Cut the Clutter

Clutter – everyone has it at one time or another. If you aren’t diligent, everything that comes into your home just tends to pile up, and suddenly (or so it seems) your home is filled with clutter. At other times, you may find it difficult to give things away or throw them out, simply because you have convinced yourself you might need whatever it is one day. And then, of course, “one day” never comes!

Sorting the Clutter

In truth, getting rid of your clutter can help you keep your home cleaner and safer. Not only that, clearing out the clutter can actually help you destress and have greater peace of mind. The thing is – once the clutter has built up, how on earth do you get rid of it? Let’s start with some questions to help you sort through your clutter and get your home in a clutter-free state.

• When was the last time you used it? Whatever it is and no matter how much you think you need it, if you aren’t using it then ask yourself, do you really need it or is just taking up valuable space in your home?
• Do you love it enough to keep it? Maybe you aren’t using it, but you still think you need to keep it, after all if it is in your house, you probably loved it at one point. Looking at it with fresh eyes, does it still mean enough to you to keep it?
• Is it broken? This happens a lot, you hold onto a broken item with the good intention of fixing it. What really happens in most cases is the broken item continues to get pushed aside, behind other items, and never gets fixed. The solution – if its broken, you aren’t using it, so toss it out.
• Are you keeping it because you feel obligated? Sometimes you keep items to commemorate special events in your life, at other times you keep items because someone special gifted them to you. The question is do you use it and if not, isn’t it just taking up valuable space?
• Do you have duplicates of it or something else that could accomplish the same task? Do you really need three mops or five spatulas or multiple mixers/blenders or can you get by with one item to accomplish the same task?

Decluttering the Clutter

Now that you have sorted through your clutter, you are ready to declutter. This step can take many forms – some items simply need to be tossed, while others can be donated, and others still can be sold. Let’s explore what falls into each category.

Toss: Trash, expired spices, expired medications (these must be disposed of properly), mis-matched plastic containers and lids, magazines and newspapers (to the recycle bin, of course), socks without partners, pens that no longer write…

Donate or Sell: Kitchen gadgets and appliances you don’t use, clothing from the bottom of the drawers and back of the closets (that you haven’t worn in six months or more), accessories like jewelry, ties, scarves, etc. that you no longer wear, books you have read and won’t read again, shoes you don’t wear or don’t fit well, sporting equipment you no longer use, souvenirs and collectibles that you no longer love or have lost their significance…

See how easy it was – now your home is clutter free and you have likely discovered your home is much more spacious and open than you remembered. Now that you have cut the clutter, call on the expert team at Signature Maids to help you clean up all those newly opened up spaces in your home.