My mother is one of the most organized people I know. Clutter stresses her out, so she’s figured out some tricks of keeping a room or house clean. As a result, she’s started to help other people in desperate need of being told “this goes here, that goes there.” She started her own home staging business, called My Little Stuga, where she consults and coaches people on how to keep spaces clean and in order.
Here are some ideas of how to take your room from this:
to this:
in a couple of easy steps.
Tip #1: Keep your floor clutter-free.
“The floor is not supposed to be used as storage space!” my mother tells me. As soon as you put stuff on the floor it 1) makes it hard to clean, and 2) gives off a messy impression. Throw dirty laundry in the hamper right away, put books on shelves, and put shoes in a designated space, rather than tossing everything in a corner. If you pick up after yourself you will have less to clean; if you leave clutter on the floor, you’re more likely to dump other stuff on top of it, making a bigger mess.
Tip #2: Buy storage containers.
Things like plastic bins, closet organizers, baskets, and drawer organizers are lifesavers. It’s pretty self-explanatory as to why they are so helpful. But, that leads me to the next point…
Tip #3: Put away all seasonal items.
You will most likely not need your shorts during the months between October and March—fold them up nicely and tuck them into a plastic bin under your bed. Leaving your shorts, sandals, and summery dresses out in your drawers leave less room for all those sweaters you’re going to wear most of the year anyway. Do this with holiday decorations as well; take them out when you need them, put them back when you don’t—don’t leave your Halloween decorations chilling on your bedside table until Valentine’s Day.
Tip #4: Reuse what storage you have.
Moving into an apartment? Don’t get rid of that over-the-bed shelf you thought you needed freshman year because all the lists at Target said you had to get it. My roommates and I are reusing that shelf for our entryway as coatrack-thingymabobber. Bought a tension rod to hide the hot-mess of your closet freshman year in Towers? Reuse it with curtains (new, old, or handmade) to separate space. My roommates and I have blocked off a corner of our living room purely for storage; we keep boxes, storage containers, and suitcases out of the way until we need them. Last year, my roommates and I used a tension rod and curtains to block off the sink of the bathroom from the hallway. Get creative. Separation of spaces, if done correctly, gives the illusion of more space and less clutter.
Tip #5: Go through what you have while moving out and take note of what you have never used during the year.
You most likely dragged stuff to school with you that you thought you would need but you never actually took it out of its drawer. Ask yourself, how much of the things I have with me do I actually use? Talk to your roommate(s) about what he/she is bringing so you don’t buy or bring duplicates. You probably only need one apple slicer, and you probably do not need three toilet brushes.
Tip #6: Leave things at home.
My mother says, “Ask yourself: Do I actually need all these shoes?” You do not need forty Pitt t-shirts stuffed into your dresser—we all know you’re going to collect more throughout the year. Keep out the items you use on a regular basis (jeans, t-shirts, sweaters, shoes, etc.) and put away, or send back home, duplicates or what you don’t think you need. The fewer items within hand, the less you can throw around and make a mess out of.
Once you’ve got something organized, try your best to keep it that way. Find a set place for everything—you’ll notice if something is missing or if you’ve got too much of something that way. It may take some getting used to, but putting something back in its proper place gets easier as time goes on.