These Decluttering Tips Will Make Every Room in Your House More Relaxing
These Decluttering Tips Will Make Every Room in Your House More Relaxing
We get it: Not everyone is a devout follower of Marie Kondo. But even if decluttering sparks zero joy for you, it could do a great deal for your mental wellbeing. “Decluttering your space can be a key ingredient in decluttering your mind, says Jason Kurtz, a psychoanalyst and author of Follow the Joy. “Creating an environment where things are in their place and easy to find when we want or need them can help us feel more safe and relaxed.”
And decluttering doesn't have to take a ton of time or effort, says Laurie Jennings, deputy editor of Good Housekeeping and author of Simple Organizing Wisdom. “Prioritize the areas most in need of organizing help,” she says. Here, cleaning experts explain how to do that one room at a time, starting in the kitchen.
Kitchen Cabinets: Choose white
“This timeless, neutral color provides a fresh and clean backdrop for the hardest-working room in your home,” writes Jennings in Simple Organizing Wisdom. “A simple white color scheme helps eliminate visual clutter and allows chic touches like stainless steel appliances or bright cookware to stand out.”
Kitchen Cabinets: Slim down your water bottle selection
“Staying hydrated is a number one way to keep your energy high and your body burning fat,” says certified personal trainer Larysa DiDio, Prevention’s fitness advisor and creator of our Tone Up in 15 video fitness plan. If your water bottle is discolored, dented, melted, or scratched, it’s time for an upgrade. Choose a BPA-free, insulated water bottle you can easily tote around and clean.
Kitchen Cabinets: Organize your spices
“One way is to go A to Z, so everything is alphabetized and easy to find,” says Susan Westmoreland, culinary director of the Good Housekeeping Lab. “Or, if you’re more task-oriented like me, group herbs and spices by use. Designate one shelf for baking and include extracts, cinnamon, baking powder, and baking soda. The rest I divvy up by category-one area for seeds and whole spices, another for ground spices and one for dried herbs. Keep labels facing outward.” This way you know what you're picking up and using.
Kitchen Fridge: Do a purge
Toss foods with inflammation-triggering hydrogenated oils, as well as any food that contains more than six grams of added sugar per serving. Then, “organize your refrigerator with the healthiest foods in front,” says Sarah Mirkin, RDN, author of Prevention’s Fill Your Plate, Lose the Weight (available in April). “Most people will open the refrigerator and grab the first thing they see. That’s called the ‘see-food’ diet. Protein- and fiber-rich foods should be the first thing you see.”
Kitchen Fridge: Start scrubbing
Don’t forget to clean behind the bins and shelves. Liquids and food particles can cause odors and mold, says Carolyn Forte, director of home appliances, cleaning products, and textiles for Good Housekeeping. Wipe with a microfiber cloth, then rinse and dry.
Kitchen Fridge: Use food storage containers to organize your meal prep
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Stash food in stackable, square storage containers rather than round ones, suggests Jennings in Simple Organizing Wisdom. “The square shape lets you store more food and keeps things neat,” she says. Plastic containers tend to house harmful chemicals that disrupt the endocrine system, says Dayna Kurtz, therapist, director of the Anna Keefe Women’s Center in Manhattan, and author of the Total Body Cure for Women as well as Mother Matters.
Kitchen Fridge: Store food groups together
Stow produce in crisper drawers and snack items, like cheese sticks and hummus packs, together in the deli drawer. That way your foods will fit better and create more usable space, says Jennings. Keep perishables in their original packaging so you can track expiration dates, she adds.
Kitchen Sink: Clean it daily
Germs grow wherever there is water and food, so clean the sink daily with bleach or a germ-killing cleanser. Pay special attention to the faucet handles and drain. Dry the area when you are done, says Jennings.
Kitchen Sink: Toss your sponge
Sponges are bacteria breeding grounds. Clean yours every few days with a five-minute soak, made with a mix of three tablespoons of chlorine bleach and one quart of water, suggests Jennings in Simple Organizing Wisdom. Zap germs by microwaving the sponge for one or two minutes. Always toss your sponge when it starts to smell, though.
Kitchen Sink: Wash dishes daily
A sink full of cups and plates will make your entire kitchen look and feel messy. Get into the habit of loading the dishwasher or washing dishes at the end of the day, or at least soak the dishes so you can quickly wash them the next day, says Jennings.
Dining Room Table: Keep it set
The dining room table can easily become a dumping ground for, well, everything! Avoid this trap by keeping your table set with placemats or a table runner and a fruit bowl or vase, suggests Jennings. Pro tip: Choose easy-to-clean fabrics like cotton or linen for your table coverings, and wash immediately after use to keep them looking fresh.
