Keeping Clutter in Check

 Before making any purchase, visualize where it will be stored or displayed.

Have trash cans in each room and use them.

Always leave the kitchen clean.

Reduce “drop zones.”

Reduce clothing and linens to fit existing drawers and closets when they are clean.

Rotate perishables.

Take out garbage and clean out fridge weekly.

Install towel racks and use them.

Reduce clothing to core components.

Don’t procrastinate cleaning or putting things away.

Stop incoming subscriptions, and return junk mail to the sender.

Create memories instead of buying things.

Replace shopping habits with health-friendly alternatives.

Beginner's decluttering tips

 

How could a beginner declutter their home efficiently while still retaining the necessary belongings they need or want to keep around?

Get some paper and a pen or pencil.

Write the room’s name on top of an individual page.

Write the purpose of each room down.

Without looking, write down up to five things you want to keep in each room—anything else is fair game for removal.

Take a before picture of each room.

Working top to bottom and left to right, go through each room, trash the trash, relocate out-of-place items, and place items you no longer want or need in a donation box.

For future maintenance, place a trash can in each room and use it.

Remove and relocate items to their proper location immediately.

Group like items together and determine a maximum amount of that item. Donate the excess items.

Shop your closet—get rid of torn, tired, stained ill-fitting garments. Have a donation box or hamper in the bedroom. When you try something on that doesn’t fit correctly or doesn’t fit your lifestyle into the donation bin, it goes. Ask yourself if you would purchase a particular item again. Buy clothing that is forgiving of a few pounds either way. You don’t need to maintain two or three clothing sizes.

When all your clothing and linens are clean, they should fit into your closet, dresser, and storage areas.

Always trash out-of-date items for your safety—bathroom items, food, meds (return to local pharmacy), personal products such as lotions, makeup, sunscreen, etc.

Organizing a linen closet

 

What are some creative ways to organize a linen closet?

I watched a few Youtube videos on how to fold towels, hand towels, washcloths, bed linens, tablecloths, and placemats.

I have rolled them, used the new folding methods, and gotten creative with storage.

The bed linens are stored in the room they will be used.

I have a basket for table linens in my pantry.

The towels have two rows, the hand towels have one row, and the washcloths have a row in the linen storage tower in the bathroom.

Kitchen towels and drying cloths are stored in the kitchen near the sink.

No one method fits all when it comes to storage. You have to pick a method that works for you.

Organizing with children in the home

 The key to organizing and keeping order is to have a designated place for everything and limit incoming items.

Adults have to lead by example in teaching, maintaining cleanliness, and organization.

My childhood

Growing up, my family didn’t have abundance. We had enough, but not a lot.

The four children were encouraged to give to others who didn’t have as much, and we usually only received one toy at Christmas. We took care of our toys and breaking one did not garner a replacement.

Books were borrowed from the library and returned.

We had a limited clothing supply or choice of clothing—two pairs of shoes, one winter coat, etc.

Kids don’t need a lot of “stuff.” They need love and attention.

Our child and grandchildren

Our daughter requested that we “not” give her children toys—she wanted those to come from her since they lived in a tiny duplex.

I bought their first dolls, a ball or two, a set of cars, and two stuffed animals each. [The purchases were cleared with their mother first.]

Later, we bought family board games at appropriate times—being sure to clear with mom what she wanted us to purchase (sometimes we gave her the money to cover those purchases.)

When the children were older and started playing with handheld electronic games, we gave each enough cash to purchase a game for that device at Christmas.

What else did we give them?

We purchased beds and bedding, pillows, desks, chairs, shelving, a battery for mom’s car, tires for the car, dishes, cups, money for school clothing, shoes, and coats.

We invited them over for meals as much as their busy mom could come to our home.

We had staycations which included taking the children or family out for meals, playing with them in our home and yard, and watching movies. We shared our love instead of things that would clutter their home.

Our nieces and nephews

We gave family games, food towers, blankets, sleeping bags, clothes hampers, disposable party supplies, birthday cakes, etc.

Our parents and siblings

We gifted cash to our parents in addition to drawing names for the adult gifts. Later, that became “Dirty Santa.” Now we get together for a meal and don’t give any presents for the large family get-togethers.

