Your home isn’t small - it’s simply a little cluttered.
Okay, maybe you’re playing it off too much - very cluttered.
And with our ever shrinking HDBs, things can pile up pretty fast – and scarily so.
If you’re a closet hoarder who doesn’t want to be cramped up and suffocated by their own house (that would be a first) – keep these simple tricks and habits in mind everyday. Best part? You won’t need to be Marie-Kondo to pull it off.
1. Spend 20 Minutes A Day - Just For Tidying Up
As we all know, nothing’s going to come out of telling yourself to ‘get rid of things’.
But as long as there’s new stuff, there will be no end to decluttering. All that can sound daunting and put you off the hassle altogether. So, break it into doable, 20 minute sessions every day – solely for tidying up. You’d be surprised at how this little bit of effort goes a long way in managing your items.
2. Pick up Each Item and Ask These 2 Questions
Interior Designer: 82
An undecided mind is every hoarder’s downfall. When it comes to purging, it’s all about being decisive – and quick.
Start by focusing on a particular area. Then, pick up each item and ask yourself, ‘Does this item make me happy?’. If you’re still unsure, ask yourself the next question, ‘Does it benefit or help me?’. Don’t ponder about it too much; if the answer is no in that split second, in to the recycling/donation basket it goes. Besides, picking up each item also makes you mindful of how many things you actually have.
3. Sort and Categorise
Especially for smaller items like food, plates, clothes and books, it’s hard to keep stock when they are spread all over the place. Gather them and sort them in categories – by type, colour or activity. This helps to bring focus to what your purging, and helps you identify any patterns or repeat items you have at home (like having way too many black tops).
Check Out: A Professional Organiser Tells Us The Best Way To Organise A Wardrobe
4. Give Yourself A Deadline To Sell/Throw Unwanted Items
Interior Designer: Weiken.com
Once you’ve collected a bag full of unwanted stuff, don’t leave it lying around! Doing so could cause you to forget about it, get complacent (or worse) change your mind. Get it out of sight (and mind) by giving yourself a deadline for recycling, donating or selling those items.
Here’s a list of resources to help you discard the right way:
For Donation:
- The Salvation Army
- Humanitarian Organisation of Migrant Economics (HOME)
- New2U Thrift Store
- Metta Welfare Organisation
- MINDS Shop
- Pass It On
- The Food Bank
Note: You can still donate soon-to-be expiring foodstuffs. So don't throw them away!
For Selling:
- General: Carousell, Gum Tree, Cash Converters
- Clothes: Refash, H&M
- Furniture: Second Charm, Hock Siong & Co
5. Keep Pesky Clutter Away With These Ingenious Storage Hacks
Having ample storage space goes a long way in keeping things neat at home! Check out some useful storage ideas to help you squeeze more into your tiny space.
Interior Designer: Lemonfridge Studios
- Dual-Purpose Furniture: Are all the rage these days. Ottoman seats and beds that open up to reveal storage space underneath, or coffee tables and sofas with built-in shelves for stowing your essentials.
Interior Designer: D5 Studio Image
Or a platform bed that maximizes your floor area and converts it into usable storage space.
Use every corner when it comes to built ins. For example that extra kitchen cabinet space? Convert it into a slide-out condiment drawer.
Interior Designer: Asolidplan
- Peg boards have it all. Stylish wall décor? Check. Ample knobs for you to hang your stuff? Check. Plus, you can even mount shelves for placing your books and knick knacks, making the feature a highly modular piece.
Interior Designer: Voila
- Last but not least – boxes and baskets. They don’t only help you sort your stuff, but keep them covered up from prying eyes.
6. Follow the Golden Rule of Tidying Up
Interior Designer: Authors Interior & Styling
‘If you don’t use it every day – keep it away’.
Instead of lining up countless gadgets, appliances or tools which only serve to clutter up your surfaces, zoom in on an area and store items which you don’t regularly use at least twice a week away. Voila, your space looks instantly tidied-up!
7. Remember to Return Things Back to Their Place
Interior Designer: 82
Sometimes, your home isn’t messy cause you have too much stuff. But rather, stuff is everywhere, pulled out from the confines of storage cabinets and laid out like an eyesore. Make it a point to return the stuff you’ve taken out back to where they came from. This habit will help reduce your tidying time, and lower the chances of you not finding your stuff.
8. Try the One In-One Out Rule
Interior Designer: D5 Studio
Think of your house as an SD card – there’s only so much space you can use. If you want to add in a new folder, then you’ll have to delete something to make way. Same concept. When you bring in something new, something old has to go (especially for stuff like your books, clothes or toys) so as to keep checks and balances on your home’s capacity.
9. Learn to Say ‘No’.
To freebies, flash sales, group buys. Sure, the ‘Kiasu’ in all of us might be screaming 'yes', but do we really need it? Whether it’s free or plain dirt cheap – learning to say ‘No’ and curbing your impulse buys means less items to organise – and more money saved in the bank.
Your home will never be messy again.
Whether it's incorporating ample storage space or going for a clean, uncluttered look, an interior designer knows how to make the most out of your tiny home. Request for free quotes here, and get matched with 5 interior designers, based on your budget and style.
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