Sometimes as a homeowner, it can feel like clutter appears out of nowhere — especially if there are children at home. While our homes don’t necessarily need to be in perfect shape every day, we all function best in a clean and clear environment; and that’s often easier to do when there’s less clutter. Today, let’s look at the things Des Moines homeowners can do to keep their homes clutter-free:

Give Things a Home

This is a great tip because it’s so simple (and so helpful!). I recommend homeowners start with their daily routines. Think about an average day. What are the things you’re using in your home? Where are you spending the most time? You could start from when you first walk in the door. Do you tend to start taking off your coat and shoes? Where do you drop your keys? When these things don’t have a specific home, it’s easy for them to land where they may and contribute to the clutter. When they do have a specific place though, (and become a part of your routine), those items won’t contribute to the general clutter.

Get Everyone to Contribute

Most people create some clutter in a home, some of us more than others. This means it can’t just be one person in the house trying to handle it all. That will create a never-ending cycle where you finish cleaning one area only to find another that has become disorganized while you were addressing the first. It needs to be a team effort. It’s especially important to get your kids on board, so they can contribute and build these habits for themselves. Help them give their belongings a home and help them feel good about tidying up their space.

Let Go of the Things You Don’t Need

De-cluttering doesn’t mean just removing it from view. Sure, it’s tempting to throw that stack of papers into the drawer or stuff a few more items into a kitchen cabinet, but these things are only going to make more clutter over time. If you sometimes find yourself hanging on to things you don’t use, take some time to consider if that’s contributing to clutter and how you might make some adjustments. By freeing up space and intentionally sorting our belongings (as opposed to just hiding them), we create a much better foundation for staying organized.

Create a Routine

As most of us know, clutter builds. At the beginning, it’s just a little paperwork on your desk and a few toys that weren’t put away. Then before you know it, it feels like you have hours of work ahead of you to get things back into shape. A routine can help prevent things from getting that far. A quick routine with your kids before dinner, for instance, or an end-of-the-workday desk clean are little things that can help you stay ahead
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If you’d like to talk more about any of these ideas, or if there’s something else we can be of assistance with, please reach out to us. We’re always happy to help