There is no use fighting this. The desire to drag a lot of valuable things into their burrow and keep them longer is characteristic of all living things, even gophers. All that remains is to relax and enjoy. You can also optimize your inventory, its position in space, and your relationship to it.
What is trash is a truly philosophical question. This is the whole point: if you understand that there is rubbish, consider that you have gotten rid of it.
Trying to identify trash item by item is a hopeless endeavor. To some, egg shells are garbage, but to others, valuable fertilizer for their favorite cabbage; to another, a bunch of old screws and bolts are junk, and to another, a future receiver with transistors. There are things that are rarely used, there are those that will never be useful, they lie and lie. Sometimes they still warm your soul, sometimes they don’t. Trash is exactly what is never used, lies like a dead weight and does not warm the soul, but only makes you want to put it away and not see it.
People aren't born trash, they become trash.
The process of turning a normal thing into trash is complex and mysterious; its reasons and features lie in our soul. This is a good thing, it’s a shame to throw it away, maybe it will come in handy. And a hopelessly out of fashion, but very high-quality coat or a bunch of children's onesies are sent to the mezzanine in anticipation of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. In a couple of years, even the illusory hopes that the grandchildren will wear it will melt away, but it’s a good thing, it’s a shame to throw it away, in case it comes in handy.
But this thing will definitely, definitely come in handy! And another board is dragged into the house, which should become a super chest of drawers self made, or a piece of fabric is bought, from which someday, when I learn to sew, I will make a dress. And it doesn’t matter that I’ll never learn to sew anyway...
But this wildly cute little thing, of course, won’t be useful at all. But she is so cute that there is simply no way to throw her away. And empty perfume bottles, coffee jars, candy boxes and old wall calendars with crumpled but wildly cute pictures are stored and stored in our house.
Sometimes very good, useful and necessary things become trash. Only they are useful and necessary not for us, but for someone else, and we, crushed by stereotypes in the spirit of “every decent family should have a crystal vase,” litter our house with cheese slicers, turbo mops, coffee sets and smart books that we don’t want to read even under pain of death penalty. All this is neatly stored in cabinets and never used in life, because it may be more pleasant to bite off a large piece of cheese and drink coffee from large mugs.
The space is very well cluttered with various (useless) little things that are rarely used and difficult to store. It’s much easier to buy new cake candles at X hour than to look for where you put the old ones.
The apartment is almost hopelessly cluttered with various large-sized rubbish. For example, an old, solid and dull wardrobe or chest of drawers. He will outlive you and your grandchildren, but your grandmother could no longer look at him without tears.
Trash- these are possibly very good, but potentially unnecessary or hopelessly outdated things. All this accumulates, occupies cabinets, mezzanines and storage rooms, collects dust, fills the living space, requires care and consumes energy. We need to get rid of all this, and the sooner the better.
Fight against trash comes down, in essence, to just two actions. First, you need to understand that this is him in front of you. Secondly, you need to find the strength to throw him out of the house. And this should be done easily, playfully, so that not only your home, but also your inner world is cleared of trash.
14 ways to get rid of junk:
- Let's play moving: While cleaning, periodically ask yourself the question: “If I were moving to a new apartment now, would I take this thing with me?” If the item is not needed new apartment, then why store it on this one?
- Matroskin's first lesson: If you want to get rid of junk and get pleasure from it, sell something unnecessary. Imagine that you have no money at all and you are forced to sell things. What would you sell first? So sell it, and use the proceeds to buy something you really need.
- Matroskin's second lesson: To sell something unnecessary, you first need to buy something unnecessary. But we won’t do this. Before you buy a big thing, imagine what will happen to it in 5 years. You can’t imagine anything good or reasonable; you don’t need this thing.
- “Boogie Woogie Throw Out 27”: Right now, get up and walk around your apartment with a garbage bag in your hands. You must find 27 things you don't need and throw them away immediately. The junk is right in front of you, you just need to look at it in a new way. Special attention Look for magazines, newspapers, expired medications, old batteries, broken pens and markers, empty cassette boxes, empty bottles, old sponges and rags, torn tights and socks.
- Throw it out by flylady: Look at the thing and ask yourself the following questions:
- Do I love this thing?
- Have I used it within the past year?
- Is this really trash?
- Do I have the exact same thing, only better?
- Do I really need two of these things?
- I love this thing because it brings back emotional memories and feelings?
