Article Navigation
Recent Articles
- Use Online Tools to Help You Prepare for Your Move
- How is Apartment Living Unique?
- Think Big Ease and Efficiency for Your Upcoming Move
- What to Look For on an Apartment Community’s Facebook Page
- Think Big about Your Dream Apartment
- What Kind of Apartment Space Best Suits You?
- Take Steps to Stay Organized in Your Apartment
- What You Should Know about Renter’s Insurance
- Which Packing Details Will a Professional Mover Handle for You?
- What Is Your Perfect Apartment Pet?
How to Declutter Your Apartment
Apartment dwellers often battle for storage space, beating back an ever-growing deluge of belongings, paperwork and the accumulated detritus of daily life. It is possible to win the war, however, and maintain your clutter-free supremacy with a short daily skirmish. Read on for some tips and tricks on how to keep clutter from taking over your apartment.
Pick a room
Where to start is often the hardest part of any cleaning endeavor. If you are a brave-hearted soul, begin in the messiest room in the apartment. More timid persons may want to start in a smaller space, like a closet. Whatever your choice, be sure you are mentally prepared to be ruthless and have assembled the proper arsenal.
Decluttering equipment
The tools are simple. Arm yourself with garbage bags, empty boxes, magic markers and a dust rag. Now label each box with “donate”, “toss” and “keep” or whatever similar phrasing suits you.
Let the games begin
Your first step is getting rid of things that don’t belong in a given space. Put the ones you want in the “keep” box, and worry about where you will actually put it later.
Your criteria for deciding what to do with the remaining clutter is to ask the following questions: Do I love this? Have I used it in the last year? Do I have two? Am I sentimentally attached? Do I feel sad and guilty when I look at it? Then get rid of everything in the room that doesn’t make you feel positive in some way or that you just don’t need. Either pass it on to someone else who would enjoy it, or, if it can’t be used by another, toss it!
When your garbage box is full, take it outside to the bin and bring in another. Do the same for your donations, sealing each box and taking it to your car as you work. The goal is to get the stuff you don’t want anymore out of your place.
When the “keep” box gets full, pick it up and carry it with you around the apartment, putting each item in the proper room, if not yet the perfect storage place. Go back and keep at it, taking breaks or setting a timer over several days so you don’t burn out on the big jobs.
The daily drill
Flylady.net offers a detailed decluttering method that works for any size household. She advocates daily 15-minute sessions, focusing on cluttered hot spots that collect items, such as entranceways, countertops, desks or catch-all dresser drawers and baskets. For serious cases, also try going through your home daily with a garbage bag and throwing away 20 items, then doing the same process with a box for donations.
There are a number of online resources to help you curb the chaos of your worldly possessions. Use the tips above, or sign up for free emails that offer advice on how to organize your home, such as CreativeOrder.com, and you’ll be sure to stay on the straight, narrow and uncluttered path to happiness.
Leave a Reply
Most Popular
Congratulations on getting your new apartment! So now you need to find some stuff to put in it. But you don’t have to break the bank to get the apartment furniture you want. Thankfully, furniture is one area of recycling that has been around for ages, and you can create a look you’ll love with ...
When it comes to monthly expenses, there are some costs you don’t think can get lower, like a utility bill. But with some awareness, a bit of effort and a few phone calls, you might be surprised at how much you can knock down utility costs that once seemed set in stone. Shop for the ...
When looking for a new apartment, you’ll want to consider utility costs along with rent price. Some leases include full or partial utility coverage; others will require you to do the set up yourself. Ask the apartment manager for details about your utilities before you sign the lease and use these tips to help you ...
If apartment decorating doesn’t come naturally to you, don’t worry: you can still create great-looking apartment decor by modeling your interior after a popular decorating style. Here is an overview of common apartment decorating styles to use as a guide. Contemporary A modern or contemporary look has sleek lines, minimal frills and neutral colors with ...
If you’re losing sleep over how to arrange your bedroom furniture, follow these tips and rest easy. The bedroom is actually one of the easiest rooms in your apartment to arrange. All you need is a bed, a couple of nightstands and maybe a dresser. In just a few hours, you’ll have a bedroom that ...
When you’re considering renting an apartment, you’ll want to know what to expect from a prospective apartment community. That’s why asking the right questions of an apartment community manager is so important. Ask these questions during your apartment search to ensure that you have a clear picture of what it will be like to live in your ...
If you want to make sure you’re getting the best apartment for your money, you will need to focus on several details. Here are some important apartment features to consider when you are looking for your new apartment. Layout When checking out an apartment, don’t just look at the square footage in each individual room. ...
Like a home mortgage, monthly rent is a serious financial commitment. Before you get in over your head, know what you can afford. Follow these simple steps to calculate how much rent you can afford before you sign the lease. What’s coming in What you make each month will be the biggest factor in what ...
When it comes to monthly expenses, there are some costs you don’t think can get lower, like a utility bill. But with some awareness, a bit of effort and a few phone calls, you might be surprised at how much you can knock down utility costs that once seemed set in stone. Shop for the ...
Wondering how to find the best apartment for you? While the idea of the “best” apartment certainly varies from person to person, these tips should help you find the apartment that suits you to a “T.” Know thyself Before you can figure out how to find the best apartment, you’ve got to know yourself — your home ...
Readers Poll
Why are you moving?
- For financial reasons (32%, 17 Votes)
- For a change of scene (28%, 15 Votes)
- To start a new job (26%, 14 Votes)
- To join or follow a loved one (9%, 5 Votes)
- To live closer to family (5%, 2 Votes)
Total Voters: 53
Loading ...