Don’t bring the clutter of 2020 into your fabulous new year! 2020 was …what it was. However, 2021 presents the opportunity for you to get your groove back, and that starts with digging out from under the past year’s clutter.

Homeschooling chaos, working from home, working out at home, and cooking more meals at home can definitely eat add to the clutter in your home! Thankfully, there are some effective and easy ways to streamline the stuff and tame the clutter beast!

Here are some clutter busting ideas to help you get started:

Plan to Succeed!

clutter

Before you start trying to declutter your space, take some to declutter your schedule. You might find that one actually greatly influences the other.

While many Canadians use a phone calendar to schedule appointments and activities, maintaining a written, paper-based planner can be better for those of us who may find that out of sight out of mind can sometimes sabotage digital planning. Physically writing things down can often cement the information in our minds better than digital.
Add Ultratabs to your planner to keep sections organized and to call out important dates!

Curb Paper Clutter

clutter

Cut down on paper clutter by creating a designated landing space with labeled in/out trays or folders. Assign trays for mail, any papers the kids may have from school, and miscellaneous. Collect papers from the trays each evening to sort, then file or shred the contents.
If you have paper that need to be easily accessible, try adding them to a household management binder. Divide this grab and go binder into essential categories like warranty info, repair service and contractor contact information, useful coupons, and more. Whatever your household deems essential.

Unify Pantry Storage

clutter

Nothing amps up the clutter quotient in your pantry like half opened boxes and bags of cereal, pasta, crackers, granola bars, and so much more!
Take control of pantry clutter by replacing store packaging with reusable canisters, baskets, or kitchen bins. Not only do these reusable containers look better, they also stack better and keep the contents fresh for a longer period of time.

Complete the look of your new pantry storage system by adding labels. They will allow you to identity each item at a glance, and give your new storage system an attractive, unified look.

Pack it up and put it away

clutter

The weeks after holidays are understandably chaotic, as far as decluttering and tidying up are concerned. There are decorations to put away, new toys and clothes to store, along with the extra boost of tidying motivation that seems to come with the start of a new year.

A good way to make space in closets, cubbies, drawers and other storage areas, is by storing off-season items in labelled bins. Sort and pack clothes, toys, decorations, keepsakes and other items, then add large labels to the front and sides of each bin. By labelling bins on multiple side, you ensure that the label will be easy to see no matter how the bin is stacked or stored.

Ready to get this year off to a fresh start? Let’s get crackin’! Whether you choose to do one tip or work through all of them, just stick with it and you’ll find your efforts will make a difference in your overall organization.