How to Make Your Home Less Chaotic

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1Reducing Clutter

2Organizing Your Home

3Managing Your Day-to-Day Schedule

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A chaotic home, though not necessarily bad, can make your life more stressful overall. Reducing clutter and organizing can both make your home easier to navigate. Work on getting rid of anything you do not need and clearing surfaces to have more space. You should also work on your own personal routine. Having a routine surrounding things like doing the dishes can keep your home clean and organized.

Steps

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Reducing Clutter

1. 
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   Have boxes ready for decluttering. Before you begin getting rid of clutter, get three boxes together. Label one box "Trash," the other "Storage," and the last box, "Donate." As you go through items in your home, figure out what to store, what to donate, and what to throw away. Keep the boxes close as you being the decluttering process so you can easily toss items as necessary.
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   Set goals for each day. The process of decluttering can take a long time. To start, set specific goals for what you want to accomplish each day. Have both long and short term goals to keep you on track.

   • Think about where to start. Pick a room or corner of your house to declutter first. For example, say you want to work on decluttering throughout the month of May. You can set a goal to get your kitchen done one weekend.
   • Keep a list or calendar outlining your goals. Have a series of small tasks (i.e., "Clean out the silverware drawer") that will get you to your larger goal (i.e., "Declutter the kitchen.")
3. 
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   Start by getting rid of anything you don't need or want. Many people hang on to items unnecessarily. You may find things lying around you never bothered to throw out. You may also be hanging on to certain items unnecessarily. As you go through your home, toss anything you don't need or want anymore.

   • As you move through any room, start by getting rid of anything you don't need. If you haven't used an item in years, it's time to throw it away or donate it. If you aren't regularly using something, you probably don't really need it. You will feel a lot better right away as you get rid of visual clutter, which can cause a lot of stress.
   • Push yourself to get rid of things. Many times, people hold onto things thinking they will use them. Be honest when you find an item you do not currently use. For example, you find a pair of damaged jeans you've been meaning to fix for years. Are you honestly going to get them fixed at this point? Probably not. It may be time to simply toss them.
4. 
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   Clear all the surfaces in your home. You will be surprised how much smoother and calmer your home feels simply by clearing off counters, bedside tables, and other surfaces. If you have anything sitting on a countertop that doesn't need to be there, find a new place for it.

   • There's probably a lot sitting out on counters and desks that does not need to be there. Store old papers in drawers. Put books back on the shelves. Move clean dishes into cupboards instead of leaving them on the drying rack.
   • Kitchen appliances can take up a lot of counter space. See if there's somewhere else you can put such appliances. You can probably keep your toaster under the sink when it's not in use, for example.
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Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Organizing Your Home

1. 
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   Add containers to drawers. Drawers, especially junk drawers, can get messy fast. You may find yourself frustrated as you dig for an item you need. To streamline the process of locating items in your home, add containers add compartments to drawers.

   • If you have a silverware drawer, pick up a silverware organizer at a local department store. You will have an easier time cooking and eating with the forks, knives, and spoons separated.
   • Add tiny containers to messy drawers. You will find it easier to locate, say, your nail polish if you keep all the bottles in a pencil box in a drawer in your bathroom.
   • Instead of buying organizing products, you can be creative and even re-purpose things you already have.
2. 
   2
   Use shoe hangers for storage. Shoe hangers can be used for more than just hanging shoes. If you want to make your home easier to navigate, purchase a variety of shoe hangers from a local department store. Use them for storage throughout your home.

   • In closets, you can use shoe hangers for their intended purpose. You can also use them to store other items of clothing, like socks and belts, to free up floor space and drawer space.
   • Use shoe hangers in your bathroom. Hang a shoe hanger on the back of the bathroom drawer and put things like hair straighteners, hair products, makeup, and other bathroom items in the hanger.
   • You can use a shoe hanger in your kitchen. Remove items clogging up drawer space and set them in the hanger for easy access. You can, for example, have an electric mixer strung up in a shoe hanger rather than buried under the sink.
3. 
   3
   Create a space for your keys. Losing your keys creates a lot of chaos. Have a place to regularly set your keys so you're not left scrambling to find them when leaving your home.

   • You can set a decorative dish down at a table near your door. Make a point of always tossing your keys in here.
   • You can also have a rack to hang your keys on nailed up near your door.
4. 
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   Invest in a cord organizer. Cords also create a lot of chaos. This can get especially tricky if you have a lot of electronics in your home. You can purchase a cord organizer at a local department store. It will keep your cords separate so you can easily see what you're plugging and unplugging.

   • You may want more than one cord organizer for different areas of your home. For example, have one in the living room and one in the kitchen.
5. 
   5
   Have a space for mail and papers. One of the biggest causes of chaos in a home is an overflowing stack of papers and mail. Have a designated to set things like receipts, mail, coupons, and other paper mess. Once a week, go through your stack and get rid of anything you don't need.

