TOP TIPS
TO CLEAN OUT CLUTTER AND ORGANISE
YOUR HOME!

Sprucing up our homes has become a British pastime, especially as more of us are deciding to stay put and make the most of what we already have in our properties. With a new season emerging, here, interior designer Ceri Rocca reveals her top tips for tackling storage issues, and explains how to clear out the clutter to give your home a new
lease of life.

Spring may not have sprung, but it’s now time to start thinking about that annual Spring-clean, whether you’re opting for a full-blown makeover, a quick lick of paint or simply just a vigorous cleaning exercise to get your house looking spick and span.
 
With 31 March dubbed the best day for spring-cleaning according to psychologist Dr CliffArnall, you can make some small but significant changes to your home and lifestyle, so long as you’re willing to put aside a day for some serious effort and elbow grease!

Clutter control

A tidy home is a clean home, but we’re all hoarders to some degree so the first item on the Spring-clean agenda is clutter. If your cupboards and drawers are crammed to the brink and you have no further available storage space to find a permanent home for your belongings, then you need to have a good sort out and dispose of the items you no longer need or use.

Most likely, you’ll find all sorts of bits and pieces you don’t remember you owned – you’ve come this far without them, so why bother keeping such clutter any longer that simply just gathers dust and dirt? Recycle any unwanted items, or give them to a charity shop – you could even have a go at selling some stuff on eBay to fund your storage solutions.

Storage ideas

Storage space is at a premium for nearly everyone these days, but more often than not, people aren’t maximising the potential space that goes unnoticed in the home. And as your home will be much more comfortable and run far more efficiently if things are put away, why not try some of the following ideas to help

• Store toys in plastic colour-coded stackable boxes with lids, to differentiate the types of toys inside, or you may decide to give each child their own personal boxthey’re responsible for – encourage your kids to tidy up after themselves! 
• By covering open shelves with roller blinds, using a fold-up screen or ceiling-hung fabric panels as room dividers, you’ll be able to hide some of that clutter and achieve more space.
• Drawer dividers are a great way of organising those small items such as fashion accessories or cutlery - try Lakeland for some quality space-saving products.
• Out-of-season clothes can be stored in empty suitcases or bags that are designed to fit snugly under a bed, unnoticed - your wardrobe (and partner) will thank you for it!
• To fit more into your wardrobe, plan storage that reaches all the way to the ceiling. Stow suitcases and rarely used items that you want to keep on harder-to-reach upper shelves. Add hooks to the door for belts, ties and jewellery.
• If you’ve kept your shoe boxes, you can take a photo of each pair of shoes and stack the boxes neatly in your wardrobe with the image facing outwards so you know immediately which shoes are in which box.
• Shelving is key and inexpensive – place above doorways and in alcoves. Use small wicker baskets for the little mementoes you can’t bring yourself to throw away, and simply store on the shelves.
• Use rows of hooks on walls in the hallway, kitchen and bedrooms for coats, clothes, utensils and pots and pans where possible. Likewise, a clear plastic wall-hanging with storage pockets can also be a great space saver for knick knacks, sewing equipment or toiletries.
• Reduce paper clutter in the kitchen and study by hanging a bulletin or magnet/cork board on an unused wall.
• Look for furniture that serves more than one purpose, such as coffee tables with built-in drawers, side tables that also function as display cases, armoires that can be used for unsightly computer equipment, and sofas that pull-out as guest beds.
  

Once the clutter is removed and your belongings are stored neatly away, you can now give the surfaces a good scrubbing. I find that by diluting one part vinegar in five parts water with a couple of drops of lemon or lime juice, will give you an instant and inexpensive cleaner that will work on almost any surface - especially when used with an e-cloth. Do this on a regular basis (with music of course), as a little and often is far quicker and easier - come next Spring, the yearly clear-out won’t be such a chore!

Article supplied by Ceri Rocca.
For more information on storage solutions from the Style House, or to book a consultation with Ceri and her team,
call +44 (0)1629 813 030, or visit www.thestylehouse.co.uk.