7 Items That Could Be Making Your Home Feel Cluttered
Create more space by dealing with these common clutter culprits
If you feel as if no amount of tidying would reduce the mess in your home, it might be time to look into the causes of the clutter. Read on to discover some common things that can make your home feel untidy and disorganised, and find out how to clear them.
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
This article is from our Most Popular stories file
The ‘just-in-case’ items
It feels good to be super-organised by stocking up on household essentials. But if you have nowhere to put that six months’ supply of kitchen towels or those 20 tins of soup, the time you save will be wasted on dealing with a pile of clutter.
Before you shop ahead for household goods, be realistic about how much storage you actually have for them. A system like this, with an allocated space for each group of items, might be more efficient, and it reveals at a glance what needs replenishing.
Get some expert help by finding a home storage designer or organiser near you.
It feels good to be super-organised by stocking up on household essentials. But if you have nowhere to put that six months’ supply of kitchen towels or those 20 tins of soup, the time you save will be wasted on dealing with a pile of clutter.
Before you shop ahead for household goods, be realistic about how much storage you actually have for them. A system like this, with an allocated space for each group of items, might be more efficient, and it reveals at a glance what needs replenishing.
Get some expert help by finding a home storage designer or organiser near you.
Duplicate objects
Is your linen cupboard jam-packed with towels and bed sheets? Do you have a kitchen drawer full of wooden spoons, scissors and rolling pins? You could probably reduce these items quite significantly.
You only really need two sets of bed linen for each bed, and two of each towel for every member of the household. And, let’s be honest, how many rolling pins does one home need?
Is your linen cupboard jam-packed with towels and bed sheets? Do you have a kitchen drawer full of wooden spoons, scissors and rolling pins? You could probably reduce these items quite significantly.
You only really need two sets of bed linen for each bed, and two of each towel for every member of the household. And, let’s be honest, how many rolling pins does one home need?
Rubbish ready for recycling
A lot of the clutter you think you need to store is probably rubbish. Take that pile of paperwork on the dining table, for example, or the collection of magazines slowly stacking up. If you go through these clutter heaps, chances are a lot of the items could be recycled.
Be ruthless with your magazine pile, and keep only those items you’re going to read – then put them in a convenient spot next to an armchair, like the owners of this home have done.
Once you’ve cleared your paper products, look for other throwaway items around the home, such as damaged shoes and handbags, stained or ripped clothing, and broken or discarded toys.
A lot of the clutter you think you need to store is probably rubbish. Take that pile of paperwork on the dining table, for example, or the collection of magazines slowly stacking up. If you go through these clutter heaps, chances are a lot of the items could be recycled.
Be ruthless with your magazine pile, and keep only those items you’re going to read – then put them in a convenient spot next to an armchair, like the owners of this home have done.
Once you’ve cleared your paper products, look for other throwaway items around the home, such as damaged shoes and handbags, stained or ripped clothing, and broken or discarded toys.
Stuff without a home
That untidy mess cluttering up your home might not be clutter at all. Perhaps it’s a collection of useful, essential items that don’t have a home.
The answer? Do an audit of all the things you need to keep, and devise dedicated spots for them. This might involve a rejig of existing storage – for example, a particular cabinet could be better used for different items.
It could also mean you need to buy more storage furniture, or hire a joiner to create some bespoke units that cater to your household’s needs.
That untidy mess cluttering up your home might not be clutter at all. Perhaps it’s a collection of useful, essential items that don’t have a home.
The answer? Do an audit of all the things you need to keep, and devise dedicated spots for them. This might involve a rejig of existing storage – for example, a particular cabinet could be better used for different items.
It could also mean you need to buy more storage furniture, or hire a joiner to create some bespoke units that cater to your household’s needs.
Nostalgic mementoes
Some people ruthlessly declutter once or twice a year and have no qualms about parting with objects, while others are much more sentimental about the things they own. If you’re the latter, it can be hard to offload old items, even if they’re cluttering up your home.
Set aside some time to go through these mementoes and see if there are any ornaments or trinkets you can donate to someone else. Consider keeping just one item from a collection, and set yourself a realistic limit – for example, allocate just one basket or box for sentimental objects.
Think about how you can display items, too. Here, the designers have used a collection of bowling skittles as a design feature above the cabinet.
Some people ruthlessly declutter once or twice a year and have no qualms about parting with objects, while others are much more sentimental about the things they own. If you’re the latter, it can be hard to offload old items, even if they’re cluttering up your home.
Set aside some time to go through these mementoes and see if there are any ornaments or trinkets you can donate to someone else. Consider keeping just one item from a collection, and set yourself a realistic limit – for example, allocate just one basket or box for sentimental objects.
Think about how you can display items, too. Here, the designers have used a collection of bowling skittles as a design feature above the cabinet.
Those ‘one-day’ purchases
We all have a few things we’re convinced we’ll use in the future – as soon as we have more time. Perhaps you bought a musical instrument with a plan to take lessons, or invested in sports gear to meet your goal to get fit.
If you know you’re never going to fulfil these plans, it might be time to get rid of the item you’d purchased. Not only is it cluttering up your home, it might also be making you feel guilty. Alternatively, create some storage for it and resolve to start using it within the next couple of weeks.
Tell us…
What’s cluttering up your home? Share your thoughts – and any tips for clearing clutter – in the Comments section.
We all have a few things we’re convinced we’ll use in the future – as soon as we have more time. Perhaps you bought a musical instrument with a plan to take lessons, or invested in sports gear to meet your goal to get fit.
If you know you’re never going to fulfil these plans, it might be time to get rid of the item you’d purchased. Not only is it cluttering up your home, it might also be making you feel guilty. Alternatively, create some storage for it and resolve to start using it within the next couple of weeks.
Tell us…
What’s cluttering up your home? Share your thoughts – and any tips for clearing clutter – in the Comments section.
Wondering why your bathroom doesn’t look as neat as this one? It could be due to the pile of bargain jars and free tubes you’ve gathered over time.
As tempting as it is to pick up that ‘buy-one-get-one-free’ item at the supermarket, or to hold on to the free gift you were given at the make-up counter, it’s worth asking yourself whether you’re actually going to use it?
If a collection of unused freebies and bargains is taking up space in your home, gather them together and pass them on to someone who might need them.