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Before & After Photos of Rooms in a House After Decluttering and Organizing
An Example Of An Organized Area, After Adding Storage Items to Keep Your Home Clutter Free For A Stress-Free Life!
A Place For Everything In Your Home-Declutter!
Everyone accumulates possessions as our lifestyles change and we can end up with clutter, disarray and no space to move, as we acquire more items when we buy or rent our first home and then add to them when we have children.
And then when they leave home we downsize, if you don't declutter before you move to a smaller home or you acquire items in a will when a family member or a friend has bequeathed you a family heirloom or furniture. or a family member comes to live with you and you have to store their furniture and other possessions in your loft space and garage your home can become cluttered.
There are times in your life when you need to de-clutter or the lack of space will become stressful as you try to live in a home with overflowing cupboards and your spare room or garage has been used to store things you don’t want to get rid of just in case you need it or the memories it holds for you.
We all have times when we think to ourselves, I will do that when I have more time and then we add more things to our storage areas which then makes it harder to find anything we need to use.
But having too much stuff in your house can make it feel more like a storage place than a home, especially when you have to keep moving something in your cupboards/storage areas to find something you need to use for example your Lawnmower so you can give it a service before Spring comes when you will need it to cut the grass. This can become stressful as you are always moving things you don’t use much to get to the item you want to use.
Moving House:
It is essential to declutter before you move house especially if you are downsizing or you will take your clutter with you.
Moving house at the best of times can be stressful especially if you have children &/or pets. If you don't de-clutter you will just box it all up and you will then have less room than you would have had if you had decluttered and donated or sold items that you don't need to take with you to your smaller house.
Clutter and Disorganization Can Lead To:
Feelings Of Overwhelm And Stress:
When every corner of your home feels chaotic, it can affect your mental well-being. and it feels like every available space is filled with overflowing boxes or piles of clutter, making it hard to move around or find anything.
Imagine coming home to a cluttered living room with piles of unopened mail, toys strewn across the floor, and no clear surface to prepare dinner. The constant visual reminder of unfinished organizing tasks can contribute to anxiety and decreased productivity.
You may find it challenging to relax or focus on other important aspects of your life when your environment is in disarray.
Clutter causes stress and it’s been scientifically proven, that mothers especially are susceptible to higher levels of stress if they feel that their homes are cluttered or messy.
Space Limitations: Small Rooms
A Room may be small but it doesn't mean that it should be filled with clutter that has migrated from other rooms. Try to get into the habit of putting items back where they belong after you have used them, if other family members see you doing this they will do the same. Another good idea is a stair basket that you can put on the bottom step next to the wall to place items to take upstairs.
Those living in smaller homes or flats face unique challenges when it comes to organization. Limited space can quickly become overcrowded with belongings.
For instance, someone residing in a studio flat may struggle to find storage for their clothing, kitchen supplies, and personal items. Small living areas may not have the luxury of dedicated storage areas, making finding suitable places for your possessions challenging.
As a result, items often end up in piles or scattered around the living space.
Hoarding Tendencies:
For some, the struggle with clutter goes beyond disorganization and enters the realm of hoarding.
This psychological challenge can be tough to overcome. Hoarding tendencies often lead to severe clutter issues, which can negatively impact both living conditions and mental health. Consider a scenario where someone has difficulty discarding even the most trivial items, accumulating stacks of newspapers, old clothing, and miscellaneous objects.
If your home is properly organized, you will be able to focus on your life goals and work on them with a clearer mind.
If the room is really cluttered start by the door with 3 boxes labelled with Donate, Sell and Keep. Put Paper Clutter in a separate box.
I would also have another box if you have piles of clothing, and you can place clothing in the box to put to one side and try on later and then take any that don't fit to the Charity Shop, (you can reuse the box to take them to a charity shop) or if their are some items that are still in good condition sell them and make yourself some spare cash.
Clutter can affect you financially and emotionally
Your home being cluttered can affect you emotionally.
Clutter can affect your anxiety levels, and ability to focus or sleep, which can then make you less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies which make it more likely to snack on junk food and watch TV shows (including watching programmes about people declutting their homes) it then becomes a vicious circle as a Home full of clutter can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed if it gets too much, this then interferes with your ability to function in your daily life.
Achieving and maintaining a clutter-free spacious home can be a challenge but it's achievable if you …
Set aside time at the weekend or on your day off if you work weekends to do a room. If it's cluttered, it could take 3-5 hours.
Find the time to declutter and organise your home and ask your family to help you to declutter a room as many hands make light work, you could treat them to a day out as a reward for helping you to de-clutter. Or chill out and relax in your clutter-free organized spacious home and watch a film with a takeaway together. We all lead busy lives with work, looking after children and other family commitments, finding time to declutter will be beneficial to your health and well- being if you keep delaying decluttering your life and home will become more chaotic and more clutter will accumulate, this will make it harder to address when you eventually find the time to start.
