Tips on having a clutter free home

It’s hard to maintain a clutter free home especially if you have kids who like to play and roam around the house.  I know a cluttered house can add to the stress of every day activities, so here are some tips that I have read on magazines, searched online and several tips from friends on how to de-clutter your house.

Disclaimer: I am not saying that my house is clutter free but I am trying my best to also follow these tips.

1. Simplify your life– and start by donating old items like clothes, toys and books to others who need it the most.  Before we transferred to our new place, I gave out lots of items that we don’t use anymore like an old sofa set, some cabinets and outgrown toys.  I also sold some new items that we haven’t used.  With our small house, my husband and I agreed that we can’t bring every thing that we have from our old house, and I was glad we did it since we also made some people happy.
   

   photo via: www.tahirih.org

2. Treat Storage as your best friend–  If you have a small space like ours, you need to maximize it by having lots of storage cabinets or utility boxes.  You can check out Divisoria for cheap storage boxes or if you don’t have time to shop personally, you can order storage or utility boxes at Lazada.  They have a wide range of storages that will surely fits your house theme and design like this one from ACI Jute Utility box
3. Recycle used items and buy less– My brother-in-law is so good in recycling and making things functional.  He was able to make a lantern out of a used PVC pipe.  You just need to be creative and search online for ideas. By doing this you can save more from not buying new things that in time will just add up to your clutter if you find them outdated.
4. Label, label and label–  this is not only for kids but also for adults who always forget where they place things (hmmmm… I think this is me hahaha).
5. Ask for help– If you have kids that are old enough to understand, ask them to help you clean and sort things.  Give them their own boxes so that they know where to put their stuffs when they are done using it. ( Check out my article on how my son segregates his toys)
   

I let my son be a kid by letting him play with his things (I even encouraged it), but also since he is matured enough to understand that he should be the one to clean his mess, he doesn’t argue when I asked him to packed away his toys when he’s done playing.

Every time when we arrived from school, he knows where to put his used clothes and his other stuff.  My duty is just to remind him when he forgets it. It is advisable to make your home a child-friendly home.

I hope these tips help 🙂