Do you have a little bit too much stuff around the house? Regardless of how much stuff we have, we can all benefit from getting rid of clutter and excess things we don’t need any more, or things we haven’t even seen in awhile. It’s more than just messy, it affects your health! According to Psychology Today, people tend to feel like life is out of control when they surround themselves with more things than they can manage. The mess causes stress- which is NOT part of the Southwest Florida lifestyle you moved here to enjoy. If you’re finding yourself a little overwhelmed with how much you have laying around, it’s time to get started:
#1 Rid Yourself of Unused Items- One Room at a Time
The rule of thumb from professional organizers is that if you have not worn it or used it in a year, you need to get rid of it. Stop holding on to formal wear you think you may wear again or snorkeling equipment you swore you would use once you moved to Florida. If it hasn’t been touched in a year, it’s just taking up space. This may sound like a lot to handle, which is why it is recommended to do it one room at a time. In between rooms, you can take a break and enjoy your accomplishment.
#2 Use a Three Box System
If you’re following rule #1, you already know what to keep- but what should you do with what you don’t keep? As you go through the rooms and spaces in your house, you will need a system for sorting the items you find. The most popular method is to have three boxes: Keep, Trash, and Donate. Some items, like the formal wear mentioned above, are perfect to donate and help others who are less fortunate. Of course, some of the junk taking up space in your home is exactly that- junk! This can be paper products, half-melted candles, old flip flops, and more.
#3 Add More Storage Space
Now that you know what you are going to keep and everything else is removed, you shouldn’t just put it back where it was. That’s how you got a cluttered home in the first place! A big part of having a decluttered home is having a place for everything, and that may mean bringing in a professional contractor to install custom cabinetry. Custom cabinets are helpful for more rooms beyond the kitchen. Imagine how clean your master bath, home office space, laundry room, or pool bath would be if everything were able to be put away!
#4 Redesign the Space You Have Now
For many of us, the biggest offender of our clutter is our closet. You may find that even 
after you rid yourself of clothes you no longer wear, you still have too much for your closet. That is because many of the homes in Naples, Bonita, and Fort Myers Beach were built decades ago, before homeowners enjoyed the spacious walk-in closest we have come to expect now. You don’t have to be stuck with a small closet (and your mess!) though. Your closet can be redesigned and renovated with your exact wants and needs in mind. Intelligent storage solutions will make use of all the space available, so your closet can be at its best.
Many people enjoy decluttering because it relieves stress by providing a sense of control and accomplishment. For others, getting rid of the junk frees up a little extra space in the house that wasn’t there before. If you’re in the processes of decluttering your rooms and you see the need for adding more storage space or redesigning your current space to make it more practical, that’s where Beattie Development can help. We are the top remodeling team in the Southwest Florida area to handle these projects. We specialize in custom cabinets and other remodeling projects just like yours. Click the button below to contact us to get started.
