A disorganized house is a common problem that not many would care to admit they have. While this may not seem like a serious matter at first, it can grow into a bigger issue that could eventually cause a ripple of other problems. This can range from the inability to find things you need, to having to navigate through a cluttered living space, to missing important deadlines and losing track of what you own.
In houses filled with plenty of items, proper organization is crucial. Not only does it help give you a neat-looking home, but it also helps you maintain a focused perspective. Plus, without proper organization, there’s a good chance that you will soon face a very serious dilemma: lack of sufficient storage space.
Fortunately, you can overcome the problem, starting with acknowledging its existence. From there, you must try to deal with the storage issue, starting with following these five important rules:
Rule #1: Get Rid of Items You Haven’t Used in the Past Year
Organizing your home can begin with a ruthless wave of decluttering. For some people, this can be difficult to accomplish alone. To succeed in this endeavor, enlist help from someone you trust before you take your first crack at getting rid of some of your stuff.
Start with the items that you haven’t used for the past 12 months. The key is to have a container ready for items that you plan to keep and another for those that you need to get rid of. This will help you see the decluttering work its magic on your home.
Rule #2: Follow the “One In, One Out” Method
A disorganized home is usually the result of relentless buying. To make sure this doesn’t happen (or to remedy what has already been done), you should follow the “one in, one out” strategy.
As the name suggests, this technique tells you that if you, for example, buy five new things, you have to eliminate five things in your home as well. This also applies to the things you received as a gift. Of course, the old items don’t always have to be the ones to go – you can choose to give away the new item so you can keep the old one. In any case, each time a thing is added to your possessions, another thing must go.
Rule #3: Get Extra Storage
Being organized means you also need to have enough storage for the things you will be keeping. Buy sturdy storage containers that you can fill with your knickknacks and stack them together in a closet. Those space-saving storage products that maximize the use of the smallest nook and crannies of your house are also excellent options.
You can also choose to rent an on-site storage unit. You can fill it with bigger items with sentimental value or those that can still be used in the future and cannot be replaced. Such storage facilities and services can offer you both versatility and autonomy — you can access your belongings as needed and choose how to use the space based on your specific needs.
Using a storage unit is particularly helpful in keeping things with occasional use, such as Christmas decorations, winter clothes, and others. Spare furniture, appliances, and all other bulky items can also be kept here.
Rule #4: Deal with Duplicates
Another reason why clutter keeps on piling up is that people tend to acquire multiple things with similar uses. When decluttering, the duplicates should be the first to go.
To decide which duplicate to let go of, you should think about how each performs a specific task, keep the best one, and get rid of the others.
Rule #5: Digitize What You Can
From important documents to childhood pictures, you can now make digital copies of things that you want or need to keep.
For example, if you tend to cling to a lot of photo albums, it may be time for you to scan and save the pictures on a thumb drive instead. You can do the same for documents so you can easily print out copies when needed. However, you have to make sure to keep the originals of pertinent papers like birth certificates and passports.
You can also take pictures of belongings that you keep only because of their sentimental value. This way, you won’t have to stash the actual item to keep the memory alive.
The Keys to an Organized Home
Having an organized home is not as daunting as it may seem. Aside from following these key storage rules, you only need to look for reliable mobile storage facilities to help you keep the things you still need but have no immediate use for. By doing so, you can be able to bring your home back to its former glory, if not create a new and improved version of it.