In conclusion

Children remember the time, attention, and events you participate in with them. They generally don’t recall specific items if there is an overabundance of stuff.

Teach your children how to pick up after themselves. Having a system of organization in place will help maintain order in the home.

Arthritis Recommendations

 What are some tips you'd recommend for cleaning the house when you have arthritis?

Sometimes we make adaptations for changes in our physical abilities. Here are some personally tested ideas that work.

I have a long-handle two-wheel garden cart that is great for bringing in the groceries. I can use one hand to roll it up the ramp into the barrier-free entrance at the kitchen.

I love my kneeling garden bench and use it for getting down low for cleaning, organizing, and getting into the kitchen pantry. The cushion protects my knees and the inverted legs give me something to push against to get up more easily.

Those rolling walkers with seats are great so you can sit at various points. The seats (some have under-seat baskets) are great for getting things place to place.

Buy spray cleaners already in the bottle, or get someone else to fill them for you. If you cannot handle spray bottles, try squeeze or pump bottles.

Get a paper towel and toilet tissue holder you can replace with one hand or arm.

I’ve found a large plastic measuring cup and microfiber or paper towels are a good way to clean. Those long-handled kitchen cleaning items can help too.

You might want to reconsider the height or depth of any sinks you are using if bending is a problem.

I now have long-handled brooms, swifters, dusters, dustpans, and dust mops.

Those sticky clothing rollers are suitable for quick pickups of things on cushions.

You might want to consider a quality rolling cart to carry supplies and things—I got one for my kitchen.

I love my rocker knives, pull “d” handles on cabinets, and an adaptive cutting board in the kitchen. I have a bottle opener mounted to the underside of the top kitchen cabinet. Electric can openers are easier to use than wall-mounted openers.

Dishes are a little tricky to clean, so the dishwasher became a welcomed friend.

Ladders need grab rails and a landing area. Climbing one arm is no joke and balance can sometimes be a consideration.

Get someone to help you rearrange the placement of items you use the most.

This .com site has a lot of ideas that might prove helpful. I like some of the items this site offers. If you don’t want to purchase from them, at least you have viable recommendations.

Activities of Daily Living (ADL) Devices & Equipment

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Decluttering Clothes

 If you are decluttering clothes, shoes, sporting items, or accessories, ask yourself the following questions.

• Is the item in good condition?
• Does the item need repair?
• Is the item faded, stained, pilled, or ripped?
• Does the item fit or is it too big or too little?
• Does the item flatter you with its color and style?
• Do you like the way the material feels on your body?
• Do the shoes make your feet hurt?
• Does the item have an unpleasant odor?
• Do you still participate in the sport or exercise?
• Would you buy the item again?

Getting rid of things

• Get rid of faded, stained, pilled, ripped, or smelly articles or clothing.
• Get rid of items that need repair.
• Get rid of items that don’t fit.
• Get rid of items that don’t flatter you.
• Get rid of items you would never buy again.

Sorting

• Sort the items in the keep pile.
• Try articles on and have someone take pictures of you in the item.
• Ask yourself if you really want to keep the item now?

Success

• Set up a core wardrobe of clothing.
• Supplement needed items with quality mix-and-match timeless pieces.

For the future

• Keep a Goodbye Bag or Basket in your closet for ongoing purging
• If you put the item on and realize it no longer works, put it in the Goodbye Bag or Basket.
• Clean the item and put it in the bag immediately

Rockers

 A rocking chair can be in any room or on a porch. My grandmother had one on the porch and two in the living room.

The nursery is currently the most popular room for a rocking chair—where the baby sleeps and is fed.

My glider rocker is located in the living room, and everyone fights over sitting in it.

One might have a rocking chair placed in the bedroom in a reading nook.

A gaming room might have a console gaming chair. The seat is on the floor, and there are no legs. You might have these in a playroom for gaming and watching movies or sports.

I haven’t seen a rocker in the dining room or the kitchen or bathroom—yet! However, I could make a case for having one in the dining area if the mom has more than one child and needs to watch other children while feeding a baby.

Most kitchens in smaller homes don’t have enough space for a rocker, although those homes with open designs could probably work in a nook with room for a rocking chair in the kitchen.

The bathroom—just no. A changing table, if room permits. A rocker, no. The bathroom isn’t the place to loiter.