Ways to De-clutter Your Home When You First Move In
I recently moved into my new home. I found the first few days after the move easier to deal with. I would regularly devote around 12 hours each day to unpacking boxes, putting things away and then starting the whole process all over again the next day. My goal was to unpack everything and have the house all set up in next to no time. But it has not turned out this way, at least, not as quickly as I would have liked. Moving can be very stressful and time consuming. It is frustrating too when you just want your house to look tidy.
One way to motivate yourself to unpack and help remove the clutter before it starts to pile up is to set smaller goals. Slaving away for 12 hours a day did not really work for me. It just resulted in complete burnout and put me off the idea completely for a while. Try to break down the tasks you want to get done by working in one room at a time. It is very tempting to try and clear two or three rooms at once and then find that hardly anything has shifted! I have done this. The kitchen is a really important starting point, as you will probably be using that more often than some other rooms. So unpack all of your kitchen items and do not store a lot of items on the counter tops. Start as you mean to go on by putting items away neatly and in a position that is convenient. For items that are used most often such as pots and pans, keep them in a cupboard that is closer to where you will be cooking. The kitchen is definitely the most important room in the house to tidy up first. You will be glad you did. Having to climb over boxes and clutter when it is time to cook and dish up is not only very uninspiring, but it is a huge danger hazard too. Remember that a tidy kitchen is a safe kitchen.
Another room that will need to be cleared is your bedroom. It does not have to be perfect, but make sure that you have all your clothes neatly hung up, or stowed in drawers and that your necessary items are within easy reach. Place furniture in strategic positions that allows for some room to move around and try to not block entrances. Try to make your bedroom a haven as quickly as possible, a room where you can retreat from the boxes and clutter each night.
If you have multiple bathrooms in your home there is no need to clear each one straightaway. Focus your attention more on tidying the master bathroom and again, unpack all of your bathroom items. Have a good supply of towels, toilet paper and other items that you will need in an easy to reach location. There is nothing more frustrating than having to dig around in boxes for towels when the single one you set out is in the wash. So keep these items in your bathroom or in cupboards or drawers nearby where you can easily access them.
The main living room is also a room that will need to be de-cluttered. Arrange your furniture to where you want it and try to find a home for Dvd’s, Cd’s, and other such things quickly. Entertainment units are great for storing such items. Make good use of these units and try to keep the floor clear of clutter, which is another danger hazard that can so easily be avoided.
Moving gives you the opportunity to assess what possessions you actually have and what you no longer need. I used this opportunity to go through all the boxes. I wondered why I had kept certain things. I would easily fill the bins with household as well as recyclable waste after just a day or so. If you have a large enough garage, try to use that for temporary storage of items that you will be disposing of. It will free up a lot more space within your house and give you the freedom to go through it at your leisure. You will soon be able to gradually get rid of things. It is great to see the pile go down each week!
Have you considered having a yard sale? Gather together old books, toys, clothes, jigsaw puzzles and other things you no longer want and have some fun trying to sell your things. Sometimes you really need to be ruthless. I found it hard to go through my things and decide what to sell, but I am glad I did. A good rule of thumb is to look at how often you have worn or used a certain item in the last six to twelve months. If it normally stays packed away and hardly sees the light of day, why keep it? Someone else may be able to use it and you will end up making some extra cash. You can also donate things to charity or take along a few bags of clothes to a consignment shop. You may make some money on your clothes if they are in good condition.
Make sure that you do not suffer from burnout. Take breaks from unpacking and make sure you still eat and carry on with your usual routine. It is easy to forget when we are busy trying to tidy up our homes. It takes quite some time to tidy up a new home. Do not let it get you down too much. Do what you can and enlist the help of other family members or friends and you will soon start to see a difference. You can realize your goal of living in a neat, de-cluttered home. Just be patient and you will get there before long.
