8 Foolproof Steps for Decluttering & Creating Space in Your Home

source: festoonhouse

It happens more than often that what we think as cute or cheap ends up making our homes a dumping ground. But this clutter is nothing but a sign of indecision. 

Decluttering means getting rid of what is unwanted or unnecessary, and reorganising what is useful so that you can get them when needed. But that's easier said than done. 

However, the finest way to get ahead is to get started. So check out these fantastic tips on how you can declutter your Home and see how it unwinds the complexities in your daily routine.

1. Create a Decluttering Checklist

Start with a pen and paper and tour around all the rooms, bathrooms and closets of your house. While you do this, look at every nook and cranny and make a list of the items you need to sort out or unclutter. 

Use this list to sit and figure out what is essential and what is not, before you take the plunge. Also, pick out the areas you wish to work on first and then start with your prioritized regions one by one.

Besides, since decluttering may take hours of your time, schedule your time for each section of your Home. For instance, three hours for the closet, another for the drawer chest, and another couple of hours for the bathroom and so forth will do. 

2. Hit one Spot at a Time

Since even Rome was not built in a day, do not burden yourself with the expectation of decluttering your Home in one go. The decluttering list you made above will come to your rescue for making this decision. Despite taking help, decision making takes time, and so shall your decluttering. 

Moreover, when you work on one space at a time, the results will inspire you to work on the rest of the spaces. It will be even better if you start with a smaller area or the most manageable Spot in your Home. And it will be neat and chic before you'll know. 

3. Follow the Three Bin Strategy

The three-bin strategy is plain and simple. Before you start with the process, grab three boxes, and label or designate them as useful, waste, and storage. As the names suggest, keep the valuable items that you may regularly need in the first box, and these will be the only items that you will be organizing back into your spaces. 

The second bin, for the waste items, is for the things you must let go of. You may either dispose of them in the garbage, donate to the needy, or put them on a garage sale. The third one shall be for the items that you may need but not on a routine basis. It could be your winter jackets in the summer season, or rain boats in the dry season. And this will be your first step at sorting the clutter. 

4. Clear. Organise. Repeat

Once you are ready with the list and the choice of priority areas, it's time to clear out. And believe us, it's the easiest and fun part. You may come across a lot of items that you might have forgotten you are the owner of. Besides, you will unravel the beauty of the empty spaces as well. 

Before organizing, sort your things into different clusters. For example, if you are working on your closet, keep all the socks on one side, scarves on the other, and the same for the tops, bottoms, belts, and other items. Besides, one stack must be for the things that you don't need anymore and another for items that can be stored outside the closet. 

Now you have empty spaces to fill in and stacks of items outside. So brainstorm yourself as to what will fit where, and organize your closet with only the essential items. If you wonder what about the rest, hang on, we'll cover that soon.

5. Choose Spots for Similar Items

Similar items must be stored together so that there is only one place you need to look in when you need them. For instance, all your tools, sewing kits, craft supplies, socks, cosmetics and stuff must be placed in designated spots. 

Even if you need to separate them, it must be done meaningfully. Like separate your summer and winter socks, and keep only the summer socks in the drawers if it's the summertime. Your winter socks may meanwhile reside in the storeroom or an old suitcase with other winter clothes. 

6. Make Use of Adequate Storage Furniture

The storage furniture you have in your home makes a lot of difference in the decluttering process. If possible, you must replace old furniture with versatile furnishing options. Examples may include beds with storage boxes or ottomans which double as stools as well as a box with a lid for blankets. 

There are a lot more items out there that are versatile in use yet provide excellent Self-storage and while consuming minimal space. 

7. Store Extras in the Garage or in a Self-Storage unit

If you run out of storage spaces in your home, no worries! There are plenty of service providers that allow you to use their storage units for safekeeping your items for minimal rental. Here are more tips on how to convert your garage into usable space.

Especially if you live in cities like Hobart, or other regions in Tasmania, you will get access to many such quality service providers. You will have options like private access, lockable storage solution, among others, which you may choose depending on the kind of items you need to store.

8. Preschedule the Next Declutter Date

While it is always advisable to maintain the house regularly, there could be circumstances where this might not be possible for you. So taking into account your probably busy schedule, Assign at least an hour a week for decluttering. This could be on the weekend, or otherwise, but making it a habit will go a long way of keeping your calm.

And once you make it a regular ritual, you will get all the benefits of a decluttered home, which will surely reflect on your mindset as well. 

During the process of decluttering, when you come across long-forgotten items, and when you choose to keep or dispose of them, you will also ease your emotional baggage. 

If you need any help with an easy and convenient Mobile Self-Storage solutions, feel free to email us or phone us on 1300 223 000 for a quote. Alternatively, you can get an instant quote and book online here.

