The first thing you need to do is get rid of the junk that is cluttering not only your home, but your life. I once read that clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.
Now is the time to go through each of your rooms and get rid of the items you no longer want or need. Give it to charity, pass on to friends and family, or sell to a local consignment shop. Once you get rid of the “stuff” junking up your life and taking up space, you will be amazed at how much better every room in your home will look.
Let’s start with the room that probably needs the most clutter control.
Kids Rooms (above)
1. When you give kids fun and colorful storage containers with images they love – chances are higher that they may enjoy keeping their things tidy without you always having to pick up after them. If it doesn’t work, at least the attempt looks nice and coordinates with the decor in their room. BARNSLIG-RINGDANS Box
2. Have a bin, basket, or container to hold one type of item or toy – dolls, trucks, books, Legos, etc. This helps keep the variety of items under control and easy to find. TROFAST Storage Combination
3. + 5. Find double duty furniture. There are beds, tables and more that have ample space hidden within to instantly eliminate clutter. This is especially useful in kids rooms where you can just pop the toys into a trunk or bench that doubles as a seat or table. HEMNES Storage Bench and STUVA Storage Bench Combination/Bench
4. Use baskets and bins to corral like items together. You can find them in any size, shape and/or color to coordinate with your decor and function. The ones that stack save on space, too. GLIS Box w/ lids
Family Room
1. Sometimes no matter how hard you try to get and stay organized your attempts fail. When this happens – just place a decorative screen in front of your stuff to hide it. RISÖR Room Divider
2. 3. 4. 5, and 6. Wall units are the best way to use vertical space and store many items neatly. There are many options to choose from- completely open, hidden, or a mix of opened and closed storage sections. Choose the best type for your needs. (2) BESTÅ Storage, (3) EXPEDIT Bookcase, (4) KASSETT CD/Magazine Boxes, (5) EFFEKTIV Storage (6) BESTÅ Storage Combination
Kitchen
1.Goodbye junk drawers…Hello easy to find what you are looking for. Look for a variety of organizers in different shapes and sizes to use every inch of space in the most efficient way. Group like items together and place the most used items in easy to reach locations. RATIONELL Drawer Organization
Home Office
1. Instead of keeping files and magazines out in the open, put them in pretty storage containers so they add to the decor and don’t become an eyesore. LINGO Storage Boxes
2. Baskets are the best way to hide the clutter in shelving units, plus they add a decorative punch to your decor. KNIPSA, NÄSUM Baskets PRÄNT Box w/Lid
3. Store like items together and label the boxes so items can be easily found and put back. KASSETT CD/Magazine boxes and RÖJA Label Holders
4. Line a desk drawer with small boxes so they fit neatly together. Place the lids upside down and make use of them also to hold paper clips, tacks, rubber bands and smaller items. VAMMEN Box Set w/Lids
5. Designate a spot in your office or kitchen for a command center. This is a place that the entire family can put and find things that are important – invitations, announcements, calendar, phone numbers, etc. LUNS Writing/Magnetic Board
Closet
1. If you have small closets create your own with a free standing unit that you can build on for your needs. PAX LYNGDAL
2. Make the best use of your closet space by adding hanging organizers from the closet rod. They act as instant shelves and can be moved where you need them. Store folded sweaters and jeans in them. MÄLLA and JÄLL Organizers
3. Use every square inch of your space to store infrequently used items. Storage boxes come in all sizes and shapes for storing items on a high shelf or under the bed. MÄLLA Box w/Lid and TRONDHEIM Under Bed Storage Box
4. Make storage fun by using colorful boxes that will add to your decor. LINGO Storage Boxes
5. Maximize vertical space by adding hooks where you can. This will get things off the floor and create more space. BLECKA Package of hooks
Basement or Garage
1. The basement and garage are two places where clutter seems to stagnant. Get it under control by lining the wall with heavy duty shelving units. Organize them by using a variety of bins and containers to hold all of your stuff. Label each container so you know at a glimpse what is inside. GORM Shelving
2. Large stack-able plastic storage containers that will hold up to hot and cold temps are best for your basement and garage. SAMLA Box with LID
3. You can successfully get your home in order if you can’t move things from one place to another and even to the curb without assistance. Having a cart or hand-truck to hoist heavy boxes so you can move them easily will come in very handy. It can be easily stored when not in use. FRAKTA Cart
4. Use labeled storage boxes for all the smaller items and then neatly stack them on the shelves. SKUBB Box Set
In order to stay true to your resolution to have a more organized 2012, promise yourself that once you have your storage solutions in place you will actually use them. Be consistent and do a little bit of cleaning out every day to stay organized until it becomes a habit. This way next year you won’t be making the same resolution.
