6 Ways to Create a Calmer, Clutter-Free Home for Your Family

Most of us want to live in a home that is peaceful, welcoming, and easy to live in. But sometimes that isn’t always straightforward to maintain.

When you are raising kids and/or working full-time, the reality is that things can sometimes get out of control. Toys get moved from room to room and are not returned. The washing up and laundry often get put on the back burner. Reams of paperwork litter your home office. We’ve all lived through it. But you don’t have to anymore.

If you want to live in a calm and clutter-free home, there is no better time to do so than the present. You might think doing this will take up a lot of time and effort. However, it is actually much easier than you might think.

6 Ways Create a Calmer, Clutter-Free Home

1. Start by getting rid of anything broken

If your home isn’t as calm and minimalist as it once was, then the first thing you should do is a big declutter. It is amazing the difference you can make by streamlining your possessions.

To start with, spend a weekend going through every room of your house to find everything that is broken. Most households have old furniture, broken appliances, and other items that need to be gotten rid of. Now is as good a time as any to do it.

Depending on how much stuff you have, you might want to enlist the help of specialist rubbish removalists in the Sydney area. They will take them all away for you, dispose of them responsibly, and give you a cleaner slate to work with.

2. Turn your attention to what you don’t use or need

With the broken stuff gone, it’s time to focus on what you no longer use or need. We are all guilty of holding onto things for longer than we should. So, you’ll have to adopt a ruthless mindset if you are to really achieve a calmer and clutter-free home.

A good rule of thumb is that if you have not used anything in over a year, you should get rid of it (Christmas decorations and family heirlooms aside). When sorting through your items, be sure to put them in different piles to sell, donate to charity or send for recycling.

For the latter, you might want to check out this site. They will locate businesses near you that accept materials to be recycled or reused.

3. Focus on good storage solutions

By this stage, you should have shed much of the clutter that was previously disarranging your home. So, the next step is to focus on creating more space by embracing effective storage solutions.

If you can afford it, it is a good idea to rent a storage unit or build a shed in your back garden to store some items. This includes seasonal clothes, reserve appliances, such as a spare fridge or washing machine, and memorabilia like children’s toys or clothes you might want to save for the future.

For things you want to keep in your home, consider buying baskets, plastic containers, and tea chests to store items more neatly.

4. Rearrange your decor

Sometimes the clutter isn’t necessarily about mess. It can actually come from your home decor. Too much or oversized furniture, large artwork, and accessories such as lamps or stand-up air conditioning units can all contribute to a feeling of being boxed in.

Just by rearranging or replacing these items, you can create a much brighter, airy and calmer space with a better flow. When the room is less busy, your mind is likely to be so, too. There won’t be as much stimulus to distract it.

5. Commit to a daily 10-minute tidy routine

They say a stitch in time saves nine. And when it comes to clutter, this is definitely the case. Once you have done all of the above, it is a good idea to start a new routine of spending 10 minutes a day tidying up.

This might feel like the last thing you want to do after a tiring day at work or looking after the kids. But it can help you stay on top of any mess before it becomes an issue again. 

It is a good idea to pick a time that works best for you. This could be after dinner, before bath time, or right before bed. You don’t need to clean the entire house. But rather, just give the main areas a bit of a reset.

If you commit to doing this every day, you’ll soon find it part of a natural routine. It is also something you don’t have to do alone. So, make sure your partner and children do their bit to help you.

6. Clear your mental clutter

Sometimes calmness is actually more a state of mind than anything else. Therefore, irrespective of whether the house is tidy or not, you should take steps to clear your mental clutter.

Good ways to do this include:

• Meditating
• Exercising
• Practising mindfulness and self-giving
• Getting out into nature
• Journaling your thoughts
• Reducing screen time
• Staying hydrated
• Achieving good quality sleep

Essentially, the more open tabs you can close in your head, the calmer you will be in your home – regardless of whether it is full of clutter or not.