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Five Tips for Clutter-free Living

February 2015

Resolving to keep your new home clutter-free this year?

We’ve got a handy set of tips that’ll help to keep your property pristine – toddlers and pets permitting, of course – so that you can be rid of that frantic cleaning feeling.

Hone in on your hotspots

Bits and pieces tend to accumulate in specific spaces – shoes, bags and coats in the hallway, kids’ colouring kits on kitchen tables or books and magazines piled-up next to the sofa.

Baskets, boxes and storage solutions that fit neatly, and beautifully, into these spaces will help to keep chaos at bay – especially when combined with a little bit of routine.

Walked through the front door? Keys in bowl, shoes on rack, coat on peg. Supper is ready to be served? Kids’ papers, pens, paint and glitter go straight into their box. Headed off to bed? The magazine you’ve been reading fits tidily into its rack beside the settee.

In case of emergencies

A dedicated ‘solutions space’ can put an end to having to rifle through your drawers to find scissors, sewing kits or the set of thank you cards you know you bought.

Pick one specific space and use it to house your necessities – first aid kits, a diary with contact numbers, stationery, DIY tools, greeting cards and wrapping paper, whatever it is you need, you’ll know exactly where to go!

Organise the organising

Shopping lists, food menus for the coming week and calendars filled with appointments and things to do – listing helps to keep things running smoothly.

Creating a list with dedicated days to get things done can be a huge help in the home – whether it’s the washing on Wednesdays or the kitchen on Thursdays, a little routine goes a long way.

Family fun

Many hands make light work and getting the family involved in organising the home can make the task a whole lot more fun.

Set dedicated days and time slots for your activity – and dish out tasks for the whole family to help you work through that to-do list.

Dial up the fun with activities to keep everyone interested, this could include musical cleaning – a sure-fire way to lift everyone’s spirits – or rewards charts with prizes for the fastest cleaner or most toys cleared away within five minutes.

Re-use or recycle

‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’ – said iconic British writer and designer William Morris. It’s become a mantra that’s helped many homeowners keep their properties clutter-free.

Get rid of any unwanted goods the green way by donating to charity shops, local good causes or Freecycle – a grassroots movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. Not only does it have the feel-good-factor, you’ll be creating more space in the home for the whole family to enjoy.

Got a tip you’d like to share? Find your nearest Story Homes Facebook page where we’ll be talking all things decluttering.