If you have a tendency to collect things, you probably have some issues with space and clutter. This is especially true if you live in a small space. A room or a studio apartment can easily become overrun with Elvis tribute records, Beatles songbooks, or Tori Amos cd singles.
The clutter issue can apply not only to deliberate collections, but also to the kinds of things that just pile up accidentally, like magazines and dvds. Any of these things can create problems in a limited living area.
You often hear people jokingly warning each other not to become "Hoarders" like the people on the tv show. Your home is a window into your personality, and when people visit you, they make assumptions based on what they see. No one likes coming into a completely disorganized space, especially when they are seeing the home of a significant other for the first time. Here are some ideas for decreasing the amount of clutter.
1. Throw away old or unnecessary items. This can be tough, but you have to be tough, too. If you have invested time and money into your collection, you may not want to get rid of anything. But if you are honest, you will have to admit that there are some things that are either damaged, or for some other reason no longer valuable. Look for these things in your collection, and get rid of them.
2. Consider selling things. When you were a teenager, this might have seemed like sacrilege. But now, you probably have all of those Tori Amos songs on your iPod or stored in your computer. Do you really still need the cd singles? Consider putting them up for sale on eBay. You can make some money at the same time you create more space in your home.
3. Store things away. You might not be able to find a significant amount of stuff you are willing to throw away or sell, but you can surely store some of it. It will still belong to you, and you can display it again once you have a larger living space to work with. For now, help yourself out and store it in order to reduce clutter.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Do not let your stuff take over your life. A collection of rare books or Elvis tribute records, as cool as it may be, should not have that kind of power over a person. When you live in a small space, you have to minimize the amount of stuff you have in order to keep things neat. Make your home welcoming and organized by following the tips above.
The clutter issue can apply not only to deliberate collections, but also to the kinds of things that just pile up accidentally, like magazines and dvds. Any of these things can create problems in a limited living area.
You often hear people jokingly warning each other not to become "Hoarders" like the people on the tv show. Your home is a window into your personality, and when people visit you, they make assumptions based on what they see. No one likes coming into a completely disorganized space, especially when they are seeing the home of a significant other for the first time. Here are some ideas for decreasing the amount of clutter.
1. Throw away old or unnecessary items. This can be tough, but you have to be tough, too. If you have invested time and money into your collection, you may not want to get rid of anything. But if you are honest, you will have to admit that there are some things that are either damaged, or for some other reason no longer valuable. Look for these things in your collection, and get rid of them.
2. Consider selling things. When you were a teenager, this might have seemed like sacrilege. But now, you probably have all of those Tori Amos songs on your iPod or stored in your computer. Do you really still need the cd singles? Consider putting them up for sale on eBay. You can make some money at the same time you create more space in your home.
3. Store things away. You might not be able to find a significant amount of stuff you are willing to throw away or sell, but you can surely store some of it. It will still belong to you, and you can display it again once you have a larger living space to work with. For now, help yourself out and store it in order to reduce clutter.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Do not let your stuff take over your life. A collection of rare books or Elvis tribute records, as cool as it may be, should not have that kind of power over a person. When you live in a small space, you have to minimize the amount of stuff you have in order to keep things neat. Make your home welcoming and organized by following the tips above.
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