There are 7 people in my house and I always struggle to organize the clutter. No matter how many boxes I bring to my local thrift store, I always feel like there is an overabundance of items overflowing from my cabinets, closets, and shelves.
The key to having an organized home, I have discovered, is not getting rid of what we have.
Anything can get messy, but think twice about buying the following items.
1. Disposable instruments
Rice cookers, panini presses, and yogurt makers all seem like great purchases for making healthier meals at home. However, unless you plan to cook these foods daily or weekly, skip the disposable utensils. Chances are you already have other pots and pans in your kitchen that do the same job without cluttering your cupboards. .
For more tips on how to declutter your kitchen, check out 7 Small Appliances You Don’t Need And What To Use Instead.
2. Unitasker Gadget
unitasker gadgetare as bad as disposable electronics, except they do one thing and take up no space. We’re talking egg slicers, hamburger molds, apple cutters, and more here in 16 Products You Never Need.
Most of these items are only used a few times before their novelty wears off, relegating them to the dark corners of kitchen drawers.
3. Books
I’ve never come across a library book sale that I didn’t like. Reading is an essential part of life, but it can be difficult to keep your home organized when books are scattered all over the place.
Book stacks and shelving make the home cozy, but if you’re after a minimalist aesthetic, get books from the library or switch to e-books instead.
4. Toys with many parts
I’m all for getting kids toys they want and use, but don’t introduce them to the Lego world unless they show interest. You will be trying to enclose a small fragment.
When buying toys, if clutter is a concern, simpler is always better. For example, if your child wants a doll, look for a basic cloth doll rather than a Barbie with endless accessory options.
5. Holiday and seasonal decorations
Decorating for the holidays is fun, but you need to save everything for the rest of the year. By completely eliminating seasonal decoration purchases, you can remove some of the clutter from your life.
If you can’t stand that thought, limit yourself to specific holiday decorations that you particularly like.
6. Exclusive holiday gift wrap
For an organized home, you should banish rolls of wrapping paper at every opportunity. For example, Money Talks News Editor-in-Chief Karla Bowsher only buys silver paper. It’s festive enough for Christmas, but it can be used for anything from birthdays to bridal showers.
7. Wall decoration
We don’t often think of walls as cluttered, but filling them with signs, artwork, and photos can make a room feel airy and cramped. Think twice before buying another affirmative sign that encourages
8. Formal or special occasion clothing
You may need a dress for your favorite relative’s wedding this year, but you don’t have to buy one. To keep your home organized, consider renting formal or special occasion clothing.
services like rent a runway and Pocharet Designer dresses can be rented, and tuxedo and suit rentals are offered at many men’s clothing stores. Renting not only reduces clutter in your home, but it can also save you money.
9. Fashionable clothes and shoes
Formal wear isn’t the only thing cluttering your closet. Often we buy the latest fashions, but quickly abandon those pieces when we decide they are outdated or just not right for us.
Try to buy classic items that you know you will be comfortable wearing. If you want a relatively clean way to incorporate trendy clothes into your wardrobe, try rental services such as: Nouri again Gwenny Bee.
10. Subscription box
When I discovered the world of subscription boxes, I was instantly hooked. Receive a monthly box of specially curated items in your email? Sign up. Since then, I’ve tried everything from makeup Ipsy to Nordic specialty Norlii.
In the process, I received some nice stuff, but my house was also filled with junk I didn’t need or want. and purchase the items you need individually instead.
11. Specialty Beauty Products
Beauty products can quickly flood your bathroom. Instead of buying different lotions, creams, and serums for different parts of your body, look for versatile, multi-purpose products.
Similarly, a tried-and-true basic makeup routine will help you avoid a drawer full of bright shades that you wear once before abandoning.
12. Multiple sheet sets
Depending on where you live, it may make sense to have cotton sheets in the summer and flannel sheets in the winter. Please reconsider purchasing a duplicate set of
A pair of sheets is enough for the devoted minimalist. In the morning, just wash your bed as soon as you take it off, and in the evening you’ll be ready to go back to your mattress.
13. Souvenir mugs and magnets
Mugs and magnets are perfect souvenirs of your trip. After all, they are relatively small and these items have a practical purpose. However, refrigerators covered with magnets look cluttered. When you bring a mug home with you on every trip, it doesn’t take long for your cupboards to start filling up with mugs.
For a tidy home, consider returning from vacation with only memories and a few photos.
14. Decorative pillows
A sofa or bed with pillows piled high may look inviting, but where do those pillows go when you sit or sleep? they will end up on the floor. If you have children, don’t be surprised if they are all over the house during the day.
15. Stationery
This is my personal dream purchase. I dream fondly of buying notebooks, cards, stationery sets, sitting down to write long letters, or jotting down my deepest thoughts in a journal while watching the sun rise on a summer morning.
Of course not. All the paper products flood my desk and I feel guilty every time I see them. Unless you’re already an avid user of stationery products, this might be one purchase to skip.
16. Outdoor goods
Here, we’re talking about items that you use once or twice a year, such as tents, skis, snowboards, fishing rods, and beach umbrellas. In many cases, rather than buying bulky equipment that must be stored year-round, you can rent what you need.
If you do decide to buy one, make sure it’s an item you can use enough to justify having it permanently in your home.
17. Organizing bins and baskets
Ironically, the organizational bins and baskets you buy to store clutter can actually make your home look cluttered. Additionally, they can quickly become overloaded and appear disorganized.
Instead of buying containers for clutter, consider getting rid of the clutter itself.
