Tips for keeping on top of clutter in the home

Sometimes I feel as though I'm constantly decluttering, and that's because I am! Decluttering isn't something that you can do once and never again. Like housework and gardening you need to keep on top of it, and I thought I'd share some tips that work for me when I'm trying to maintain an organised and calm home.

Have a donation bag or box ready to go

I actually have two. I keep a bag in my wardrobe for clothes, ready for a charity recycling bag to come through the door. If my bag is full before one arrives then I drop it off at a local textile recycling bank. I have a second bag in my spare room for charity shop donations. I usually wait until I've got a decent amount before making a trip to drop them off just to save time and effort, but it is ready to go at any time in case of sudden guests!

Make an effort to pass on difficult items

I think we all have a number of things in our home that we would like to get rid of but don't know the best way to do it. Maybe it's not good enough to give to charity, it's too big to fit in the household bin, or it was an unwanted gift that you feel bad getting rid of. But if you can find a way to remove things these awkward items then it will also remove the pang of guilt that you feel every time you see it, which will make you and your home feel much calmer. 

Declutter clothing while packing for a holiday

When packing, think about the things that you aren't choosing to put in the suitcase. Is it because you no longer wear them, they are uncomfortable or they just don't suit you? I've always sorted out the children's wardrobes when packing because it's a really good opportunity to empty out the drawers completely and see the things that have been outgrown or aren't being worn.

Photo credit Sarah Brown via Unsplash

Match what comes in with what goes out

Some people like a strict 'one in, one out' rule but this doesn't work for me. But if I've brought home a few of a particular item, like books or jigsaws from a charity shop haul or a seasonal Primark shop, then I'll think about where I'm going to store the new items and what I can clear out to make room for them. 

Clear hotspots daily

I have several clutter hotspots in my home. The main one is our kitchen island, but I also have the kitchen worktop nearest to the door and the coffee table in the living room. Every evening I make sure that the kitchen island and coffee table are completely clear. The worktop is a place to store things which may be needed in the next few days, but I sort this through once a week when I do my full kitchen clean. The key thing is to look at the items that build up in these places and make sure that they all have a home that they can be tidied away to. Clutter attracts more clutter, so making an effort to keep surfaces clear stops it all piling up and becoming unmanageable.

Deal completely with laundry as you go along

I do laundry regularly so I am usually on top of it and each load is sorted, folded and put away as soon as it comes off the line or out the dryer. Well, I put mine away at least and I leave piles for other family members to put away at their leisure - but it is in their rooms and not all over the house! Have a routine for the washing, whether that's putting a load on first thing or later in the day when you have time to deal with it.

Photo credit Daniele Bissoli via Unsplash

Sort paperwork as it arrives 

This also includes digital paperwork like e-mails. A lot of our post is junk and it goes straight from the doormat to the recycling. I deal with as much as I can straight away and then the physical papers can be filed or recycled.

Model good habits to younger family members

If you involve children in keeping the home clean and clear then they will hopefully use these systems in their own areas. We've developed habits for having regular clear outs of clothes and shoes, school books, toys and trinkets, as it's much easier to pass on things as you go along rather than letting everything build up. I wrote a detailed post about using the Marie Kondo method with an older child or teenager, and this is something that we return to once a year or so to keep things under control. It's especially important with children because they grow so quickly and their interests change as they get older. I hope that I'm instilling good habits for their future homes!

I hope that this article was helpful, if you have any more tips please do share them in the comments!