Clutter, if left unchecked, can completely take over your life. If you have piles of things technically organised but still out in the open, then your home design cannot shine through. The only thing you see is your belongings. While technically, yes, home décor is just belongings, the difference is intention. If you don’t want items out in the open and wish you had a place to put them, then you may need to reclaim your space from clutter.
Decluttering can do a lot to help, but it can only go so far. You shouldn’t have to live a utilitarian lifestyle just to adhere to minimalism, either. Instead, you’ll want to use these tips to maximise your home’s space so you can breathe easily.
Add Storage
There are many different areas in the home where you can and should add storage, including:
· Your Loft
Your loft, unless it’s already finished as a spare room, is a prime location for long-term storage like Christmas decorations or off-season clothes storage. To safely store your items, of course, you’re going to need a few things. The first is easy access. Take Concertina loft ladders. Adding one to your home is a great way to keep the access point out of sight but still perfectly accessible when you need it. From there, you’ll want to add further insulation to your loft and then finish it by adding drywall so that you have a safe and stable spot to put your items during storage.
· Your Closest
Closets are meant for storage, but unless they have a custom shelving solution, there will still be a huge amount of wasted space inside of them. Have shelves and rails put in so that you can easily store items neatly, all while taking advantage of all the vertical space in your home.
· Awkward Nooks and Corners
You can have custom storage units added to any corner of your home and even designed so that they sit flush against your walls for a seamless look. This is a great way to add essential storage to your space without taking away from your liveable space. Look to those awkward corners in your home that you can’t really do anything with, under the stairs, and even in your cupboards for opportunities.
Declutter
Before you go and start shoving everything you own into these newly acquired spaces, it’s important to first declutter. Decluttering can help massively when it comes to understanding what you have and removing the useless, unwanted items from your life for good. You can sell those pieces you think are worth something, just not to you, and then recycle or responsibly get rid of the rest.
The reason why you’ll want to declutter as you relocate your belongings is simple – you’re already moving things from point A to point B. This means you’ll be touching everything, looking at everything, and, if you’re organised, going through everything to sort it. Use that time to get rid of what you can so that only the things you want remain.