Financial Impact of too much clutter
Delaying or neglecting organization projects can result in wasted money.
For example, imagine misplacing important documents or forgetting about items you already own due to clutter.
You may end up repurchasing items, such as kitchen utensils or tools, which you already had but couldn’t locate.
Additionally, disorganization can lead to late bill payments, incurring unnecessary fees. Forgetting to pay bills on time because they got lost in a sea of paperwork can strain your finances. If your home is full of clutter and doesn’t have its own storage space it can mean that you forget to pay an important bill which then incurs late fees and this will then make it harder to keep to a budget.
Emotional Impact Of Too Much Clutter
The constant stress of living in a cluttered environment can take on your mental health. It may lead to increased anxiety, decreased focus, and a general sense of unease.
The feeling that your home is always in disarray can contribute to emotional exhaustion which tends to slowly build up over time
When stress begins to accumulate from negative or challenging events in life that just keep coming, you can find yourself in a state of feeling emotionally worn out and drained and this can lead to a cluttered home as you feel overwhelmed by the clutter in your home.
This emotional burden can affect your overall quality of life.
For instance, the stress of a cluttered home can spill over into your work life, relationships, and overall sense of well-being.
Clutter And Anxiety
Clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus. It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows (including ones about other people decluttering their lives
How do I Emotionally Declutter My Life?
Emotional clutter is the negative thoughts that swirl through your mind. The more often these thoughts repeat, the stronger they get.
You can teach yourself to swap them for positive thoughts. What Can I do to solve this
You can practice mindfulness, set boundaries and connect with support to help clear emotional clutter.
Time To Organise Your Living Space For A Stress-Free Life
The Only Way To Get Rid Of Clutter And Give Yourself More Space Is To…
Say goodbye to the chaos and stress of a cluttered home and say hello to the tranquility and efficiency of a well-organized space.
When you Declutter and Organize your home try not to see it as a chore, see it as an investment in your well-being and peace of mind.
De-clutter One Room at a Time: Instead of attempting to organize your entire home in one go, break it down by tackling one room at a time.
A focused approach allows you to make progress without feeling overwhelmed.
By doing one room and making progress …you will Have a Keep, Donate and Sell area so that when you have finished decluttering
You can then take all the items you want to Donate to a Charity Shop.
Sell Items - You no longer want for some extra cash. See below to Check out the Summary Below Of The Best Websites To Sell Your Stuff
Click on the following: Efficient Storage Solutions To Check Out To Help You To Keep Your Home Clutter Free For A Stress-Free Life!
To See Information - at the end of this Blog on how to:
Ideas on How to Store -Your Items -that you want to keep
Items you can purchase to help - Organise Your Living Space For A Stress-Free Life
Check out the Summary Below Of The Best Websites To Sell Your Stuff
Company | Cost to list | Main product focus |
eBay | Free (up to 250 listings per month) | Wide range of items to sell |
Facebook Marketplace | Free | Furniture and other large items |
Poshmark | Free | Clothing and fashion accessories |
Or You Can Google Sell your unwanted items for more ideas on how to sell your items for cash.
How To Declutter Your Home
Before you start decluttering - visualize the final result — of a clean and organized space. This mental imagery can provide motivation and ease anxiety.
A clutter-free and organized home is visually appealing.
It can also significantly reduce stress and enhance your overall well-being.
Make sure that you set aside enough time to complete your decluttering. That means putting your phone out of reach so you aren’t tempted to grab it with each notification ding.
Play your Favourite music on your phone and remember to set a timer to remind you to take a break. But don't keep checking your phone for messages or calls till you have finished decluttering the room. *If you have a whole house to declutter - do one room a day if it's really cluttered. Also seeing a Room fully decluttered will motivate you to carry on with your other rooms. Also, you may only be able to work during your Baby or toddler's nap time.
Organization is the key to decluttering. You don’t want to just start throwing stuff all together in a huge mess, because most of it will probably never make it out of your house. As this will cause more stress. You will then feel overwhelmed by the amount of clutter in the room.
Instead, before you start to declutter your house in *one week, gather 8 large cardboard boxes and clearly label them as follows:
**Note – Using cardboard boxes is easier than using bags, you can see which box to use and you will find it easier to use the one-touch method. When you are decluttering a Room.
Donate – Items to donate to Charity shops or churches
Family/Friends – Items in good condition that you think your family or friends would love to have- place these in a box in your car or a bag with their name on.
Sell – Items that you feel are of value and are worth your time trying to sell on Facebook Marketplace or eBay.
Relocate – Items that you wish to keep, but belong in a different room of the house.
