10 Decluttering Tips Each Under $20
Upon walking into a rental property, the closets and cabinets can seem adequate, yet once you're in, space fills up. Clutter makes an impact in more ways than one. According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter could cut housework by up to 40 percent.
You also reduce the risk of losing things like keys, cell phones and paperwork when you declutter. In fact, most people lose up to nine items per day, almost 200,000 in a lifetime. Think how much time you can save knowing that everything has a proper place.
Decluttering at home can make life easier. “Reducing general clutter can be liberating and bring a breath of fresh air wafting through your living space," according to The American Cleaning Institute.
Purchasing all the bins and organizational accessories adds up, but you don't have to go the pricey route to get results. These specific solutions can help you with decluttering for less than $20 a piece.
1. Paper piles in a home office
Photo credit: ElephantShoe
It's easy to accumulate paper in your home office. From incoming mail to work documents to permission slips for the kids, losing something important in a paper pile is a big possibility.
Eliminate the piles by hanging clipboards on the wall. With a simple nail, you can organize your paperwork and keep it front and center. You can even make them a decorative element in your office by painting the backs or wrapping them.
2. Too many toys in the playroom
Photo credit: Vanilla Joy
If you have a playroom in your home, chances are there will always be too many toys in it. Keeping them off the floor is a challenge. Consider a few alternatives to costly bins for some key items found in the playroom.
Crayons, for example, fit in a travel soap container for storage with a lid. With the help from a little velcro, stuffed animals can find a spot on the wall, not pile up on the floor. Attach a small piece of velcro to lightweight stuffed animals. Run the other side of the velcro strip along the wall. Then, stick and go.
3. Cluttered bathroom counters
Photo credit: One Crazy House
Hair dryers, curling irons and straighteners all make your hair look great, but they take up valuable real estate on bathroom counters. Throwing them all in a drawer means tangled cords and lost storage.
Add some stick-on, plastic hooks to the inside of under-sink cabinet doors to store these. Easy to remove when the time comes, these are strong enough to hold your hair appliances.
4. A lot of cleaning bottles under the kitchen sink
Photo credit: Elbow Room
There's often no way to have fewer cleaning products. You need the glass cleaner, stove degreaser, all-purpose spray and something for the granite and stainless. The amount of spray bottles adds up and can create a lot of clutter under the kitchen sink.
A simple, tension shower rod can help not only get these items off the ground, but make them more visible. Hang them by the spray handle along a tension rod, spread near the top of your cabinet. This adds visibility while keeping things organized.
5. No visibility in the pantry
Photo credit: The Krazy Coupon Lady
Pantries often fill up fast. This pushes items we want to the back and hides smaller items. We then waste time digging around for a specific snack or tonight's dinner ingredients.
Using a magazine file holder as an inexpensive desk accessory streamlines storage for canned goods and food-saving wraps. Lay cans on their side, stacked up in the file holder to conserve space and prevent them from rolling away. Put foil, plastic wrap and wax paper upright in one to declutter the pantry on a budget.
6. Overstuffed drawers
Photo credit: The Krazy Coupon Lady
When it comes to the smaller items in the bedroom, drawers can get so full stuff starts poking out the top. Create a customized set of drawer dividers using the cardboard you most likely already have from delivered packages.
Cut to fit the drawer and to break it up into the number of compartments you need. This works great for things like socks, underwear and bras.
7. Desk accessories overtaking the space
Photo credit: Creativity Hero
Staying on the topic of cardboard, a few used toilet paper or paper towel rolls can do a lot to declutter your desk. Cut them to different heights to store all the small items on your desk. Pens, pencils, scissors and even tape can fit into the holders, all contained in a single spot.
Add a little flair to your new storage container by painting the cardboard before assembly. You'll trick everyone into thinking your newest desk accessory was store-bought.
8. Keys getting lost in the shuffle
Photo credit: Hative
Keys tossed on the counter can get lost, and their disappearance can cause a lot of frantic searching. Avoid the issue by designating a special and decorative spot for them on the wall.
Using an inexpensive picture frame, pop out the glass. Paint the back of the frame or wrap it in fabric. Attach key hooks with extra-strong glue, or screw into the frame itself, and mount by the door you leave from every day. Hang your keys when you walk in and grab them on the way out without worrying about them disappearing.
9. Small closet items taking up valuable real estate
Photo credit: Good Housekeeping
Closet space is most often at a premium and goes fast. A single pack of shower hooks, hung in your closet, can become a great decluttering tool.
You can hang belts that are filling up shelves. Thread scarves through the hooks to free up space and make them easier to see. You can even use this method to hang tank tops and open up some drawer space.
10. All the little things that disappear
Photo credit: One Creative Housewife
Many inexpensive solutions can help contain all the little things that often disappear around the house.
- A small craft box can double as storage for hair accessories.
- An ice cube tray keeps earrings and rings from wandering away.
- A hanging shoe organizer does wonders holding onto makeup.
Declutter on a budget
Keeping your home organized is about strategy. Often an inexpensive solution can do the same job as fancy organizational systems. All you have to do is think a little outside the box.
Look for areas of your home you thought were unusable for storage and brainstorm how to remedy that. Keep things compartmentalized and easy-to-see and you'll have a decluttered home in no time.
