So often, we don’t appreciate our space while we are living in it, and it’s not until we “make it look like someone else’s house so we can sell it” that we really sit back and experience a fondness for our space and the memories it holds.

I really liked this articile I found from our friend Kate here in town, and thought I’d share it so that maybe you can feel a little inspired to enjoy your space while it’s still yours, and make the most of it.  You don’t have to move to declutter and there’s nothing wrong with loving your space and making it work for you.

 

The Kate Broddick Team

When selling your home you want buyers to feel that there is plenty of space for all their furniture and belongings. Nothing is worse than home buyers viewing a cramped room with so much stuff in it that its intimidating.

Even if you’re not selling your home, you can start by decluttering a room at a time to make it feel refreshing and have more space. Don’t let the idea of decluttering your whole house intimidate you. You can easily just start small by going room by room.

By following these tips, you can make rooms feel larger, cleaner and more welcoming to buyers, or even everyday guests visiting your home.

USE THE FIVE BUCKETS

Where do you begin decluttering? Start by creating 5 buckets, or areas that you can sort items into:

  1. Things to Put Away
  2. Things to RepairMessy bedroom example
  3. Things to Sell
  4. Things to Donate or Give Away
  5. Things to Trash or Recycle

1. THINGS TO PUT AWAY

When you first step into a room, you may find items that don’t belong there or don’t need to be there anymore.

Imagine a coffee cup on your night table, or a sweatshirt draped over the back of the couch. These items are things you want to keep, but they just need to be put away into their proper place.

It’s always best to start out by placing all these items into your put-away bucket until you can find an appropriate place for them later.

2. THINGS TO REPAIR

This bucket will be filled with items that you want to keep but may need some mending or repair.

Do you have a lamp with a burnt out lightbulb, or a blouse with a missing button? Simply put items like this on your repair list and move on.

This bucket of repairs could take time to get through but doesn’t need to be done all at once. With every item you fix and put away, there will be a weight lifted off your shoulders. In the end you’ll appreciate having much more room.

3. THINGS TO SELL

Messy bedroom exampleSometimes you will find items you no longer want, but they’re worth money and more than just being thrown in the trash.

If you’re industrious, you could post these items on Kijiji or on your local Facebook buy and sell group. You may even want to host an entire garage sale if you have enough to sell.

Pro tip: set reasonable prices. You’re not going to make a fortune from selling used goods but getting something in return for valuable items is better than getting nothing.

4. THINGS TO DONATE OR GIVE AWAY

Another way to give your house more space is by donating unwanted items. It’s as easy as finding unwanted items in your home and dropping them off a donation centre. You can also inquire to find out if anyone wants your old household items.

When donating it feels great knowing that your stuff is going to people that will appreciate it, especially in their time of need.

Organize your bags and boxes, and set a time when you can drop them off to the donation centre or friend. Make sure to follow through on your plans so they don’t stay in the trunk of your car for months!

5. THINGS TO TRASH OR RECYCLE

Gathering up things you’d rather dispose of instead of keeping is another great decluttering project. If you go around your house, you’ll probably find a few bags worth of things you can throw out.

If you’re worried about some items ending up in a landfill, simply take it apart and recycle certain components. It’s important to be conscious of the amount of trash you’re disposing of, and to be sure there’s no other place that could use these items first.

Check out Kate’s page & full article here.