When it comes to removing all clutter, the first step is to reduce or stop the addition of more items to your household or office just for the sake of bringing them in. The lesser stuff you possess, the easier will it be to organize them. Begin with emptying all your wardrobes and cupboards and categorizing the items on the need and type basis. Assign them their drawers and arrange them properly; and for long after this you must try to keep it that way. It is easier to organize one place at a time. Let us see how we can do that.
Organizing the Kitchen
- Empty all drawers and shelves and categorize the vessels, crockery, cutlery, spices, food stocks, and dishwasher items.
- Dump all bottles and containers that are rarely used to free up space and save the kitchen some trash.
- Place all crockery and glassware on higher shelves as they come into use less frequently than the regular dining ware.
- Gift yourself a neat cutlery stand that holds all spoons and knifes; these tend to get used most frequently, so place the stand on the cooking platform in hand's reach.
- Segregate the spices and cereals, store them in transparent glass or plastic ware and arrange them properly in slide out drawers if you have them. Otherwise, eye-level shelves are best to allow ease of use.
- Nest all pots and vessels so that space is saved. The lids can be stored with the dinner plates and bowls on the vertical plates' stand. The vessels can also be stored in slide-out drawers since they are used every day.
- Smart compartmentalized slide-out drawer trays make storage for cooking ladles and knives and tongs easy, reducing confusion and saving time.
- Water filter and storage bottles may be kept together in a separate platform zone that can be easily kept clean and dry.
- Left-over food or cut vegetables and fruits must be stored well in airtight containers and assigned a fixed refrigerator shelf so that everyone knows where to find them.
- Canned food and bottled items may be arranged height wise so a small container doesn't get lost behind the traffic and perish.
Organizing the Cupboards and Drawers
- Assign every person their cupboard or set of shelves (for the lack of it) and arrange their clothes.
- All undergarments, handkerchiefs, and socks should be arranged in drawers to avoid cluttering. The remaining clothes may be categorized depending on the frequency of them being worn and placed accordingly. Avoid piling up; it doesn't help in retrieving them when required. Prefer more, smaller piles than few huge piles. For shirts, trousers, jackets and skirts, always use hangers.
- Even while hanging, try placing the shirts clustered together and apply the thumb rule to the rest.
- Always keep a drawer or two free for buffering. Never stuff the wardrobe. Clothes that are rarely worn can be lofted.
- Assign a separate shelf or wardrobe to keep bed sheets, pillow covers, cushion covers, blankets, and towels.
- Keep all books in a different wardrobe. This cupboard can also be treated as the miscellaneous storage space that can also contain documents, CDs, electronic devices, and cables.
- Cables can get tangled very easily if kept open, so storing them in zip pouches is a clever move. All extra devices such as calculators, iron, extra mobile phones, iPods, and cassette players can all be stored in one location to avoid a cluttered approach.
- Keep the bedside drawers clear and clutter free. Keep just the essentials like a few daily meds, torch, a book, notepad, and a pen.
- Below the bed space, you may store the lesser-used items such as extra blankets and woollens, in plush fiber containers available at all home stores.
- Maintain an index if you tend to forget. Placing a small note on the inside of the cupboard doors can help you keep track of the items.
Organizing the Furniture
- Keep the beds clean with minimum cushions and pillows. Show cushions too should be optimal to give comfort and not just create a pile up on the zone.
- Sofas must also be piled with minimum decorative cushions; remotes and cell phones tend to get stuck between the cushions and these items need to be removed.
- Dining tables tend to become the landing stop littered with bags, keys, and books. Set specific spots to store all the above so that the dining table stays clean and attractive looking, with a nice center piece.
Organizing the Insides of the Car
- Avoid collecting parking receipts and change on the dash board. Clear the dash board after every trip so there's no backlog.
- CDs, pen drives, and important registration documents can go into the glove compartment while lighters and chewing gums should be carefully stored in Ziploc bags in the side cubby.
- Coins can be stored in a small box in the glove compartment and magazines can be stored behind the front seats.
- Emergency tools and car supplies can be put in a tool box ad placed in the car boot.
Organizing Other Miscellaneous Articles
- Check the medicines for their expiry and allot a drawer for them, away from children's reach.
- All toiletries and supplies may be stored in a designated drawer under the basins in the bathrooms.
- Dressing table shelves can be kept clutter-free by keeping all cosmetic products in compartmentalized trays to keep them from mixing up.
- Retain only the favorites of your kids' toys (rest can be donated to the poor) and store them in some net cloth bag or box.
- Fold and categorize the laundry right after it's done.
- Office drawers must be assigned roles to store stationary, documents, or personal items separately. Keep the desk clean and clutter-free.
Effort must be taken to maintain these changes once they have been made. Establishing the habit to keep things where they belong is all that you need to develop and the rest will naturally fall in place.
