Happy Organize Your Home Day! This #ThrowbackThursday, let's get a head start on that spring cleaning. I'm pretty sure we're all holding on to some kind of clutter from the holidays, and it's high time to spend a few minutes each day to get organized for 2016. We've compiled our 7 favorite hacks so you can start today and tackle one each day - you'll have a much cleaner home in just 1 week!
Click through for 7 simple home organization tips that will help you cut the clutter and save money!
1. Digitize:
This one might seem obvious, given that we live in the age of the internet, but most people I know do still have a paper clutter problem due to relentless magazines, bills, invoices, and tax documents. Ditch unnecessary paper by scanning and filing documents online or on your computer for easy access from anywhere. Then set up all your accounts to stop sending paper bills and receipts so you don't have to keep sorting 'em. Even better, cancel all magazine and paper news subscriptions and sign up for digital editions! If you have instruction manuals or other files you want to keep handy, organize them into binders or folders and keep everything together in a file drawer.
2. Declutter:
Once you've sorted through your documents and created files for everything that can be digitized, it's time to get rid of all that paper and other clutter. Shred any important documents and recycle the rest; then get to work on the rest of your house. Got a junk drawer that's slowly menacing your sanity? Tackle that today! Sort everything into 3 boxes: keep, donate, and trash - that'll make it easier to part with items while reducing waste. And don't fall into any guilt traps: you don't have to keep any of those Christmas gifts you won't use!
3. Label:
Now that you have digitized and decluttered, get your label hand ready! If you don't own a label maker, this is a great time to get one if you're interested in creating and maintaining an organization system. If you don't need a label maker, just use Post-It notes or good old-fashioned paper and tape to create some DIY labels. They're the perfect way to create neat categories for all your bits 'n bobs: just toss your items into a box, slap a label on it, and put it away until you need it! You'll feel a little squeeze of contentment with the knowledge that you can easily find that knickknack when you need it.
4. Box it:
Label at the ready? There's a box for that! Grab any old bins, bowls, or baskets you have lying around the house and put them to good use in the pantry, laundry room, bathroom, craft room, or kitchen holding utensils, toiletries, cans, and other loose supplies. If you have empty shoeboxes or other small cardboard boxes, you can use them as drawer organizers - cut them up if you need to for different shapes and sizes. When you have everything grouped together in a way that makes sense, it's easier to find what you need and not buy extras!
5. Clean it out:
A clean fridge means a healthy home! Choose one day each week to clean out your refrigerator and pantry. Make sure all the older items are kept in front so you can prevent food waste as much as possible; you may even be able to put off your grocery trip as a result! While you clean your fridge, keep a running list of things you need to stock up on, and that'll help you build your shopping list when it's time.
6. Hang it up:
Don't waste cabinet or wall space! Add shelves and hanging baskets to your walls and ceilings for extra storage that makes use of space that's often overlooked. In your closets, adding an extra shelf above your hanging clothes or a hanging basket in the corner will help you expand your available space for storing things like large bins, craft supplies, shoes, or socks. In your cabinets, you can add tension rods or shelves to create even more space for spices, cans, cleaning products, towels, and other supplies.
7. Magnetize:
We don't need to know how magnets work to know that they're a genius storage solution! Get your mitts on some magnets or a magnetized bar to hang keys, scissors, knives, pins, nail clippers, and other common metal items you need to keep handy in your entryway, kitchen, craft room, or bathroom.
What's your favorite simple home organizing tip? Share your hacks with us on social media using the #ThrowbackThursday hashtag!
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