Here are a few final thoughts on simplifying:
- To declutter in the kitchen take all of your utensils, gadgets, and appliances and put them in a closed box. Go about your normal routine of cooking and meal preparation. If you need something from the box take it out and put it away near to the area where you will use it. Anything left in the box after a week or two may need to be given away.
- When you decide to keep an item think about the best place to store it. Don’t put it back where it was simply from habit.
- Remember some areas in your house are prime real estate and should be used for frequently used items only.
- Make a list of items to store in an area by priority. What must be stored here? What is up for debate?
- Gather all of your multiples together and evaluate if you need all of them and where they should be located. In my case I got rid of more than half of these wipe containers.
Here is a small cabinet of games for the children. This used to be packed, but I gave away a lot of the games so that the area would be easier for the children to keep clean.
Even though some of the games have just been tossed back in after use, the area remains tidy and everything still fits. I know that I’ve said this more than once, but if you have children I think it is key. Leave things a bit empty and it will be much easier for the children to maintain. It is better to have fewer things that your children can actually play with than many, many things that are scattered, cluttered or inaccessible.
Now it is your turn. Let’s see what you’ve accomplished. Feel free to include posts about decluttering, re-organizing or simply creating a space that is more usable. Please post the permalink to your decluttering post, not a link to your homepage and link back to me.
Other posts in this series:
- The WHY and WHAT of simplifying
- Simplifying with little ones
- Maximizing small space – Project: Master Bath
- The HOW of simplifying – Project: Art closet
- Project: Laundry area
- Encouragement in decluttering we all fail – Project: Master bedroom
- Simplifying tips for the kitchen and discretionary areas
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I did the kitchen decluttering idea you mentioned accidentally when we moved. I did not unpack my whole kitchen at one time instead I just took things out as I needed them. I was so excited to find that I had placed things in a much more convenient place. Plus I boxed up a ton of things that I did not use hardly at all and have lived without them fine. I really need to do our art closet but am still without ideas on how to organize it better. It is a small space and not a lot of shelves. I’ll keep watching all the decluttering posts for ideas. ;>)
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Sooooo…When are you going to do my room? huh huh? :p
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