Organisation in the home is crucial to avoid the dreaded ‘mess’ and there are a few simple steps to follow that will help keep your home clutter free…
Follow the advice of William Morris – “Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” – Remove the excess that doesn’t fit into these two categories; starting with less will put you in a better position for organisation.
Once your possessions are at their minimum, based on the above criteria, it’s time to look at each room/area of the home; focusing on those areas that become clutter creeps, and looking at solutions to help stay mess free.
A few of the core areas for clutter creep…
The Hallway
A classic clutter haven, the hallway is one area we are sure you need help with. Shoes, coats, dog leads, umbrellas, unopened mail it’s the perfect place for clutter to start, but there are a few tricks to help this area stay tidy –
Keeping coats, umbrellas and dog leads ready to grab and go on the wall, removes the temptation to throw them on the floor or pile them on a bench.
Piles of shoes in a hallway always make things look untidy, so a designated space for them is a must to remain mess free. There are plenty of shoe storage options available, so choosing something to work with your décor and space is easy.
Having a designated spot for your telephone, note pad, wireless hub, post and keys is a great way to get organised.
The Study
When you get busy and deadlines loom this area is prone to clutter, so consider these items to help keep spick and span –
If you don’t already have a desk with drawers, we highly recommend it, drawers are the ideal place to store all those little office knick knacks you need, such as stapler, paper clips, etc.
A bookcase is a brilliant addition to any working space, giving you the flexibility of storage for many items and you can even buy narrow bookcases to fit any room!
Papers – from forms and bills, to pages of jotted-down notes, loose papers can quickly cover the study. Invest in some beautiful boxes for all those loose sheets of paper or go one step further and invest in a filing cabinet if you have the space.
The Living Room
As one of the main areas in the home for the family it’s not surprising this area can become cluttered, a few handy items to help keep it under control include:
A basket is like a drawer, but even better than a drawer because you don’t have to make sure it closes. These are great for kids’ toys or anything else that tends to get left lying around. Having one or two big baskets as clutter catch-alls can be a real lifesaver when you’re trying to straighten up.
It’s not unusual for a living room to become a chaotic collection of DVDs, Bluerays, remote controls, throws, photos and so on. Introducing a chest for easy storage can breathe a welcome sigh of relief and it gives you the flexibility you need.
The Kitchen
If you’re a wannabe Jamie Oliver in the kitchen you’ve probably got an abundance of jars with herbs, spices, vinegar and oil cluttering up shelves and surfaces. There are several ways to cure this jumble of flavours:
- The introduction of storage boxes that can be stacked in the cupboards can help keep order amongst the seasonings and spices.
- Or, if you have the space, a pantry or larder cupboard may be your answer, giving you more opportunity to buy the ingredients you love, without creating a mess.
- If you have kitchen roll without a home, why not invest in a roll holder that attaches to the wall, getting it out of the way for good, but allowing it to be on hand whenever you need it.
- When your drawers are cluttering up too, think about space saving items that can help take larger items out of them, for instance a knife rack that attaches to your wall affords you much more space once those bulky items are removed.
The most important thing about maintaining a clutter free home is to keep on top of it – if you buy something new, ditch the old one! And always follow the words of wisdom from William Morris.
