All of the spaces in your home can play a significant role. When there is too much clutter throughout your house, though, its capacity to operate effectively is restricted. Looking for a tool in a messy garage or making space to iron in the laundry room can be incredibly difficult—and very unnecessarily! Unfortunately, you might not notice your growing clutter pile before it is too late. The dawn of the internet and online shopping can be one of the reasons why this continues to happen. It is so easy these days to buy stuff online, even those that you do not need the most. With just a few taps on your phone, you can have any item delivered right to your doorstep. While this convenience is not entirely a bad thing, it attracts all types of miscellaneous items and often leaves your home more cluttered than it would otherwise be.
DOES CLUTTER ACCUMULATE IN THESE AREAS OF YOUR HOME?
There are a few common spots in your home that can easily turn into a hotspot for clutter. Identifying them will help you be on the lookout if unwanted items begin to pile up. Want to know if you’re prone to clutter hotspots? Check out these four areas!
1. THE GARAGE
Garages are probably the most common place in a home for storing clutter. Ironically, since the garage is such a big area, clutter often accumulates. You need to remember a garage is intended to accommodate cars for parking. There are probably several items that you’ll never use again taking up valuable real estate in your garage. Choose to declutter this space as you don’t want tens of thousands of dollars worth of cars parked in driveways or on the street, where they are much more susceptible to theft and damage.
2. JUNK DRAWERS
Junk drawers exist for a reason. Unfortunately, they are very prone to accumulate clutter in no time. While it may not take a lot of real estate in your home, using it as a catchall for things you don’t know where to put will limit storage space. Usual culprits for turning it into clutter hotspots include grease-covered delivery and take-out menus, business cards, old collections, plastic cutlery, condiment packets, outdated cable cords, and more. Clear out space in your junk drawers by throwing those that you haven’t touched for years. Keep it down to a manageable number of items. Creating dividers and keeping on the items that you will only use the most will keep your drawers more organized.
3. KITCHEN CUPBOARDS
Kitchen cupboards tend to attract and keep a lot of clutter. It can be bombarded with expired condiments, appliances that you’ve used years ago, empty plastic containers, old canned goods, and even stale dry foods. You may also have a wide array of mugs, bowls, glasses, and dishes that have not seen the light of day for ages. To cut down the number of items in your kitchen cupboards, keep only those that you use over and over again. Hold on to your favorite items and get rid of things that you will not use in the next few years. To get rid of plastic containers, invest in microwave-safe glass food containers. Clear out your kitchen utensils by giving things to your friends or family members that will use it the most. You can also donate these items to those who are in need.
4. CLOSETS
Closets are the most chaotic storage spaces in most houses. Fast fashion culture and the need to have the next trendy thing can cause your wardrobe to fill up quickly until it’s bursting at the seams. Ironically, about 80% of your clothing is only worn 20% of the time. To keep your closets from becoming overstuffed, reduce their items at least once a year. Increase storage capacity in your wardrobes by designing a closet that works best for you. Closet organizing systems and accessories for additional usability can make it simpler to organize your clothing and other things kept in your closet space.
Recognizing the clutter hotspots in your home is a good starting stage toward clearing your house of the needless items that drag you down. Keeping your space clutter-free and organized can make your home a sanctuary from stressful days from work and other life activities. Want to make your home a more efficient space? Our professional home organizing consultants can help you get started on the clutter! Contact us today for an in-home consultation!