Goodbye clutter - 5 tips to avoid chaos

Tip # 1 Choose your battle!

There are usually several chaotic spots in your home: Bathroom, kitchen, living room, bedroom ... However, most importantly: Choose your battle! Start where the disorder bothers you the most and where you would like to improve the situation the most. If you focus on one particular area, you will avoid feeling overwhelmed. Once the chaos slowly subsides and that favorite spot in your home looks inviting again, you'll feel really good.

Tip # 2 The declutter date

Set a date aside in your schedule (2-3 hours) when you will wage battle with the clutter. Being able to declutter can be incredibly liberating. Make sure you stick to this date; it will improve to your well-being in your home and ultimately your life. A small bonus: If you want to avoid someone, you already have an excuse up your sleeve: "Not tonight, I’m afraid... I really have to clear my home and tidy up."

Tip # 3 Deciding: Keep, store or throw away?

This will probably be the hardest part of your declutter date: Deciding which of the thousands of things you have in your house to keep and what to throw away. But we promise you, even this step doesn't have to lead to teeth grinding and cold sweats. Because when you see the progress, and you remember what your home used to look like, and you recognize the beautiful parquet in the bedroom, and you can find your favorite item of clothing again... this part of the decluttering process will surely make your day! Here's how it works: Focus on a particular room in your home and divide your stuff into three parts: 1. 1. "I can't remember why I own that." – Get rid of it! 2. "I will love it forever" – Keep it! 3. "Not sure" - Store. That beloved dresser you inherited from Granny, which doesn't really suit your decor but with which you just cannot part, doesn't have to go to the second-hand shop. Putting your furniture into storage is a way to temporarily be separated from your belongings. Find out where to rent storage space nearby: All storage locations at a glance »

Tip # 4 Get friends or partners involved

When you find you cannot decide what items to keep and which to throw away, it is time to get a second opinion. Sometimes you need another pair of eyes to see the value or lack thereof of your belongings. So: Make a date with your boyfriend/girlfriend or your partner. You can provide the pizza and beer, and the two of you can spend valuable quality time sorting out your old Bravo Hits CDs, while reliving old memories.

Tip # 5 Tools needed!

As you slowly reduce the level of clutter in your home, you will have time to analyze the original problem and consider how clutter can be avoided in future. There are tools that can help you file and organize your clothes, books, records, etc. For example, there are drawer inserts and different kinds of storage boxes that, for example, lets you optimize the storage space in your closet. Another alternative is to find storage for your things outside your home. Need more space? For bulky items, such as your surfboard or snowboard, self-storage , external, private storage facilities, are the perfect solution. You can see it as your second basement where you can store all your things.

We wish you good luck!