- Or does she make me feel guilty and sad when I see her?
- Clear your room of anything that doesn't make you smile.
- Man is a dog's friend: Get a puppy. A kitten, in principle, would also be suitable. Everything unnecessary will be quickly chewed up and torn to shreds. Everything that you thought you needed, but didn’t hide in time, too. And now you can throw it all away with a lighter conscience.
- Organize a viper: Let's be realistic - it is impossible to achieve the ideal, completely get rid of trash it is forbidden. Therefore, let’s give our household junk a cozy place, for example, a small bedside table. And we will store all the trash in this wonderful nightstand, and only in it. Sooner or later, the nightstand will be full, there will be nowhere to put a new portion of junk, and we will have to solve the problem of which of our household junk is junk, what to put in the nightstand, and what to throw out. An authorized viper is an extremely convenient thing: the amount of rubbish in the apartment is limited, everything is in one place, and at the same time you don’t have to step on your pet peeves and completely get rid of old jars and cones put aside for a rainy day. But remember that there can only be one viper in the house.
- Dacha season: Dacha is wonderful and useful. It helps to easily and without remorse rid the house of a boring good-quality chest of drawers, out-of-fashion curtains with teapots and old jeans, but here it is important not to go to extremes and not deliberately clutter the dacha itself.
- In the best traditions: It seems that in Italy it is customary to New Year throw trash and old things out of the house. Isn't it a wonderful tradition? A holiday of renewal, a holiday of getting rid of junk. Be sure to celebrate it at least 2 times a year.
- Garbage basket: With its help it is very convenient to get rid of various small things. However, if the basket is large, then it can also help in the fight against larger trash. All the things you don't know where to put; everything that you don’t know what to attach to; everything that you think will be useful to you, but it is not yet clear how, you put in this basket. Let him lie down. Once a week, month, quarter, the entire contents of the basket are mercilessly thrown away. By that time, the really necessary things will have already been extracted from it, and everything else will be trash.
- Format the hard drive: This method helps well to deal with papers, documents, disks, photographs. Let's imagine that the filing cabinet is not a cabinet, but a hard drive that you have to format tomorrow. Everything valuable must be saved today. Everything else will be destroyed. Save what you have the strength and desire to do. These are truly valuable things. And it’s not a shame to throw away the rest.
- Worse than the Tatar: This method is similar to the previous one, but requires truly samurai endurance from the performer. First you hide everything valuable, and then you invite guests and offer to take away whatever they like from the rest. As an additional bonus, you get the opportunity not to take out the trash from the apartment - the guests will take everything out themselves.
- Gifts that are not needed: I would like to say separately about the pile of unnecessary gifts that fills our home several times a year. A napkin from Marya Petrovna from the personnel, a vase from Elena Mikhailovna from the accounting department, an apron on duty from her mother-in-law, 24 postcards “to my beloved to the class teacher from 7 “b””... It’s good if the gifts have receipts and can be returned to the store. If there are no receipts, unnecessary gifts can be re-gifted. A napkin - for my beloved mother-in-law, a vase - for Marya Petrovna. It will be more difficult with postcards, but you can also get rid of them - write on a postcard for each student words of gratitude in response and return them back. The main thing is to nip the “inconvenient and dishonest” complexes in yourself, it’s inconvenient to store all this, and it’s dishonest to throw it in the trash.
- If you can’t change the world, then change your attitude towards it: If you stubbornly fail to throw away trash, you can change your attitude towards it. For example, you can declare yourself a collector, and then your school folder with crumpled postcards will become not junk, but a collection. You can’t throw away the bronze chandelier that your beloved mother-in-law decided to keep in your apartment? Call it a family heirloom and tells guests the stories and legends associated with this antique.
When getting rid of junk, it is important not to go to two extremes: on the one hand, not to turn into Plyushkin and still rid your home of various junk, on the other hand, you must remember that, in fact, some are old and unnecessary we need things.
How longer person lives in one place, the more unnecessary things he accumulates: cute souvenirs, boxes of equipment, old things that should have been thrown away a long time ago, and other garbage that “might come in handy.” The famous blogger Leo Babauta, who promotes minimalism as a lifestyle, also suffered from this bad habit- accumulate mountains of rubbish at home, but he managed to get rid of it. Read his advice on how to “declutter” your home and why every person should do it.
