As resolutions take center stage, it’s the perfect time to declutter your space and make room for positive change. Join us in this blog as we lead you through cleaning your home for the new year and creating a peaceful sanctuary for the year ahead. We’ll provide practical tips for decluttering and valuable insights to organize your living space.
Embark on this organizing adventure to create a harmonious environment that sets the tone for a year of accomplishing your goals for the new year.
Set the Scene
Before you begin the decluttering journey, create a conducive atmosphere with music or a podcast. Approaching organizing and cleaning tasks with a positive attitude will help them to feel less burdensome. Choose music that inspires you to want to dance or listen to a podcast that stimulates your thoughts to make the entire process more enjoyable.
Feel free to have a television show or movie playing in the background if you prefer. However, don’t let it distract you from the tasks at hand. It’s easy to become engrossed in the on-screen entertainment, potentially keeping you from your organizing efforts. Stay mindful of this possible diversion to ensure your focus remains on the decluttering process rather than the show or movie.
Start With Five Crucial Areas
Now that you have set the scene with music, a podcast, a movie, or a show, prioritize your cleaning marathon by creating a list with the top five areas in your home requiring immediate organization. Dividing spaces into smaller portions makes the process feel more manageable. Concentrate on these five areas for the day, then select different ones for the next decluttering session, whether in a week or a few days. This rotation keeps motivation high, propelling you toward organizing your entire home, one focused section at a time!
Take Before and After Photos
Taking before and after photos of the spaces you’re cleaning might seem obvious, but it serves as a tangible record of your progress! This visual documentation not only allows you to witness the transformation of each area but also provides a thorough review of the entire decluttering journey throughout your home.
Comparing the initial chaos to the organized outcome becomes a powerful motivator, instilling a sense of accomplishment and fueling the drive to continue organizing your living spaces!
Find a Home for Everything
Professional organizer and consultant Marie Kondo has said, “Clutter has nothing to do with what or how much you own—it’s the failure to put things back where they belong.” Effectively managing clutter in your home involves assigning a designated place for each item. When everything has its own spot, there’s no reason to leave items scattered across surfaces throughout your home, where they might linger untouched for weeks.
A practical approach to organizing your belongings is to adopt the mindset of “leave it where you want to find it” after using items in your home. Ensure the item is stored in its assigned place, readily accessible for future use when it’s needed!
This idea goes for putting any items you don’t want in your home right now. Even if you opt to put a few things in storage, creating an inventory of the items you have in storage allows you to quickly determine where an item is when you want to use it again.
Optimize Unused Storage Areas
Now that you have designated homes for your belongings, now is the time to use untapped storage spaces. Explore spaces such as under beds, within decorative benches or tables, and high shelves in closets.
The space beneath a bed or inside a bench at the bed’s end is excellent for concealing out-of-season clothing until required. Decorative benches and small tables throughout the house serve as convenient storage spots for items like blankets and pillows, keeping them accessible yet discreetly tucked away. Optimize your closet space by storing flannel sheets or comforters on the top shelf until needed. Utilizing vertical storage is the key to maximizing space!
When you’ve run out of nooks and crannies around your home to store seasonal items, consider using a storage unit to get those seasonal items out of the way so you can streamline your home for the given season.
Utilize Grab-and-Go Bins
Enhance your home’s organization by incorporating grab-and-go bins strategically throughout your home.
Choose baskets or bins that seamlessly blend with your décor or are easily concealable, placing them in visible yet unobtrusive locations. Designate dedicated baskets for various items that need to be easily accessible. Store winter essentials, like scarves, hats, and gloves, in the closet. Keep baby wipes and diapers organized in the nursery, and reserve a bin in the pantry for snacks.
This not only streamlines your daily routines but also adds a touch of functionality to your living spaces, making essential items readily available whenever you need them.
Polish to Perfection
Create a serene environment by dusting and wiping surfaces and engaging in a cleaning routine now that you’ve successfully decluttered your space. Take out the trash, vacuum the floor, and reshape the pillows. Further enhance the ambience by lighting a soothing candle or a spritz of room spray. Immerse yourself in the tranquillity of your decluttered home, relax, and enjoy your surroundings.
Take Advantage of Personal Storage With MyPlace Self-Storage
The decluttering process can take a lot out of you if you’re working on it for a while, but MyPlace Self-Storage is here to help with our affordable and convenient personal storage solutions whether you’re looking for a small storage unit for seasonal items or a larger unit to tackle a renovation. Self-storage can be a tremendous help when it comes to keeping your home organized long-term. Our leases are flexible and month to month, so you pay for exactly what you need.
Find a MyPlace storage facility in your area or contact us for more information. Keep your new year clutter-free with MyPlace Self-Storage, offering convenient locations across the country!