Working from home? Set up your home office

A Step by Step Guide for Creating a Home Office

There was a time when working from home was a luxury; only a handful of people could afford. But, today many large scale organisations across Australia and even smaller businesses throughout Hobart and Tasmania, have made WFH permanent. The research says that working from home increases employee productivity (something which companies are digging right now). 

However, to establish a permanent routine and sustain that higher levels of productivity, you may need to build a home office. Such a measure is essential to compensate for a psychological need and build continuity with the daily routine. 

Even though you are moving from room to a dedicated table, it brings some kind of satisfaction that you are working. More importantly, a home office helps maintain a work-life balance. 

But, how to build a productive, soothing, and good looking home office, follow this guide. You will find pointers to build effective storage solutions, desk set up, making up for the office space, and clearing some space.

Choose a dedicated area

Do you like to change the seats in your office every hour? No, right? Similarly, working from home means that you do have the option to sit in any corner of the house and start working. 

But that is not the most productive thing to do. Having a dedicated space (preferably with a lock and door) is one of the first and foremost things about setting up a home office. 

More importantly, setting up a dedicated space also depends on your work profile. If you expect to meet several clients during the day, it is best to set up the office near to the main door. 

If you have a lot of meetings and calls, it is best to be in a room that has the best internet connectivity. Similarly, different job profiles have a niche set up requirements. Try to imitate the work conditions of your corporate office and imitate them at your home. 

Create your own space

Not everybody plans to build a home office before buying a house. For some of us, this is something new necessitated by a global crisis that has led to an alteration in the work culture. 

However, creating a home office is somewhat necessary now as your own space to work with full concentration. Since you are at home, the urge to adapt to a laid back attitude is common. That is why it is essential to have your own dedicated space (more on this later). 

For now, you must focus on preparing an area on the house. Figure out what space is best to be used as a make-shift office while keeping a few things in mind. It can be light, concentration, proximity to the other more happening areas of the house and so on. 

Setting up an office in an already congested space can be painstaking. But there is always a solution. When it comes to clearing out some stuff, you can try to look for a self-storage unit to store your stuff for the time being. You will find many affordable self-storage units in Hobart that are guarded with e-surveillance systems 24/7. Mobile Storage provides an easy, cost effective solution to clearing out your home office space.

Comfort is your best friend

One of the work from home advice accorded by the local government of Tasmania is to build a comfortable workspace. Since you are not in the office, a reclining chair might replace the office chair. Or a chaise lounge can replace the office table. 

But these kinds of desking options are not conducive to a 40 hour week. Sooner or later, you will be at the mercy of your lounge chair to give you a comfortable seating position without causing a strain on the back. 

Looking for ideas on Pinterest or other such references can only work as long as you are keeping the ultimate comfort in mind. Also, how will you be productive without sitting on a comfortable chair that ensures an upright posture throughout the day? 

Therefore, where an ottoman or a sofa seat may seem fluffy and comfortable, they are not good for a home office. 

Set up your desk near natural light

The office cubicle systems have forced us to work under artificial light 24/7. Well, if you are a manager, you may get the corner office (good for you, but not for others). 

The good thing is that you need not develop a similar environment at your home. Instead, try setting up the desk near to a window from where you can enjoy natural light and fresh air. 

Light plays a vital role in enhancing work productivity, alertness, and relaxation. Ensure that you are sitting in an area that is blessed with both warm and cold light. 

Even better, natural light helps reduce the strains on the eyes that are always glued to the computer screen. 

Going one step forward, you can also try ideas to renovate the home office with some plants and greenery. A couple of plants in your office can bring freshness to the room. Research on these lines states that keeping plants in the office will increase your productivity and make you happier. 

Implement Smart Storage Solution

It does not matter that you have a tiny room or lesser space for your office in the home. Implementing innovative storage solutions is the key to creating a home office. 

Even though technology has allowed us to store and sort the files with precision, a home office can have plenty of files and loose paper everywhere. 

Even though we may not need everything, having all the stationery items already set up on the table does look good. If not the table, go for some wall-mounted racks or magazine racks. They are space-saving and also help organise the stuff accordingly. 

Ready to rip the charts with productivity?

Ok, let’s see. We have cleared out some space from a dedicated area in the house. You know that it is beneficial to place your desk near a window or someplace from where you can peep out occasionally and get some fresh air. 

Moving on, it is a good habit to work among the plants (they are amazing listeners) as they spread freshness in the room. Lastly, it is good to store some of the stuff that you do not use in self-storage units and declutter the home for your office. 

If you want to enjoy work and life together, creating a home office is rather essential. With it, you can maintain your work habits and have a separate area to think, innovate, work, and be productive. 

If you need any help with an easy and convenient Mobile Self-Storage solutions, feel free to email us or phone us on 1300 223 000 for a quote. Alternatively, you can get an instant quote and book online here.