One of my favorite habits I've picked up since making a life change nine years ago is keeping my home tidy without accumulating clutter. Now I understand that I always hated clutter, but I didn’t let myself think about it, because such thoughts were unpleasant.
The thought of having to clean up so much stuff just scared me, and I always found something to do or suddenly felt tired - in general, I procrastinated.
But then I decided to get rid of the trash after all; Gradually, one pile of things at a time, I began to clean the house, and everything worked out. It was just a revelation, mainly because I didn't realize I could do it until I did it. What’s even more surprising and wonderful is that along with the trash, irritation and devastation left my life.
That is, putting the house in order meant not just cleanliness, but also a peaceful life in the spirit of minimalism. Now I spend less time cleaning, maintaining order and even finding the things I need. I spend less money on things and keep less things. I hardly get attached to things.
Here is a little guide for everyone who has been wanting to get rid of junk in their home. Of course, this process will not be instantaneous, and it cannot even be called quick - it may take months before your home gets rid of junk. But if you do it right, the process will be exciting and fun, and will ultimately lead you to inner freedom and empowerment.
1. Start small
The mountains of junk can be overwhelming, so we put off clearing it out until later, which never comes. The best thing I could think of to do was to concentrate on one small point in the house and start from there.
A good example is a kitchen set, table or shelf. Clear everything at the intended point, leaving only what is really needed. Carefully put the items you need back and sort the rest. Something will have to be thrown away, something else will have to be donated or sold. Sorting will take you only 10 minutes, and you can give away things that you won’t need later.
2. Take it apart piece by piece
So, you have cleared a small part of the house from junk. Great, you will feel proud of yourself and pleasure from the task completed. But what about the rest of the house? It's still full of junk. Spend 10 minutes a day on this activity, or more if your enthusiasm awakens.
If you have free time on weekends, you can do a lot of work and clean up much more than on weekdays. If you want, you can even spend the entire weekend clearing out the trash.
3. Use a simple method
Place all items from one area of the house, such as all the drawers in your desk, into one pile. Take one thing out of the pile and ask yourself: “Do I love her? Am I using it? If not, then feel free to throw it away. The main thing is not to put off the decision until later.
If the answer is yes, find one for her. specific place, her "home". If you love something or really need it, it deserves to have its own place where you return it every time you use it.
As soon as you decide on one thing, take out the next one and repeat it all over again. If you work fast and make quick decisions, you can sort through a bunch of stuff in 10 minutes (unless the pile is huge, of course).
4. Put it in the trunk immediately
Items that are no longer needed should leave your home as soon as possible. To do this, put them in a bag and in the trunk of your car. On occasion, you will throw them away or give them to someone else. If you don't have a car, place bags of unnecessary items next to the door so you don't forget to throw them away.
5. Talk to your family (roommates)
If you live with other people, they will be surprised when you start decluttering. You should talk to them before you start. Explain why you are doing this and let them be involved in making decisions about things too.
There is no need to pressure or persuade, just try to talk, tell, maybe show this article. If they don't agree, that's okay. Remove your personal trash, just your things, and show them the results. Perhaps when they see all the benefits, they will agree to change.
6. Track your resistance
In the process of getting rid of junk, you will most likely experience internal resistance. Even if you don't use an item, when the time comes to get rid of it, there may be a strong reluctance to do so.
For example, it could be a photo of a loved one, a gift from a family member, mementos from a wedding or travel, or something else. It's amazing how we associate objects with memories and love for other people.
In fact, there is no love in these useless things - it is within you. So getting rid of clutter, leaving only feelings inside, is a useful practice.
7. Enjoy the process
If you start to see decluttering as just another boring... homework, there will be no progress. Most likely, you will come up with excuses to get rid of this unnecessary routine.
Instead, think of decluttering as a liberating process, a step toward inner fullness and clarity. Smile while sorting and throwing away unnecessary things, focus on your breathing, on your body, on your movements, on your feelings about the things you are sorting. This is a useful practice, and I recommend that every person do it.
These steps won't help you get rid of clutter in one weekend. But you can enjoy the process until you completely get rid of the clutter and your home is transformed. You'll love these changes as much as I do.
It's time to start spring cleaning! Again, you turn out the contents of all the cabinets and nightstands onto the floor and begin to sort through the heaps of trash. “It seems like you don’t need this box, but it’s so beautiful! But this blouse reminds me of student years... Magazines from the early 2000s seem to be no longer relevant, but there beautiful pictures and the recipes are interesting, although I have no desire to cook at all.”
