5 Steps to a Better Looking, More Organized Home

Storage. It’s something we always seem to need more of. The bigger the house, the more stuff we have and the more useless junk gets shoved in storage and then we run out. If we are really in need, we expand our garages, build attics, invest in discount sheds, build shelves and continue to stock pile. But it’s never going to be enough. You can’t just expect that one day you are going to stop collecting things and have enough room. So, what can you do to make your house more livable and less like it should be on the Hoarder’s show? Here are a few simple steps that you could take.

1. Organize your stuff
   You can either go through your house, room by room, cupboard by cupboard, drawer by drawer and get anything organized or you can do it by item; clothes, books, toys, cutlery, shoes, etc. However you do it, everything needs a place. There should not be one bobby pin or pencil that is throw somewhere. Do away with the ‘miscellaneous’ store that is so famously kept in the kitchen. Maybe you have one in every room. Organize it.
2. Throw your stuff away
   Throw away every single item that has no place. The truth is, if you can not find a place for it, it is because it’s not important. If something means something to you or you need it, you will think of a place where it can belong. Also, throw away stuff that you find that you didn’t remember you had. If you forgot about it, it’s not important. Toss it. Throw away things that don’t bring you joy. Everything about your home should make you happy. If you don’t love it, throw it away.




3. Reorganize your stuff
   Once you have gone through every nook and cranny of your home, you’ll probably need to reorganize again. The same rules apply: throw away anything that doesn’t have a spot where it belongs. Now, of all the things you are going to keep if you want to get little cubbies or totes to keep them in, that’s fine. As long as you aren’t keeping things just to keep them. They need to have a purpose. You don’t want boxes and boxes of stuff hanging out in your garages and sheds just because you don’t know what’s in them or are hanging on to useless items.




4. Invest in one piece of storage
   This is your one allowance. After you have throw everything away and only own what you love, you can buy one big set of storage items. This could be one of the discount sheds or a custom shed for the backyard, a set of shelves for the garage, extra cupboards for the kitchen; whatever you decide on. But, if has to be only one of these things. That is because you shouldn’t need more than one. After you get rid of what you don’t need or want, the one storage facility should be plenty of room with some to spare.




5. Don’t get more stuff
   If you decided on one of the bigger discount sheds to put in the corner of the back yard, don’t feel obligated to fill it. In fact, something like that could be halved; one side is for storage and one side is a work shop or whatever you want to transform it in to. Don’t buy anything else that you don’t need. And, whenever you do buy something, think about what you can throw away to take its place.

In my defense, I did say that the steps were simple, not that they were quick or easy. Simple to understand, not to easy to implement. That’s understandable, it really is. However, what is the key word in four of of five of the titles above? That’s right- stuff. That’s all it is; it’s just stuff. If things are ever going to change in your home then you have to get your collecting under control. Try not being so nostalgic. Invest in active memories with those you love instead of keeping everything that reminds you of them. Memories last far long than furniture and material things and take up a lot less space. You don’t need discount sheds to house memories.