Have you collected a lot of things over the years that you don’t know what to do about? Have you come to realise that it is time to clear up the mess and get rid of the unwanted stuff but don’t know where to start? Well, we have a few tips to help you organise and ‘declutter’ your home efficiently. But, before we go any further, it’s important to know that decluttering is an on-going process and not to be undertaken just once in years. Items no longer in continuous use keep piling up leaving your home look like a junkyard, but giving each room at least 15 minutes per week can help you keep it organised and tidy. Use your time effectively and achieve maximum neatness with minimum efforts with these simple steps.

Don’t bite off more than you can chew

The rule of thumb is to do one room at a time and keep your emotions in check. Don’t try cleaning the entire place in one day; else you will not achieve much. Choose one room and sort it. If you think that organising a room will take you an hour, think again: it might take you two when you dig into it. Also, avoid any distractions like flipping through an old magazine or enjoying old family albums; that will devour your time quickly.

Why let a messy, untidy home leave an unfavourable impression about you when you can have an organised one without much ado?

Do a quick sweep

Sit in the room you want to clean and see what is taking up the space there. Sort out any extra magazines, stationery, board games, toys and decoration items which make the place look dishevelled, and store them in their proper place. Assign specific space for blankets and linen to be stored properly after use; don’t leave them lying around. Don’t hesitate to discard or donate anything (clothes, shoes, toys) you haven’t used in the last six months and don’t intend to use in the next six months.

For a living room, too much furniture can choke the place, making it difficult to move around. Therefore, stick to the basics, like a sofa or two, a comfy chair, a TV (if you want) or a bookshelf, and a coffee table. Keep multiple remotes together in a tray so they become easier to find. Stack all the DVDs, CDs and cables neatly in a drawer so they don’t collect any dust. Finally, clear the tables of any extra items and dust them to give your room a fresher look.

The sanctuary

The most important place that should be bright, wide and nicely arranged is your bedroom. Keep less furniture so there is ample space to walk around. Store your clothes in the cupboards and in dresser drawers, giving away those you don’t need to charity. Once you have sorted out your cupboard, adopt the practice of placing soiled clothes in one container and discarded clothes in another to be later given away. This way you wouldn’t clog your wardrobe.

Your pantry

Kitchen is used all the time, therefore keeping it clean and organised is equally important. Try using wire racks or shelves with specific labels in kitchen cabinets to help you find spices, vinegar, sauces, etc. easily. You can also hang measuring cups and spoons inside the cabinets to save space. When it comes to organising the kitchen, proper designation plays a major role. Designate a cabinet or drawer to store extra or reusable paper and plastic bags and assign specific places for keeping plates, cups, spoons, glasses. Hang your aprons behind the kitchen door to prevent any mess.

Clearing other spaces

Old, used and at times rusted stuff can pile up in smaller or open, large spaces without attracting our attention. Bathrooms and terraces are two such places we tend to ignore. Take off all shampoo bottles, conditioners, liquid soaps, hand lotions, etc. from the basin counter and arrange them properly in the cabinets. Hair dryer and curling irons should be stored in a different cabinet to keep the wires from intermingling.

If you store your medicines in the bathroom cabinets, then keep checking the expiry dates. Retain the medicines you are currently using or might need and discard the rest. Keep the first aid box right in front so it can be easily retrieved in case of an emergency.

As for the terrace, be watchful of any large drums, empty buckets, pipes, old bicycles, broken furniture, etc. These articles are stored temporarily on the terrace and later forgotten about. Throw away what you don’t need and donate the materials that are in a usable condition.

Decluttering for the first time or after a long period will look difficult and will take a longer time but after that if you follow these steps every week it will not take you much time, but you will also surely get a nicely-arranged, immaculate home of your dreams.

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, May 24th, 2015

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