This is how mountains of garbage accumulate in the house, of which there is absolutely no use for many years, and they take up plenty of space. How to get rid of unnecessary things in the apartment?
Every home has a bag or two of unnecessary things. Most often, the following items fall under this concept:
- old dishes, extra sets;
- outdated or broken equipment;
- cloth;
- toys;
- magazines, newspapers, notebooks with notes;
- empty jars and boxes;
- stationery;
- shoes;
- all sorts of little things like accessories and hats;
- expired cosmetics;
- pieces of furniture.
Get ready to get rid of everything that does not bring you any benefit and only interferes with your life, because it takes away free space and spoils the cozy atmosphere.
Let's start getting rid of unnecessary things: 10 unusual ways
To begin with, it doesn’t hurt to do some general cleaning and throw away everything you don’t mind. But this is just the beginning, and it will be more difficult to part with things further. Therefore, we offer you 10 techniques that will help you master the art of getting rid of unnecessary things.
Crucial 12 months
Most best way find out what things should be thrown away - keep track of what you use throughout the year. While going through the boxes, try to remember when you were in last time met with every subject.
With things in the closet, everything is generally simple: hang the clothes on hangers and unfold them reverse side. Turn every item worn at least once right side out. In a year you will see what remains untouched. If you haven’t worn it during all this time, you’re unlikely to wear it later. The same goes for other items.
Imaginary move
Imagine that the time has come to move to a modest, cozy apartment. There is little space in the boxes, so you can only take with you what you really need. Can you do without a juicer and toaster? There is a reason to get rid of them. In your “new” home, you are also unlikely to need clippings from magazines from ten years ago and cute dresses from your school days. But put your favorite shoes and folder with documents away from the trash can!
Psychology of poverty
There is a theory according to which people who lack finances to organize their lives are prone to hoarding, not money, but garbage things. This is due to the desire to leave something “for a rainy day, what if it comes in handy?”
If you do not consider yourself poor and are striving to improve the quality of your life, immediately eradicate this habit.
Soon you will notice that life is really starting to get better. Positive thoughts and a new environment in the apartment are powerful prerequisites for achieving well-being.
Create comfort
It is impossible to achieve a warm, cozy atmosphere if your home is littered with junk. From this pile, select items that can be used to make your home more comfortable and cozy. For example, hang old family photos on the wall, put a blanket on the chair, make a panel of memorable little things. And don't forget to read.
But throw everything that turns out to be superfluous into the trash. Believe me, the apartment will become more spacious and much more comfortable.
Down with broken things!
Remember the main rule: never keep broken things. These include torn clothes or broken dishes. If something was not repaired immediately, the situation is unlikely to change in the future.
Tights with a crease even after darning will not look so great. There is no need to try to glue a broken favorite cup or vase - the seams will still be noticeable, and such objects attract bad energy. In addition, there is a pleasant reason to buy something new.
Rule of ten
This is very useful and trick. Its essence is that every week you need to throw away 10 unnecessary items. For example, in 7 days, used cosmetics jars, dead batteries, a stack of scribbled papers, holey socks, etc. can accumulate. The rest will be found in the depths of the closet or on the mezzanine.
Don't forget that different types Garbage needs to be disposed of in different ways. In particular, this applies to batteries and accumulators, plastic and glass containers.
Thanks to this technique, you will soon get rid of most unnecessary things, and absolutely “painlessly”.
Gifts for no reason
Another way to part with unnecessary things is to donate them. Surely, in your closets there are purchases that are useless to you, gifts that have never been tried and other nonsense. Think about it, maybe someone you know could use it more. For example, you can buy an almost new food processor for a friend who loves to cook much more than you. Well, what if your gift doesn’t benefit her? Well, then relax, it's not your problem anymore :)
Learn to share
Children's things, books read, toys are memorabilia, but you can do without them. But there are people who lack precisely these things that are useless to you. Learn to share, no need to create a junk warehouse at home.
Find out if someone you know might need items that you have in your “stocks”.
Call orphanages and clarify the list of necessary items, or immediately directly transfer them packages with selected “goods.”
Take things to the volunteer center, so people in need have the opportunity to get what they lack.