Living Room: Rearrange regularly
Steve Bowers, DO, author of Secrets of the World's Healthiest People, likes to move his furniture around every six months. It counts as exercise, and it also freshens up a room. Use different coffee tables, furniture styles, and even rugs to help make areas feel distinct, says Jennings.
Living Room: Clean and stash remotes
As one of the most fought-over gadgets in your home, remotes can be as bacteria-laden as toilet handles! “Carefully de-gunk the buttons with a toothpick, and then swab the remote all over with a disinfecting wipe,” says Jennings in Simple Organizing Wisdom. Designate a drawer or bin for your remotes-and make it a rule to return them to that spot when you turn off the TV, she says.
Living Room: Part with knick knacks
Keeping an item that you don’t like just because someone gave it to you adds to the clutter. If you are concerned about hurt feelings, let a little time pass and then quietly donate it, says Jennings.
Living Room: Put things away-right away
Try this with just one item, such as your mail, suggests Dayna Kurtz, director of the Anna Keefe Women’s Center in Manhattan and author of the Total Body Cure for Women. Gradually expand to include other items-books, shoes, etc. “Eventually, keeping items in order will become easier and more routine,” she says.
Living Room: Focus on one beautiful thing once a aay
“Truly seeing things can reduce mental clutter and help you gain greater clarity,” says Kurtz. Practice observing an object as if for the first time. It doesn’t matter what the object is-a flower, pencil, a piece of food, anything. See the colors and feel the texture. Look for the beauty-everything has at least a hint of it. Try this a couple of times during the day, and notice if you experience any greater stillness or presence in your mind, Kurtz suggests.
Hall Closet: Slim down your tote bag collection
Yes, it’s convenient to have tote bags at the ready. However, holding on to too many is unnecessary. Instead, keep one larger bag to hold all the other bags and don’t keep more than you can fit within it, says Jennings.
Entryway: Create a spot for your keys
Whether it’s a hook by the front door or a catchall near the entrance, make sure your keys have a clear destination. You don’t want to spend time searching for them when you need them, says Jennings.
Your Bedroom: Create an undressing routine
Tend to clothing as soon as you take it off, says Jennings. Hang, launder, or fold every garment-and don’t let anything hit the floor. Neglected clothing can slowly build up until it has created an overwhelming mound, she says.
Bedroom: Pare down your fitness clothing
Try on your fitness clothes, and ditch any that you haven’t worn in two seasons, have holes or rips, are so worn that they are see-through, or make you feel uncomfortable. “Your fitness gear should make you inspired to workout,” says DiDio, creator of Prevention’s Tone Up in 15 DVD. “Designate an area of your closet or dresser drawer for fitness clothing. This way you can quickly find the right outfit and jump into your workout.”
Bedroom Closet: Examine your shoes
“Worn out sneakers can hurt the arches of your feet, ache your back, and can also leave you with painful blisters,” says DiDio. “If you’re working out every day, try to rotate between two to three pairs of walking shoes, and replace one pair every four to six months.”
Bedroom: Place your shoes near your bed
“If you’re a morning person and like to exercise right when you wake up, keep your workout clothing within reach,” says Mirkin, of Fill Your Plate, Lose the Weight. If you keep your sneakers under the bed, you’ll be able to grab them fast when you wake-and then head out without having second thoughts, says Mirkin. Pro tip: You’ll move more during the day if you wear sneakers, not heels.
Bedroom: Create a work free zone
Not only do prime offenders, like your laptop, tablet, and paperwork, clutter up your space and collect hard-to-remove dust, they can also be distracting. Relocate them to another spot in the house to create space-and peace of mind, says Jennings.
Workout Space: Get inspired
“Declutter your workout area and hang up motivating pictures and inspiring quotes to help you stay motivated and focused,” says DiDio.
Workout Space: Organize your videos
“Review your exercise videos and star your favorites! This will make choosing home workouts so much easier than having to scroll or sort through all of the clutter,” says Mirkin, of Fill Your Plate, Lose the Weight.
Your Workout Space: Clear your head
When the decluttering is done, close your eyes and turn your attention to your breath, suggests Kurtz. Breathe in through your nose to a count of four and out through your mouth to a count of eight. Place one hand on your abdomen and be sure you are inhaling air deep into your diaphragm, which should gently protrude on the inhalation and deflate on the exhalation. Repeat the exercise three times, taking your time and returning your focus to the breath each time your mind wanders. Practice this exercise anytime you find yourself feeling a bit anxious, overwhelmed, or distracted.
Who knew cleaning was good for your health?