the saucepans. But they don’t have to be an irritant. You can easily find a choice of pan tidies to suit the space you have, stacking them up for easy access. If you have the ceiling space, a hanging rack can be a stylish choice. Our favourite solution is a pan set with removeable handles. Each pan fits easily inside the other without handles causing them to unbalance, and the lids can be stacked flat as well.
Living rooms for living
Your living room is the place where you spend family time, greet visitors and enjoy your evening after work. It’s a hard-working space that needs to be multi-functional. Can you designate areas for different uses, for example place a desk in a corner to keep the paperwork or schoolwork from spreading across the floor?
Select living room furniture that incorporates extra storage – coffee tables with drawers or footrests with built in storage space. The shelves are another place where clutter can build up. If you are an avid reader it may be time to clear out some of your books. Pick the ones you won’t read again and set them aside for charity shops. Every bit of space you make creates a calmer and more relaxing room.
Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be a chore – in fact you may even find it therapeutic. And as you start removing all the stuff you really no longer need, you can get the spring clean done and rearrange your rooms for a fresh new feel at the same time.