   • Try to keep unwanted paper mess out of the way. You can have a drawer designated to slip papers until you have the time to sort through them. You can also set papers in a box on your desk or kitchen counter.
6. 
   6
   Group clothing by type. You may notice a lot of chaos and disorganization in your cabinet drawers and closets. Purchase smaller boxes and bins. Use these to group clothing by type.

   • Hang up fancier outfits, like nice tops, suits, and dresses.
   • For clothing stuck in drawers, box the clothes by type. You can have your t-shirts in one box, your jeans in another, and so on.
   • You should also group clothing by season. You can store summer clothes when winter comes, and vice versa, to free up storage space. You can easily, say, slip your bin of winter clothes under your bed when the weather starts warming up.
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Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Managing Your Day-to-Day Schedule

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   1
   Establish a personal routine. If you want your home less chaotic, you have to work on managing your own personal routine. You will be better able to keep your home under control if you have a regular routine that you follow.

   • Stick to healthy patterns. Eat regular meals, have a regular sleep/wake cycle, and exercise each day. Follow this routine as closely as you can.
   • If you're on a schedule, you'll find yourself better able to keep up with household chores. This can lead to a less chaotic home life.
2. 
   2
   Make your bed in the morning. It's a small tweak, but it can be a powerful one. Making your bed makes your room look cleaner and more organized. Making your bed first thing in the morning will mean you start the day off motivated to keep your home neat and clean.
3. 
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   Keep dishes in the sink. Little messes can add up fast. A dirty mug on your desk or coffee table may not seem like a big deal. However, if you continuously let messes like this pile up, things will get out of hand fast. Make a habit of always putting dirty dishes in the sink. This way, when it's time to clean, you won't have to collect dirty dishes from around the house.

   • Get other household members on board. Remind everyone who lives in your house to put their dishes in the sink when they're done.
4. 
   4
   Have a place for shoes and coats. Leaving shoes and coats strewn about the house creates mess. This can leave your home feeling chaotic, creating unnecessary stress. Make sure to have a place to put coats and shoes.

   • If you don't already have one, invest in a coat rack. You can also simply make a policy of hanging up your coats in the closet.
   • You can buy a small shoe rack to place near the door. You can also just have a particular corner of your entryway dedicated to storing shoes.
5. 
   5
   Empty your trash regularly. If you let trash build up, this will create odor and mess. If you want your home to feel clean and chaos-free, get rid of trash right away. Always take the garbage out as soon as it is full.

   • It can help to leave reminders for yourself. For example, on garbage day, leave a note by the door reminding you to set out the trash.
6. 
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   Simplify your overall schedule. If your home feels chaotic frequently, your schedule may be too packed. Look where you can simplify. Cut out extraneous hobbies and obligations so you can focus on what really matters.

   • Write down all of your current obligations. Rank them in order of most important to least important.
   • Some obligations may not matter that much to you. If you can, cut these obligations out of your schedule. You will have more time to focus on creating a chaos free home.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  How do you store things at home?

  

  Donna Smallin Kuper
  Professional Organizer

  Donna Smallin Kuper is a Cleaning and Organization Expert. Donna is the best selling author of more than a dozen of books on clearing clutter and simplifying life, and her work has been published in Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and Woman’s Day. She has been a featured guest on CBS Early Show, Better TV, and HGTV. In 2006, she received the Founders Award from the National Association of Professional Organizers. She is an Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC) Certified House Cleaning Technician.

  

  Donna Smallin Kuper

  Professional Organizer

  Expert Answer

  Use containers to store your stuff! Choose containers that fit your home. For long-term storage of items, I use and recommend storage containers in the same size so they can be stacked. Label the fronts so you remember what's inside!

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• Question

  How do you let go of things?

  

  Donna Smallin Kuper
  Professional Organizer

  Donna Smallin Kuper is a Cleaning and Organization Expert. Donna is the best selling author of more than a dozen of books on clearing clutter and simplifying life, and her work has been published in Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and Woman’s Day. She has been a featured guest on CBS Early Show, Better TV, and HGTV. In 2006, she received the Founders Award from the National Association of Professional Organizers. She is an Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration (IICRC) Certified House Cleaning Technician.

  

  Donna Smallin Kuper

  Professional Organizer

  Expert Answer

  Don't think about getting rid of stuff. Focus instead on what you want to keep for sure - things you love and/or use regularly and can't imagine living without. Then it's easier to let go of the rest.

  Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
  Thank you for your feedback.
  If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn

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• Question

  How can I declutter without buying organizing products?

  

  Julie Naylon
  Professional Organizer

  Julie Naylon is the Founder of No Wire Hangers, a professional organizing service based out of Los Angeles, California. No Wire Hangers provides residential and office organizing and consulting services. Julie's work has been featured in Daily Candy, Marie Claire, and Architectural Digest, and she has appeared on The Conan O’Brien Show. In 2009 at The Los Angeles Organizing Awards she was honored with “The Most Eco-Friendly Organizer”.

  

  Julie Naylon

  Professional Organizer

  Expert Answer

  You can be creative and repurpose things that you already have. Think of ways you can use something for another purpose.

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  Thank you for your feedback.
  If How.com.vn has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission.Support How.com.vn

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