As the sun lingers longer in the sky and daylight savings time approaches, March is the perfect month to start thinking about your spring cleaning and ways to revamp your living space, letting go of the things you don’t use or need and embracing the advantages of decluttering as you move into the spring season. So let's dive in and seize the opportunity to spring forward with a well-organized home.
Assess and Declutter
I know, I know, this is a task! A job you would love to have behind you but if you don’t get to it, who will really know right? Wrong. You know. You know because day after day, you struggle with accessing the things you need in the moment, easily and quickly. Whether the clutter is in your closets, cabinets or right out in the open, it inevitably becomes a thief of your time and joy.
Let’s create the scene. It’s a Friday night, you’re home from a long day, excited for a couple days off. Your mood is elevated and you’re ready to make a nice dinner and enjoy a relaxing night at home. You think, I’ll make spaghetti, yes, spaghetti. Perfect. You go into your cabinets and begin to fetch the tools you’ll need for the amazing Italian culinary experience you’re about to create. A pot to boil the water, a pan to prepare your sauce, a colander to …. where is the colander!? Quickly you find yourself on your hands and knees unloading your cabinets to find the thing you now can’t live without.
Lids are falling, pots are clanking, stuff you didn’t even know you had or don’t want to have any longer are now the ONLY things you’re finding. Now we’re annoyed and frustrated. Your Friday night high is quickly diminishing and what should have been a rewarding occasion in the kitchen, just became a stress filled chore. Sound familiar?
So what to do? Pull it all out and be honest with yourself! Not necessarily right then on your Friday night, but you get the point. Pick a day to dive in and ask yourself these questions: Do I need it? Do I use it? Will I ever? You’ll probably be surprised at the items you find hidden in the shadows of your closets, drawers and cabinets. If this is the case, let it go!
I won’t sugarcoat the process; it’s going to take some willpower and it’ll be some work, but in the end, the freedom you’ll find knowing you’re not giving away your precious “real estate” to the things that only get in your way and holding on to only those that bring you happiness, reduce your stress and free up your space and time… is a recipe for the harmonious living space you need in your life.
Create Custom Made-to-Fit Solutions
We’ve cleared it out, so now what? Consider the unique layout of your home and envision custom made-to-fit solutions that will maximize your space and efficiency. Tailoring organization solutions to your specific needs will not only declutter your home but also help to streamline your daily routines.
To be clear, “custom” doesn’t always mean expensive or even exact for that matter. It just means that it fits YOUR space, the way YOU need it to.
This could be anything from a nice plastic basket or tray from a dollar store to fit your bathroom drawers for makeup, hair accessories or lotions. It could be realizing a need for a DIY closet system, an overhaul of your garage cabinets using crates or totes, or it could be a “me-model” (like remodel but the DIY version😏) of your kitchen cabinets but without the cost of a traditional custom job, by simply adding some easy to order, custom made-to-fit slide-out shelves from Slide-A-Shelf (We’ll get to those soon.)
Bottomline, with a little creative thinking, you can form some very simple and very affordable organization systems throughout your home that will provide you with a well-organized, clutter-free living space.
Utilize Slide-A-Shelf to Get the Most Out of Your Existing Cabinet Space
Let’s talk a little more in depth about kitchen cabinet storage solutions and how utilizing slide-out shelves and cabinet organizers from Slide-A-Shelf can be an absolute game changer!
Slide-A-Shelf products are custom sized and made-to-fit your cabinets based upon your cabinet’s measurements. They make it easy to access items tucked away deep inside your cabinets, allowing you to maximize your space and reach the items you need most. Unlike every other pull-out drawer on the market, Slide-A-Shelf is customizable in both size (width and depth) as well as wood front finish, giving you the best possible fit while also complimenting your existing cabinet and décor. You can learn more about Slide-A-Shelf products at www.slideashelf.com.
Once you have your Slide-A-Shelf slide-outs in place, you'll be ready to take your organization game to the next level. Reaching the tools you need will no longer be a burden and finding that colander for your next spaghetti night will be a breeze!
Enrich and Simplify Your Life
Slide-A-Shelf, though our favorite, is one of many solutions for simplifying your daily routine. If you’re finding your space is weighing on you every time you use it, it’s time to do something to change it.
Start small with simple, inexpensive storage containers if you need to. Take some time to envision your cabinet shelves sliding out and presenting their tools to you instead of you digging them out. Visit websites like Pinterest or other Social Media platforms for inspiration. It can sound overwhelming at first but once you take the leap, you’ll be so glad you did!
Look, I know it can be hard to just let it all go. Afterall, you’ve spent your hard-earned money on these things over the years and some may even have sentimental value. Just giving them away seems ludicrous! Well, it’s not crazy, it’s healthy and I’d bet once it’s gone, the only looking back you’ll be doing is in awe of your new beautifully organized space!
As an added bonus, you can turn this project into an opportunity to help others while helping yourself. Take advantage of your local social media groups. Many have local marketplaces that you can sell on if you’d like to try to recoup a little money (remember to always be safe when selling and meeting online) or you can donate to your local charities. There are so many wonderful ones to choose from and your donation could be a real blessing for someone in need.
I hope these tips help motivate you to take a closer look at areas within your home that might be weighing you down and that they’ll inspire you to make a few small changes that could pave the way for a more streamlined, organized way of living.
As the clock springs forward, the biggest favor you can do yourself is getting and staying organized. It’s the key to maximizing your day and leveling your mood. Don’t let disorganization rob you of your time and joy. Start implementing these tips today, get out and enjoy the extra day light and start reaching what really matters!
Don't forget to spring forward on Sunday, March 10, 2024!
댓글