De-Cluttering Your House

This is a guest post written by Stephanie Hanson, community manager of Monkey Bar Storage Solutions.

If you’re like the majority of Americans, you hold onto stuff. It’s certainly okay to hold onto things when they have a sentimental value! However, many people hold onto so much stuff that they find themselves with less and less space for the important things in their homes. Use these tips on how to clean out the clutter in your life, that are from the professionals organizers at Monkey Bar Storage.

Decide on Function: The most important thing for you to do when working on an area of the home is to decide what that room or area’s function is. It doesn’t matter what the current state of that room or area is, just think about what your ideal use for that room would be. You may note the need for decluttering when you realize that one room is having to supply multiple purposes that it wasn’t intended for.

Small Sections: Chances are that you’re not superhuman and don’t have the time to organize your entire home all at once. Instead, try tackling small areas. Eventually, these small areas will add up to a big difference that you can see in your home.

When Is The Last Time I Used This? The reason that so many of us keep unneeded items is because we don’t ask ourselves the last time we used them. If you haven’t used something in longer than two years ago, then chances are that you won’t use it again. If you don’t want to throw out something that is perfectly usable, try donating those items to your local Goodwill or thrift store.

Customized Solution: Now that you’ve thrown out things that you won’t use again and cleared out space, now is the time to make a habit of putting things back where you got them. Nothing makes this easier than having a customized solution. Consider shelving to get lots of items up and off the floor, creating valuable floor space. If you have a lot of little items that you want out of sight, cabinets are a great option. If you have animals or small children in the house, consider using lockable cabinets to ensure safety.

Reinforcement: Be sure to reward yourself for all your hard work! Whether it’s a piece of candy, a movie, or a trip out of the country, you decide. By rewarding yourself you’ll be more inclined to keep the room or area of your home clean and tidy.

Stephanie Hanson is the community manager for Monkey Bar Storage Solutions, a garage storage and organization company serving homeowners in the Milwaukee area.