Tips to prevent clutter from becoming a problem around the home this winterThe hibernation season is just around the corner – that time of year when many homeowners spend a lot of time escaping Canada’s notoriously cold winters and hanging out inside.
But with all that time cooped up indoors comes a build-up in clutter – we tend to hand on to our stuff a little longer during winter and save it up for a big spring purge.
The folks at JUSTJUNK, who have a lot of experience helping people across the country keep their homes in order, have a few tips on nipping clutter in the bud before it can accumulate.
- Holding clutter at bay
There are ways to think ahead and prevent clutter around the home while still sparking joy in your activities and experiences. If you love books, but want to read one you think you may not read again, then perhaps reading e-books or using a library membership may be the way to go. For the craftsmen/women of the group ensure that spaces are available to dispose of clutter on the go, during the project. Freeing up space during the project and reducing cleanup time after. Shopping? Know what you need/want going in. Limit impulse buys – this can be the toughest part – but using your willpower to limit what you bring home will limit future problems with clutter.
- Create and utilize storage space
Spend a day at the store looking at shelving and cabinetry. Find out what’s available and how you can integrate it into your space at home in a functional way to better create and use your space. Bare walls can be a great place for pictures, but they can also be a great place for shelving. Wall-mount the TV or sound system to free up shelving for other things that you’d like to have around. For the bookworms, you can place small baskets with the immediate “to-read” list easily accessible as you move from chapter to chapter in the latest King thriller.
- Remember, one person’s junk is another person’s treasure
It can be so rewarding to pass on something to someone else who can use it. Seeing it spark joy in someone else can immediately bring those feelings home to you and give you something more to share in. This can be through donating to local charities, using a removal service to bring larger furniture and appliances to those who need it, or using tiny free local libraries to see books and DVDs have another home once you’re done with them. Communities are also building online marketplaces through apps and social media – think of the many local “Mommy” groups who network and share advice about their young children. Technology is available to help pass things along to family and friends easily to those who may be looking for just what you have to get rid of.
- PLAN your clutter
If all else fails, you’re stuck with mountains of clutter and no idea how to start. This puts you back at square one – and no one likes being there. So, PLAN:
Pile – Create organized piles of what you need to get rid of. Keep it neat.
Locate – Find out where you’re going to dispose of each pile.
Allocate – Mark the date and time on the calendar when you are going to get rid of each pile. Writing things down gives a tangibility to the process instead of saying “when I can get to it.”
Neutralize – Keep the space clean. Use the steps above to keep the space clean by creating an environment that prevents or even cancels the possibility of excess clutter.
With franchises across the country, JUSTJUNK removes unwanted materials/items from residential and commercial properties including furniture, appliances, garden refuse and construction and demolition debris.
JUSTJUNK crews help ensure as much of the material they collect as possible is recycled or donated to charitable organizations for re-use, helping to divert waste from landfills.
About JUSTJUNK:
JUSTJUNK removes junk and unwanted materials/items from residential and commercial properties including furniture, appliances, garden refuse and construction and demolition debris. The pricing rates include all labour, loading of the materials from anywhere on the property, clean up and all disposal or recycling fees. Customers are provided with an up-front, written estimate before any work begins.
To learn more, please visit: www.justjunk.com.