This way you will do a good deed and parting with what you have accumulated will not be so difficult.
Source of additional income
There is another very useful way to get rid of unnecessary things in your apartment. Organize a sale! It’s very easy to do this today; you don’t need to stand in the market or in the courtyard of your house and offer goods to passers-by.
Create an ad on free sites for selling things. If an item is expensive, it would not be a bad idea to advertise it for a symbolic price.
Post an ad on your social media page. You can ask your friends to repost or send a message to thematic flea market groups.
Take your items to the consignment center. This is especially true for electronics and household appliances, as well as children's things and furniture.
An alternative option is to arrange a barter. You can negotiate with friends or on special websites. For example, you can exchange a skirt you are tired of for beautiful jewelry or a blouse in a fashionable color.
Limit the space
To prevent debris from accumulating again after general cleaning, limit the space available for storing it. The closets should be spacious and comfortable. Leave a separate drawer or bedside table for the most expensive and memorable things, select a suitcase or a beautiful box, but nothing more. Balcony, mezzanine, attic, top shelves of a closet, drawers in a chest of drawers - this is not a place for storing rubbish! Store here only what you really need.
The main thing is not to overdo it, otherwise you risk throwing away something really important and necessary. To prevent the accumulation of junk in the future, reorganize your storage system. Surely you will have a lot of space freed up, so there is a reason to make a small rearrangement and update the interior.
An excess of things clutters the apartment, negatively affects a person’s energy and well-being, and complicates cleaning. However, many physically cannot throw away the trash that is so dear to their hearts. But the more useless, superfluous and unnecessary things in the house, the more chaos in your life. They complicate cleaning and collect dust, which will negatively affect your health.
A large amount of junk worsens mood, negatively affects emotional and psychological state. Therefore, it is necessary to get rid of old things easily and without regret. The article provides tips that will tell you how to get rid of unnecessary things that are in the way and would be a pity to throw away.
Why is it a shame to throw away old things?
According to psychologists, many things become a symbol of the past for the owner. They remind you of what a person has achieved and what he has. Objects remind us of past events and people who were in our lives. They become part of a person’s life, which is why it is so difficult to throw away even a spoiled product.
Possessions can emphasize status and success. For example, designer clothes, furniture, cosmetics or other items, even if they are outdated. Especially if these things were expensive.
In addition, in the wardrobe of every girl and woman there are clothes in good condition that she does not wear. There are also new things that she hasn't even worn. In this case, it is a pity to throw away products, even if they are not needed.
This also applies to equipment that is not used. For example, a coffee maker, juicer, toaster and other auxiliary appliances that were bought just in case.
There is a rule: if you don't use an item for more than a year, feel free to get rid of it. New products or items in good condition do not have to be thrown away. You can donate items to a second-hand store or donate to charity. For more information on where to donate unwanted clothes, see.
Psychologists' studies prove that the more junk and things in the house, the lower the level of personal well-being of a person. The more he is focused on possessions, the less satisfied he is with life. Such people often suffer from depression and insomnia, and are dependent on cigarettes and alcohol.
Improve quality of life, switch to new level and you can free yourself from the past only by getting rid of the trash. We offer some tips that will tell you how to get rid of unnecessary things in your apartment.
Recognize the problem
A mountain of rubbish does not appear immediately. It accumulates over the years, at first you won’t even pay attention to it. Several signs will tell you that it's time to part with your old things. This needs to be done if you constantly put off repairs, dry cleaning or other procedures with items.
These are shoes without heels, a shirt without buttons, long trousers that need to be shortened. If you haven’t gotten around to making repairs for several months, then you can easily do without these products.
If you are constantly late, and the reason is not traffic jams or that you overslept. And this happens because large quantity clothes and accessories that cannot be quickly found or chosen. Think about it, realize the problem, and you will understand that a mountain of junk interferes with your life.
Three ways to eliminate addiction to things
- Focusing on emotions. It's better to spend money on a vacation or entertainment than on another unnecessary thing. Emotions after traveling or interesting leisure activities are much brighter and happier than from things that lose their appeal over time. Besides, they are boring;
- Understand that the quality of things is more important than quantity and variety. Less is better in this case. Agree that it is not necessary to keep six identical black T-shirts in your wardrobe;
- In the cleaning process, use a less emotional and more decisive person. Friends or relatives are not so attached to things and will easily get rid of unnecessary things. They will give practical advice on what else will be useful and what should be thrown away long ago.
