There are countless studies that show the benefits of a decluttered, neatly organized home. Here are a few examples:
- In 2011, research conducted at Princeton University found that clutter makes staying focused on a single task particularly difficult. According to the study, the visual cortex can be overwhelmed by task-irrelevant objects, making it harder to allocate attention and complete tasks efficiently.
- The National Sleep Foundation found that 75% of people get a better night’s rest when their sheets are freshly cleaned because they feel more comfortable.
- Physical clutter can lead not only to stress, but also depression, especially in women, according to the findings by the Society for Personality and Social Psychology.
So, the first step towards home tranquility is to get rid of unnecessary stuff – piles and piles of stuff we all accumulate over the years. Create three piles: ‘sell’, ‘donate’, and ‘throw away’. Go through every closet, kitchen cabinet, and desk drawer; pull stuff out from under the bed, from storage boxes, and any other hidden spot in your house. Then make those decisions. Haven’t worn this dress in a year? Get rid of it. If this is the first time you are going through the decluttering exercise, it might be hard to make these choices. However, you have to keep going. The results are worth it!
Now that you’ve purged your space of unnecessary items, it’s time to organize what you’ve kept. However, we are not talking about the kind of neatness that lasts for two days. Below are a few organizing tips that will allow you to set up a smart system of storing items, making it easy to maintain the tidiness of your home.
1. Split existing space
Don’t simply stack things on top of each other like you’re playing jenga. At one point, this system will fail you as it’s difficult to access things at the bottom of the stack. Instead, create additional layers and separators. For example, this storage basket can be easily installed on practically any shelf in the kitchen, bathroom, or your closet.
2. Utilize door space
Make sure to put the doors of your pantry, kitchen cabinets, and closets to good use. There are countless solutions that will require zero assembly or technical skills.
In the photo: Recycling Bag Cabinet Door Organizer / Large Over the Cabinet Door Organizer
3. Add mobility to your storage
Pull-out cabinet organizers make it easy to grab items at the back without having to create a mess of everything. If you have deep drawers or cabinets, make sure to install a non-stationary mechanism. For example, check out this food storage pull out drawer and a sliding undersink organizer.
4. Look for built-in storage
When purchasing items of furniture, try to look for items that come with a built-in storage system. Be it a couch, an ottoman, or a bench – we recommend investing time into finding a piece that is both practical and aesthetically pleasing, as, for example, this stylish upholstered storage bench.
5. Boxes, boxes, boxes
Papers, family photos, jewellery, and any and all small items that don’t necessarily need to be on display – you can organize everything in categorized boxes. Whether the boxes stay hidden in your closet or proudly displayed on your bookshelves adding a decorating element to your room, this is one of the easiest organizing tips to implement. Your choices are endless – baskets, cubes, boxes, fabric, metal, wooden, large, small – the list goes on. You can even find sneaky storage containers that masquerade as other items, as, for example, this 6-piece wood book box set.
6. Get creative with dead spaces in your house
There is a storage solution for a dead space of any size, no matter how small. Whether it’s in between your kitchen cabinets and the wall, behind your bathroom door, or behind a headboard – you will be amazed by how much dead space you will find in your house once you start looking. Put it to good use. For example, these underbed and shoe storage solutions will make it easy to hide non-seasonal clothes.
7. Don’t be afraid of out-in-the-open storage
Not everything needs to be cleverly hidden under you bed or in the back of your closet. Add more open storage solutions to your home, be it in the form of a ladder in your bathroom or accent shelves in the living room.
What organizing tips would you recommend to our readers? Share with us on Twitter by tagging @arcbazar in your post.
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