It’s being a while since I have had a guest post on here but I am honored to welcome Olivia to the blog today. She offers some great decluttering tips that I am sure you would love. I intend to use these tips as I am constantly decluttering our home. Thanks Olivia and Welcome!
Hi! My name is Olivia and I’m the voice behind the blog Simply Liv, where I write about living simply and authentically with bits and pieces of my family’s day to day thrown in. I’m a young wife and mama to 18-month-old Evie with our second girl due any day!
Be sure to check out Olivia’s blog to find more inspiration about living simply!
I’m so excited to share a few of my tips to simplify your home with you today! Decluttering is something I love and goes perfectly with living a more simple and intentional life- unfortunately, I’m not that great at it naturally. Because of that, I’ve had to be very intentional with taking care of clutter around our house, or I know our “stuff” would just lie there and accumulate.
I’ve never really thought of myself as a minimalist, but since buying our first home a few months ago, I’m realizing how much I appreciate it when everything has a place, and how much I hate cramped, cluttered spaces. So, today I wanted to share a little bit of what I’ve learned with you!
The great thing about these tips, is that no matter what kind of home you have- tiny apartment, or spacious house, rented or owned- these tips can still apply to you!
1// Inventory: This can be a mental or physical step. Before any organizing can happen, you must first know what you already have. More often than not, we will find things hidden deep in closets that we forgot about completely.
2// Decide what you want to keep and what you should donate/toss/sell. Don’t let the things with just a little bit of sentimental value take up extra space in your home. Put things in storage if you absolutely can’t part with them. Decide what you need and get rid of the rest.
3// Give everything a home. Pens, paperclips, tubberware, extra blankets…all of the small things add up, so it’s important that they all have a designated spot. Even if that home is a junk drawer with some bins for sorting. If it doesn’t have a place, it will just sit in the middle of your home, creating an eyesore.
4// Utilize all of your space. This one can feel challenging, especially in a small home. Trust me, I’ve lived in some tiny spaces. But one of the biggest things I learned was how to take advantage of unused space and turn it into storage. That open space above your fridge? Use it to store bottles or vases or grab some wire bins and throw your fruit up there.
Installing open shelving can be a huge lifesaver as well. If you have even half of a wall, you can hang two or three shelves up in any room. It will be a game changer, I promise.
5// Remember that life is messy. In our quest for organization it’s easy to forget that there is no such thing as the perfect home. Give yourself grace daily and remember that organization won’t happen overnight!
Good luck, friends! And be sure to stop by my blog for more inspiration on simplifying your life.
Simply,
Liv
I’ve always tried to teach my kids (and husband!) that everything has a place and everything should be in it’s place. 🙂 These are all great tips. I can’t function properly when my house is cluttered.
Funny (and husband!) – I get it! It works so much better when they (and I) can help to put things back in their places.
Loved these tips! I’m preparing for a big move right now and I have decided that I’m going to live more minimally – everywhere from my style to the crap in my house! Definitely will be coming back here 🙂
♥ Lisa
Strum Simmer Sip
Hope your move goes well. It is a great idea to try to live minimally. Thanks for wanting to read my blog!
Congrats on buying your first home! Thanks for sharing all the great tips. Deciding to keep, sell or donate is the hardest for me. I seem to be a hoarder.
It is definitely difficult trying to figure out what to keep, sell, or donate. I have been there may times.
I”m all about getting rid of things I’ll never use again. It’s pointless to store them when I’m never going to use them.
I need to get into this habit of throwing thing I don’t use – a great way to declutter.
“I’m realizing how much I appreciate it when everything has a place, and how much I hate cramped, cluttered spaces.” YESSSS! This is my life’s motto, and I think I live by tip #3. Great set of tips for anyone to use!
I do love it when things have a place. I am working on that right now in our home:)