“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity” - Albert Einstein
When your condo is filled with mess and unnecessary items that oftentimes pile up, it can be too stressful and overwhelming. One thing that you might have thought of doing is to declutter your living space. However, like most people, you do not know where to start.
When you have spare time and finally decide to declutter your living space, start with just five minutes. You might probably find 5 minutes weird or useless, but you have to remember that baby steps are important. It is the start of something good that will eventually turn into a habit. After allotting 5 minutes on Day 1, allot another 5 minutes on Day 2, and so on, until you have cleared the space.
For those who are still feeling overwhelmed by the clutter in their condo unit, we have listed some decluttering tips to get you started, five minutes at a time.
Begin clearing a starting zone
You cannot clean the whole area at once and so what you want to do is clear one area at a time. Identify your “no-clutter zone”, which can be your living area, your kitchen table, or a corner in your condo unit.
Make a rule to never place a thing in that zone that will never be put into use. Keep that zone way - simple, clean, and clear.
Identify a spot for incoming papers
Papers often account for our clutter because we tend to put them in different spots - on the table, on the kitchen counter, on top of our dresser, on the table, depending on what we are doing or thinking at the moment we have them.
No wonder why you feel that there is mess in every corner of your unit. To solve this, designate an in-box tray or area in your unit to put your papers directly upon receiving them. Remember to put all those receipts, memos, letters, and bills in that box. This simple change can really make a big difference in your condo unit.
Clear off a counter
You want to get your space clear of clutter, right? Start with one counter, clear it off. Check on the items that you will use versus the things that need to be kept and stored.
Choose a shelf
Now that you have already cleared a counter, it is time for you to choose a shelf. It could be the bookshelf or a shelf in the closet. Clear all non-essentials and leave it looking clean and clutter-free.
Schedule a regular decluttering weekend
You might be too busy right now to be doing a huge decluttering session. But if you take the time to schedule a regular decluttering every weekend, you will surely make great progress in keeping your house organized and clutter-free.
Pick-up 3 things and look for places to put them
Get 3 items that you actually use but oftentimes put elsewhere because they have no designated places in the condo. If you do not know where things belong, it is time for you to identify spots where you can put them.
Take a minute to think through the good spots. Once you have already designated, make it a habit to always put those things in those spots after using them. Do this for the rest of the items in your condo unit, few things at a time and see the difference.
Visualize the room
Take a moment to look at your condo unit and think about how you want it to look. Check which essential furniture pieces you should keep and what other items you have on the floor (note that furniture and rugs are the only ones that should belong there). As soon as you visualize how the condo will look if it is uncluttered, you will be able to get rid of the unnecessary items in your space.
Pull out the clothes you do not wear
Spend five minutes going through your closet and checking on the clothes that you no longer wear. If they are seasonal clothes, put them in a box then get rid of the rest. Do this a little at a time until your closet only contains the stuff that you actually wear.
Set up some folders
It is time to create simple folders for your documents to avoid piling up. Label the folders for your major bills and other paperwork. Do not forget to put them in one spot for easy access. Get some extra folders and labels in case you need to quickly create a new file.
Create a 30-day list
Fight the tendency to buy stuff that you do not really need. Take a minute to create a 30-day list, and every time you want to buy something that is not necessary, put it in your list and the date it was added for recording purposes.
Make a rule never to buy anything except the essentials unless they have been on the list for 30 days. Often you will lose the urge to buy the item and you will realize that you have saved yourself a lot of time, money, and clutter for not buying that stuff.
Learn to love and appreciate the uncluttered look
Once you have your condo space uncluttered, you should take the time to enjoy that look and celebrate by ordering your favorite food. Make it your standard. It’s time to hate clutter and never ever allow any mess to eat up your space in the condo.
If you are planning to invest in a condominium this year, Vista Residences, the condominium arm of the country’s largest homebuilder Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc. has ready for occupancy and preselling condominium projects in Manila and Quezon City that are located within inner-city areas, in close proximity to developed business districts and prestigious universities.
For more information on Vista Residences, visit www.vistaresidences.com.ph, follow @VistaResidencesOfficial on Facebook, or call the Marketing Office at 0999 886 4262 / 0917 582 5167.