Store – Items that you need to keep for sentimental reasons, or items that are only used seasonally, buy or make a memory box to store your memories. Seasonal items store in a box.
Bin – Items that are unsalvageable or worthless
Repurpose/Fix – Items that you think can be up-cycled or that may require small fixes (Only save these items if you will commit to fixing or reusing them).
As you finish one room and move on to the next, take your boxes with you. Of course, some box categories may be so full that you need to create second and third boxes.
How to Deal with Paper Clutter
I will be writing a blog post on Home Filing Storage & Organization of paperwork! Be sure to check it out when you’re ready to tackle your Paper Clutter.
So For Now - put the box with all your Paper Clutter in a box labelled with Papers To Deal With Later write on the box in red marker pen DO NOT THROW AWAY.
Put this box next to your Office Desk or next to your seat in the living room.
Once you are completely done decluttering your whole house, all of your clutter is neatly separated into the appropriate boxes and ready to be removed from your home for good. Check out the next Blog How to Deal with Paper Clutter.
Tips To Help You To Declutter Your Home
The First Room To Declutter:
Start by decluttering your messiest room. Choose the most cluttered space in your house. Pick one space that you feel needs to function better for you. For many of us, the answer is the same: Living Room or Kitchen.
What is the one-touch rule for clutter?
The rule is self-explanatory: touch everything, whether it is your jacket, a task, or an email, only once. Its effectiveness cannot be downplayed. By incorporating the One Touch Rule into your life, you can declutter both your mental and physical space.
What is the tidy toss method?
What Is the Tidy Toss? The Tidy Toss is exactly what it sounds like: you toss small items into baskets or containers, instead of neatly organizing every single item.
7 Steps to Organizing a Messy House:
Centre Yourself Before You Start Organizing.
Sort Your Stuff.
Declutter Your Stuff.
Organize Your Way!
“Containerize” Your Stuff.
Label Your Containers.
Support Your New Habits.
Clean Your Rooms' in this order:
Declutter and pick-up. Take things that don't belong in the bedroom out.
Now Tidy Up Any Other Pockets of Clutter.
Start the laundry.
Clear All Flat Surfaces. ...
Dust all surfaces. ...
Wipe the windows and the mirrors with window cleaner.
Wipe/dust the blinds and vacuum the curtains. ...
Vacuum or sweep the floor. Check out Upright Dustpan & Broom Set With Comb, which will help you to keep your home clean after you have decluttered your rooms, it will help you to keep on top of cleaning your home.
Remove any Spider webs using the Vacuum Hose.
How do you start decluttering when overwhelmed?
The best strategy for decluttering large, overwhelming spaces is to...
Remove the easiest things first.
Discard larger items next.
Donate items instead of selling them.
Break your large space into smaller bite-size challenges.
Work until your bite-size piece is completed.
Tips For Cleaning When You Feel Overwhelmed:
Figure Out Your Priorities & Make a List.
Create a Cleaning Playlist.
Have the Right Tools for the Task on Hand.
Choose Somewhere to Start.
Don't Sit Down. ...
Race the Clock Cleaning. Set the timer on your Mobile for 15 minutes then see how much you can do in the 15 minutes then have a quick drink to hydrate yourself then do another section.
Declutter Accordingly:
Customize your decluttering efforts to align with your unique needs. Clear out items that are irrelevant to your daily routines and work. Keep only what’s necessary and useful for your personal and professional life.
Ask Yourself these Questions!
If the Answer is NO then Put in the Donate Or Sell Box
Does this item bring me joy?
Does this item have sentimental value?
Am I holding onto this item with the assumption that I may need it in the future?
Would somebody else benefit from having this item?
Is this item broken, missing pieces, or worn out? Put In the Trash Box.
There are things you might not want to throw away when decluttering your house:
Physical Photos. Our memories are more often immortalized on social media than in leather-bound albums.
Family Heirlooms.
Duplicates Of Useful Things. That Makes Your Life Easier.
Anything Difficult To Replace.
Essential Documents.
Personal Keepsakes.
Put all Paperwork In A Box To Sort Through When You Have Finished Decluttering.
So You Don't Throw Away Important Documents
For paper clutter/photographs etc.
Put Clothes In A Box To Try On and ask yourself
Have I used or worn this in the last year? If the Answer No - Try It on if the clothing doesn't fit add to the box to Donate to Charity Or Sell Them.
And remember why you are decluttering in the first place. Because you want...
To be more organized.
To spend less time cleaning things up
All of the extra “stuff” around your house is just stressing you out. e.g: you're clearing out your overfull Junk Drawer where you can't find anything.
Whatever the reason, when the decluttering seems daunting, remember why you wanted to declutter your house in one week in the first place.
