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At first glance, hiding clutter behind cabinet doors may appear to make your home appear more orderly, but cluttered storage spaces can quickly become overwhelming.
To create a clutter-free environment, it appears to be a good solution to put random kitchen utensils, unwanted toys, and almost-empty products in drawers. When it comes to decluttering your home, though, out of sight, out of mind isn’t always the best option.
Is there a major source of clutter that is common in most homes? There sure is. Keeping items that are no longer useful or having too many of the same items. Take advantage of this opportunity to donate unused, accumulated items and recycle what you can to relieve the burden of clutter.
It’s difficult to find the ideal time to thoroughly declutter, but this list offers a start, and if you need help, lack the time to do it yourself, or just want someone else who actually enjoys doing this stuff to do the decluttering and organizing for you, why not book an appointment with Just Organized By Taya here? We’ll be happy to help.
But for now, back to that list…
Mismatched Cutlery
It’s time to reassess and organize your silverware if your utensil drawer is overflowing with forks, spoons, and knives going in all directions. Multiple sets of cutlery that cannot be arranged neatly always end up piled in the same drawer. And they usually go unused, because it’s just too much hassle to sort through those piles to find what you need.
Typically, just 8 to 12 of each utensil are required, although this can vary depending on your household size and how frequently you entertain. Consider how often you want to wash your cutlery and how many utensils your household uses on a daily basis. Collect any kitchenware you no longer use and toss it, or, if it’s in good shape, donate it.
Books
Both avid readers and non-readers often seem to have disorganized, overflowing book shelves. Take a close look at your bookshelves and keep just your favorite books and titles that you love or genuinely intend to read someday. All other books should be taken to a public library, a thrift store, or a book buyback company. You can also see if your local school system accepts donations.
Plastic Food Containers
When it’s time to put your leftovers away for later, finding the correct lid for the container you want to use should be simple. If you can’t find a match for your reusable food containers, you definitely have too many.
Remove everything from the cabinet they are stored in and match the lids to the bottoms. Any that don’t come in pairs can be recycled. Containers that are warped or soiled should be discarded.
Glassware
Glassware can take up a lot of room between vases, pitchers, mismatched drinking glasses, wine goblets, beer steins and more. While it may appear that having several glasses for different types of drinks and occasions is crucial, the majority of them merely end up collecting dust.
Keep coordinating sets together while cleaning out your glassware collection, and toss or donate the random one-offs. Stemware and flower vases that haven’t been used in a long time can also be donated to the thrift store. Consider what glassware you actually use on a regular basis and which duplicates are just taking up space in your home.
Almost Empty Stuff
Many of us wind up with a collection of nearly-empty things in numerous spots throughout our homes, whether it’s cosmetics or cleaning supplies. Examine your kitchen and bathroom for objects that have been pushed to the back of a cupboard or heaped in a basket and forgotten.
Check expiration dates and discard any products that have passed their expiration date (and yes, cosmetics have those too). Move any supplies that are still usable to the front of the cabinet to be used first. Combine multiples into a single container if possible.
Old Clothes
Closets are usually some of your home’s most crowded and cluttered spaces. Old garments that are meant to be worn again, as well as clothes that no longer fit or are never worn, can rapidly overcrowd these small spaces. Is there yet another clutter contender? Duplicates of the same piece of clothing.
Consider how many T-shirts you’ve amassed over the years from school events, free promotions, band merch tables and other sources. Sort through your belongings and get rid of whatever you don’t need.
The same may be said for your sock collection: do you really need ten pairs of crew socks when you wear ankle socks most of the time? Donate any retired clothing that is still in good condition to free up much-needed space.
Sports and Exercise Equipment
Excess sporting equipment can rapidly overwhelm garages. Balls, racquets, and bats are bulky and difficult to store. Go through your athletic equipment and save the stuff that you use frequently while donating the goods that are still in good working order.
Determine how many of each item you actually require and discard the remainder. Do you really need a full bin of balls if you only play tennis or baseball a few times a year? Is your child in possession of multiple skateboards but only uses one? To maximize room in your garage, organize like objects together and hang racquets and bats on the walls.
Toys
Kids have a habit of playing with a toy for one day and then abandoning it. It’s time to pare down and declutter your child’s room if it’s overrun with stuffed animals, action figures, or other multiples. Donate any working toys that are no longer being used to local shelters, thrift stores, daycares, or other charitable organizations. To keep remaining toys manageable and clutter-free, set up an orderly system in baskets and on shelves.
Water Bottles
One of the most challenging objects to keep organized and yet still handy is water bottles. They’re usually too tall to fit in kitchen cabinets, but leaving them out on a counter might result in a cluttered mess. Depending on your lifestyle, each family member may only really need one water bottle. To arrange the remaining bottles, use a magazine holder on the counter or in the pantry. Which sounds a little strange, but it actually works very well.
Old and Outdated Chargers
Every home has that one drawer where unidentified or inoperable chargers have become a tangled mess. The chargers have largely remained the same as you’ve acquired new phones, tablets, and PCs over the years, so you’ve most certainly amassed the same cords multiple times.
If a charger is no longer functional, it should be discarded rather than kept. You can even get rid of cords that you don’t recall using (hello, ancient digital cameras). Wrap the rest of the cords and chargers in plastic wrap and attach them with a rubber band or knot.
Condiments
Having too many condiments in your fridge can quickly become a mess. While having a variety of alternatives is enticing, many aren’t used for months at a time. Getting rid of multiples is crucial when it comes to decluttering a refrigerator.
Ideally, each condiment should only be purchased one at a time: one barbecue sauce, one ranch dressing, one ketchup, and so on. A condiment pile-up can occur when you have various tastes and brands of the same sort of sauce or topping. Expired products should be discarded, and any duplicate bottles should be used up. To avoid a disorderly fridge, go over your condiment area before you go grocery shopping to make sure you don’t buy duplicates.
Small Kitchen Gadgets
Waffle makers, multiple coffee brewing gizmos and slow cookers are examples of small kitchen appliances that can take up valuable cabinet and counter space. While these gadgets are useful and entertaining to use, they are difficult to store. Take a realistic look at all of your portable cooking gear and make a list of the ones you use the most. Return those to their proper place in a cabinet or drawer, and give the rest away. You only need one of each appliance in most cases, so donate extras if you have them, too.
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