Decluttering Tips for your Home

Isn’t it frustrating when you look around your home and feel overwhelmed by the clutter? Do you have a drawer or two that is overflowing with bills, pens, magazines, flyers and goodness knows what else, that you haven’t had time to find a home for yet?

Knowing where to start is the hardest part of decluttering your home and the team @ The Interior Designer has some great tips and reminders to give you the inspiration to get started! In today’s blog we are looking at decluttering your kitchen, living room and linen cupboard, as we know the key is to un-clutter room by room.

GETTING STARTED

  • Have an exit strategy: know how you’re going to move stuff out of the house, and where it’s going. Set up a box or basket for each destination to streamline the end process.
  • Allow yourself a moment to sit in the middle of each room and visualise the finished look.
  • Take stock of available storage – how you can best use what you already have and whether you need extra.
  • Have one “maybe” box for items you’re torn over – a single tub to sort later is better than hours of indecision.
  • Give yourself a TIME FRAME, how long you are going to spend in each room and stick to it.

LET’S DO IT!

KITCHEN

  • Start with cupboards and drawers. Get rid of anything that you don’t use and don’t intend to ever use! Apply the six-month rule to gadgets and tools: have you used it in the last six months? Will you use it in the next six?
  • Clear the benches, apply the same six-month rule and either store items immediately, or discard.
  • To tackle the “plastics” drawer – breathe – and slot them all into each other.
  • Random tea towel problem? Add hooks to the side of a cupboard.
  • In the pantry, check use-by dates, wipe shelves, use containers or trays to group like items, restock containers and arrange them and cans so labels face forward – if you can’t see it, it won’t get used.
  • Create a dedicated zone, board or file for bills, school notes and other bits of paper. This is the prompter to take everything out of that cluttered draw and either throw out or find a space for.

LIVING ROOM

  • Get rid of outdated technology, broken remote controls, games missing bits etc.
  • Have a cord kit, or some pull ties, on hand to tidy and restrain electrical cords.
  • Messy shelves? Neaten up the contents of any display units for an instant and big difference. This is one of our top tips and it is so quick and easy to do.
  • Add the finishing touch – fragrant fresh flowers or a beautiful candle

 

LINEN CUPBOARD

  • Take everything out, dust and wipe the shelves.
  • Keep sheet sets and pillowcases together. Either store sheets and doona covers inside one pillowcase or tie the whole set up inside one sheet with a ribbon.
  • For a neat finish, fold like you work in a homewares shop, with folded edges facing out. Or roll them.
  • Separate winter and summer linens, cotton and wool blankets.
  • Use scented liners to make the cupboard fragrant.
  • Vacuum-bag spare doonas.
  • Use baskets for any random smaller items you keep in there.

De-cluttering is going to make you feel amazing as we all hold onto things that we no longer need. For inspiration on beautiful homewares and furniture, visit us today at www.theinteriordesigner.com.au