Adaptability: Your customized plan should be adaptable. As life changes, so can your organization's strategies. Be open to adjustments that better suit your evolving needs.
End Home Disorganization Once and for All And
Organise Your Living Space For A Stress-Free Life!
Personalized Strategies:
Assess Your Routine: To create a personalized organizing plan, start by examining your daily routines and habits. Take note of the activities that you engage in within your living space.
Identify Priority Areas: Consider which areas of your home are most important for your daily activities. If you work from home, for instance, your home office or workspace becomes a top priority.
Once you’ve identified these priority areas. In the context of
A home office might mean investing in shelves, cabinets, or desk organizers that cater to your specific work-related items. The goal is to create a workspace that looks tidy but functions seamlessly to support your work tasks. On other areas of your Home invest in Shelving & Storage to Organize your Living Areas.
Small space organization: Isn’t just about making your space look tidy, it’s about creating a more functional and enjoyable living environment.
By incorporating these strategies, you can maximize your space’s potential and make the most of every square foot.
One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to organizing:
Tailoring your approach to your unique needs and lifestyle can make a world of difference in maintaining an organized home.
Efficient Storage Solutions To Check Out To Help You To Keep Your Home Clutter Free For A Stress-Free Life!
Are You Living in a smaller space?
Don't feel anxious take control and visualize how you want your home to look there are smart strategies to make the most of every inch. Small space organization is all about maximizing functionality without sacrificing style.
Here are some practical tips to help you get started:
Space-Saving Furniture:
Invest in furniture pieces designed with storage in mind. Consider a bed with drawers underneath, a sofa that doubles as a guest bed, or a coffee table with hidden compartments. These multi-functional pieces can help you declutter and optimize your space.
Make use of your vertical spaces:
By installing shelves and hooks on your walls. Wall-mounted shelves can hold books, plants, or kitchen essentials, freeing up valuable floor space. Hooks are perfect for hanging bags, hats, or accessories.
Closet Organizers:
Maximize your closet’s potential by adding shelves, drawers, and organizers. A well-organized closet can hold more than you might think and make it easier to find what you need.
Utilize the space under your bed for storage:
Invest in under-bed storage bins or drawers to keep items like off-season clothing, shoes, or bedding neatly tucked away.
Foldable Furniture:
Consider furniture that can be folded or collapsed when not in use. Folding chairs, tables, and wall-mounted desks are excellent options for small spaces. They provide functionality when needed and can be stowed away when you want to free up space.
When you have donated or sold the Items you don't want to keep
Buy Storage Items To Help You To Organize Your Home
Your Kitchen
Use inexpensive tension curtain rods - inside a cabinet.
To keep plastic food container lids, drinks bottles, cooking dishes, and Microwave Containers upright and organized.
Convert your existing Kitchen Cabinets into open shelves
To provide quick access to kitchen essentials. Plates, Bowls, Mugs, Glassware etc...
Use compartmentalized drawer organizers to neatly store utensils or a baking drawer to store all your essential baking tools.
Items you can purchase to help - Organise Your Living Space For A Stress-Free Life
See Items below for ideas on how to keep your Home Clutter Free
Pack of 3 Storage Boxes Or Storage Cubes
These storage boxes/cubes are the perfect option for tidying away clothes, bedding or other items. With strong rope handles and plenty of internal space, they're ideal for reclaiming a spare room or cupboard
Tidy up loose cables and you will then have more available space to walk or store other items, it will also make it easier to clean.
Useful Drying Rack when you need to drain your plates, or cutlery after Washing Up.
Wall mounted Storage to place on a wall or the back of a door in your Kitchen or Shed keeps everything off the floor.
Upright Dustpan & Broom Set With Comb To help you clean your Before & After Decluttering
Ideal storage if you have a bicycle so that it is off the floor when not in use.
Or you can have a Foldable Storage Rack that you fold up and take with you, when out cycling.
Daily Decluttering Ritual:
Dedicate a specific time each day, even if it’s just 15-30 minutes, to declutter a part of your home. For instance, make it a habit to declutter your desk before starting work each morning.
When it's done you will feel less stressed.
Decluttering can have a positive impact on your finances as you will know where everything you own is and will not end up buying something that you already have…
When you have decluttered every room in your house and found efficient storage solutions, it will feel more spacious to have a dedicated storage area for all your possessions and work area, if you work from home, making it easier to keep tidy. If you also have a rule that one item in means letting go of one item you don’t need anymore by donating or selling it, your home will stay organized.
Next Blog: How to Deal with Paper Clutter
Paper clutter is in a category all by itself! Utility bills, catalogues, coupons, insurance policies, credit card bills.
I will update this Blog with Product ideas I find on how to keep your Home Clutter Free And Organised For A Stress-Free Life.
Linda Aitken-Smith 11.04.2024
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