Every family has its struggles with clutter – whether it’s stacks of papers or a cluttered and cramped bathroom. De-cluttering a house full of objects, especially ones that are broken or likely to be never used at all will make more space for living and entertaining. Each room or area of a house, however, can present its own level of de-cluttering difficulties.
A lesser used area may be the simplest to begin with and can therefore bring the quickest rewards. Redundant objects can be removed or hidden in storage. Only the best-looking objects and knickknacks, like vases, lamps, and chairs that fit the style and look of the room should be displayed.
The goal of organizing isn’t to make your home pristine but rather to make your life calmer and more functional. The Week brings you some ingenious, eye-catching ideas for every room in your house.[break]
Photo: The Week
Tips for a tidy bathroom
To organize countertop clutter, purchase a plastic tub with a handle on top. Place all of your accessories (such as hairsprays and lotions) in the tub and place under the counter. Take the tub out when you are ready to use it, and put it back under the counter when you are finished with it. To organize your bathtub/shower, place your soaps, body wash, shampoos and conditioners in shower caddies. Many different kinds of organizers are available in various department as well as hardware stores – including those that hang from the shower head pipe and others that have several shelves attached to a long pole that you can put in the corner of the tub. If you are out of space in your bathroom cabinets for towels, roll them up and display them in a decorative basket next to the shower or bathtub.
Tips for a clutter-free kitchen
Organize your cabinets into several categories such as plates, glasses and plastic containers. Place the plates on one shelf, the glasses on another, and so on. Put all those mix packets (biscuits, noodles, sauces) in a basket on a shelf. You can also buy a pretty spice rack that works best for your kitchen cabinets. Place frequently used spices on the front of the rack and all others toward the back. Save your countertop space for items you use daily. Display only the cookbooks that you really use, and, if possible, store your mixer/grinder, utensil holder, canister set, knife block, etc. on shelves and cabinets instead of on the counter. The idea is to remove appliances and tools that you don’t use everyday from the countertops. Only pull it out when you need its contents. That will give you more space to work as well as keep clutters at bay. Use sturdy, attractive boxes – both bottoms and lids – as drawer dividers to store cutlery and other knickknacks.
Tips for a soothing bedroom
Maximize the space under the bed by organizing items in easily accessible containers. Plastic bins on wheels are great and can be easy to use. The dresser is both a great storage unit and a decorative element; but to be useful and beautiful, it has to be well organized. That means maintaining a clutter-free top and drawers that aren’t overflowing with stuffs. The key to keeping dresser drawer clutter at bay is by creating similar piles, making a conscious effort to return your items to those similar piles. Also, routinely sort through your items to see if there is anything you can discard. A large jewelry box can add to your decor only if you have room on top of the dresser. If not, try fabric jewelry rolls or velvet-lined jewelry trays that fit in a shallow drawer. For costume pieces, buy a plastic pocket jewelry organizer for the closet, or transparent trays that you can keep in a dresser drawer or on a closet shelf.
Tips for neater closets
Begin by going through every drawer and shelf, taking out everything from your closet and giving or throwing away items you no longer use. Sort through, bag and donate anything you don’t wear anymore to a local orphanage or such organizations. This includes clothes that are no longer in fashion, or no longer fit you, or you haven’t worn in a year. Also, get rid of those worn-out shoes you don’t plan to wear any longer. Hang scarves, belts and ties on hangers or scarf racks. Install hooks on the closet walls to hang up hats, handbags and tote bags.
Separate your clothes by seasons. If you have a tall closet with several rows of hanging rods, place the current season’s clothes on the lowest level. Categorize your clothes by purpose: Work, casual, cold-or hot-weather wear and formal wear.
Also, imitate the way retailers fold T-shirts and sweaters in their stalls. Those neat stacks take up a lot less room than bunched-up items.
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