Clutter in a home or office can feel chaotic and create unwanted stress and reduce productivity. The new year is the perfect time to get organized, reduce that excessive clutter and reclaim precious space. While decluttering can feel overwhelming, there are some easy steps to take to get you on the path to a more organized work space and home, and boost your mood and performance.
Decluttering Your Home Doesn’t Have To Be A Chore.
While it can seem challenging and tedious, you can make organizing fun by using colorful labels and bins, preferred music, and treat yourself to a meal, event or spa day once finished. Get your home organized in no time with these helpful tips:
Use the 6 Month Rule. If you haven’t used an item in 6 months, chances are you won’t, so donate those unused items instead to local charities or thrift stores.
Turn Clutter Into Cash. Can you use a little more $$ funds $$ in the new year? Try selling unwanted items on Ebay, Etsy, Craigslist, Facebook or in a tag sale. It’s a great way to reduce clutter and fill your wallet.
Sort Items into 3 Bins. Keep, Toss and Donate. Every item in your home should fit into one of these categories and this method will help you comb through items quicker and more efficiently.
Let Go of DIY-Projects. Perhaps you have a dresser you wanted to repurpose or a chair you wanted to paint. If you’ve been holding onto these items for over a year and haven’t found time to complete these projects, it’s time to let go and regain your time and space. Many of these household items and furniture can be donated to Habitat for Humanity’s RESTORE or other local charity, and always appreciated.
Find Some Support. Pair up with a friend, neighbor or relative who needs to get organized, and would make the perfect decluttering partner. You can share tips and tricks, set goals, and encourage each other as you begin your journey together.
Decluttering Your Office Creates a More Productive Workspace.
Working in a cluttered environment creates unnecessary stress as you struggle to find items needed for events, meetings and clients. Having a clean and clutter-free work space will increase productivity and reduce anxiety. Remember, less items means less cleaning needed and less dust, germs and debris in your office. These cleaning and office decluttering tips can help:
Remove and Assess. For a truly clean workspace, it’s best to remove all items from desktops, drawers and shelves, and start from scratch. This way you can wipe down and clean all surfaces and determine which items you really need to keep, and others than can be discarded, archived or placed into storage.
Consider Rearranging Your Workspace. If your office space regularly gets cluttered, then analyze a more effective layout. Keep items nearby that you use frequently, and consider moving other items into drawers, shelves, or storage cabinets.
Use Dividers and Shelves Wisely. If you commonly throw items in drawers and letting them stay scattered and disheveled, dividers can help. Hanging shelves can organize binders, manuals and other paperwork, and drawer dividers keep small office items separated, organized and easy to locate.
Put Your Items in Their Respective Places. Now that you’ve determined which items you want to keep on your desk each day and what items can be moved and stored, make a plan to keep it that way. Keep your desk space as neat and clear as possible and re-evaluate every six months to maintain a clutter-free space.
When attempting to declutter your home or office, keep certain supplies on hand to help like plastic totes, gloves to protect your hands, recycle bins, and plenty of trash bags.
If your cluttered environment is overwhelming and you need help removing items and creating a clean and sanitized space, the cleaning experts at ServiceMaster By Mason are available to assist you. Our experienced and professional team can discard unwanted items, packout and carefully store personal belongings, and effectively declutter small spaces, to entire homes and businesses.
