In an effort to declutter your space and live a more organized and happy life, we’ve gathered some tips and tricks to help you get your shit together.
With a fresh year usually comes the desire to get your life in order. And when your day-to-day consists of working to get around your stuff, instead of making your stuff work for you, then that usually means it’s time for a change. Whether you’re plagued with too many things, or you live in a small space, we’ve gathered some tips to help you declutter your home and organize the bulky and awkward items that have overstayed their welcome.
1. Holiday Decor
Ah yes, the dreaded post-holiday cleanup is no less dreadful, but can be much more productive. The idea here is functionality, and the thought that you’ll keep these storage containers around for years. Pick up a duffle bag designed especially for your artificial tree, a few collapsible tarp bins for linens and blankets, and those boxes with individual compartments for your ornaments and other odds and ends.
2. Food Items
Buying food in bulk is a great way to get better prices at your health food store, and saves trips to the grocery store. Keeping these items fresh is critical, therefore, we recommend glass containers with airtight lids in the shape of a square. This way you can fit them in your cabinets without wasting space due to a cylindrical exterior.
3. Pots and Pans
Storing clean pots and pans in your oven when not in use? Yeah, you know who you are. Well kick that habit to the curb by investing in a couple of towel bars a la Ikea (or shop something like the Habitat for Humanity Restore) and hang those babies up. A few S-hooks are all you’ll need display your cookware and have a place to rest the lids.
4. Clothes
Sweaters, handbags, and shoes are all bulky, and closet space is precious, so let’s fix this problem. A great way to store these items is to get yourself a trunk or two that you can be placed somewhere in your room (perhaps in lieu of your current nightstand or at the foot of the bed) where you can keep your clothes and accessories, especially the seasonal stuff. Aside from that, getting a multi-tier shoe rack is seriously life changing. And don’t be afraid to post up some peg board in your closet to hang smaller handbags and jewelry.
5. Books
Maybe you prefer paper to digital, and that’s totally fine, but as any book collector knows, these can quickly take over your life. A bookshelf is an obvious place to start, but for something less traditional you could use crates (these also double as end tables and coffee tables), those cool floating bookshelves, or rolling storage cubes that can be used to create temporary book nooks whenever and wherever you need one.
6. Hand Tools
Every person needs a set of tools. The extent to which you collect and use them, however, will vary greatly. That doesn’t mean you don’t need proper storage, though, so try a few of these ideas around your house. Magnetic strips are perfect catchalls for screws, washers, and other metal hand tools, and they don’t use any shelf space. Glass jars that screw into lids attached to the underside of shelves or cabinets offer lots of storage for supplies. And finally, pegboard is the ultimate way to declutter your tools. From hanging your hammer to putting up pliers, you can seriously mount just about any hand tool to pegboard. Check out this garage for some inspiration.
7. Exercise Equipment
This won’t really help you with huge pieces like treadmills and elliptical machines, but you can certainly find homes for those free weights and resistance bands. Baskets, wire bins, hooks, and storage benches are all viable solutions for that workout gear. The baskets can make free weights and kettlebells look wrangled; hooks can hold your resistance bands, towels, and yoga mat; and the storage bench can be a place to store sneakers.
8. Cleaning Supplies
Can’t live with them (when they’re in disarray), and can’t live without them. A wall-mounted set-up that secures brooms, rakes, and pretty much anything else with a handle is a must-have. Bonus points if it has little hooks for hanging miscellaneous tools. Or, you can opt for a free-standing cabinet that is tall, but narrow. And if all else fails, just use pegboard. Seriously.
Do you have plans to declutter this year? Share your ideas with us over on the EcoSalon Facebook page!
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