subject: How to Reduce Home Clutter [print this page] How to Reduce Home Clutter How to Reduce Home Clutter
While some condos and apartments may be more spacious than others, living in a condo or an apartment always provides extra incentive to streamline your belongings to maximize your space. This means recognizing when you should let something go to reduce the amount of "clutter" in your home. To figure out what should stay and what should go, ask yourself the following questions. If you answer "no" to any of the below, it may be time to think about parting ways.
"Have I used this in the past year?"
If it collected an inch-thick layer of dust, if you never found the just-right occasion for those shoes, or if that lamp never even gets turned on, then in all likelihood it may not be worth the space you are losing by keeping around your condo. If something is not serving a functional purpose in your space on a regular basis, you very simply may not need it.
"Does this have sentimental value?"
You hold on to certain things because you have an emotional attachment to them. Take inventory of these things as they accumulate and evaluate if that nostalgic feeling still stands -- sometimes you might forget why you held on to it in the first place. If you still feel attached, maybe you held on to something that you can pass along to a loved one for them to enjoy.
"Would I be satisfied selling this for some extra cash?"
There is a huge market used items books, DVDs, clothes, bags, you name it and there's a strong chance someone will buy it. Sites like eBay and Amazon can facilitate sales electronically, so all you have to do is post it and ship it. If you can put a monetary value on something you own and you wouldn't mind exchanging it for some cash, then chances are you may not miss it when it's gone.
"Does this need to be on display for all to see?"
If all of your answers so far have consistently been yes, you may want to consider finding new storage solutions to create the illusion of less clutter. Target areas where things tend to pile up or where you can't even see what's underneath all that stuff. Look into additional cabinets or dressers, buy a basket to contain miscellaneous items, create a filing system, or look into renting out storage space outside of your home.
While it isn't always easy to let things go, the reinventing your space to create a neat, organized, spacious condo or apartment is priceless. When it comes to clutter, sometime's less can really give you more.