Let's start cleaning
During the cleaning process, we sort things out and sort them into three categories. The first category includes products that are needed and used regularly. The second includes good, but unused things that can be given away. The third group includes old and damaged products. Such items can be safely thrown away or used as a doormat.
When sorting things out, answer how often you use the product. Perhaps you already have a similar product, but better. Sort through memorable souvenirs and items. Keep only valuable, important or antique items. You can safely throw away your movie tickets or plane boarding pass.
Do not rearrange things during the process. Immediately put each item in its right place or throw it away. How to clean, sort through clothes and accessories in a short time and effectively, read the article “How to store things correctly.”
Don't be afraid to get rid of unnecessary things! And don't think that they will be useful if you don't use the product for more than six months. The exceptions are seasonal clothing and shoes, evening and holiday dresses.
But even in this case, remove items if you have not used them at least once in the past year. Believe me, after deliverance you will not even remember this item. Below is a list of products that you should definitely get rid of.
25 things to throw away
- Damaged items (torn and stretched clothes, washed items and towels with ingrained stains, frayed bed linen, broken cup, etc.);
- Clothes that don't fit and that you haven't worn for more than 6-12 months;
- Old and worn shoes;
- Worn underwear and old swimsuits or swimming trunks, tights and hosiery with holes or ties;
- Jewelry that has lost its attractiveness appearance(jewelry with fallen stones and rhinestones, a torn chain or bracelet, earrings with a broken lock, etc.);
- Worn bags and wallets;
- Spare buttons from clothes you no longer wear;
- Old cosmetics (dried nail polishes, perfume samples, expired products);
- Old toiletries (old toothbrush, cracked soap dish, etc.);
- Stretched or torn hair ties, broken hairpins;
- Old spices and seasonings, spoiled food;
- Old sponges for washing dishes. Such products need to be changed regularly or sterilized in boiling water or a microwave, as they store a large number of microbes;
- Mugs with cracks and chips, and unused mugs in good condition can be given as gifts or taken to work;
- Empty jars and jars, containers and boxes that you do not use;
- Broken kitchen utensils, broken dishes, damaged pans and pots;
- Old pillows, blankets and other bedding. Such products need to be changed regularly, because they accumulate dirt and harmful bacteria, fat, dead particles of cells and hair. In addition, dangerous organisms and dust mites appear in objects;
- Extra hangers. Leave only the amount needed for your clothing;
- Unneeded flower vases can be re-gifted, given away, or even sold;
- Trinkets and souvenirs, a large number of soft toys attract a lot of dust;
- Appliances and electronics that you do not use or that are broken;
- Old checks and bills (receipts for utility bills should be kept for at least three years), school or university textbooks, notebooks. Postcards and invitations, unused discount cards and coupons, old newspapers and other waste paper;
- Expired medications;
- Unnecessary accessories for smartphones, tablets and other equipment, including old wires and cables, used batteries and light bulbs;
- Dried flowers.
A person born in the era of queues on Romanian walls, total shortages and goods “on coupons”, in principle, cannot easily part with things. We still don’t have the habit of inspecting and regularly getting rid of trash. What can be done to prevent the apartment from turning into a temporary storage warehouse?
How to find something that should have been thrown away long ago
Imagine that you are offering your residential interior in the “Apartment of the Week” section. To do this, you will have to send footage of the project. So do it - click all the rooms at least on your mobile camera. Now look at the result on a large monitor - this is what your apartment looks like from the outside. The photographs will immediately reveal things that do not fit well into the interior, things that are out of place or have long been asking to be thrown into the trash. Another bonus of taking photos is that you immortalized your sentimental trash in the photo. Now it’s not such a shame to throw away a dozen souvenirs from your last trip: they clog up space, but you stopped noticing them a long time ago anyway.
In addition to the photographic one, one can apply the chronological principle of discarding. Get rid of everything you haven’t used for more than a year: spices with an expired expiration date, half-empty perfume bottles, blisters with a couple of tablets (a first aid kit is probably full of these), jars with leftover cream that still won’t run out. Feel free to clear the space of stale things.
The third principle of searching for unnecessary things is spatial-volumetric. Initially, determine the volume of things you are willing to store. For example, children's crafts and drawings, first doodles: allocate a container or box for them. When it’s full, you and your child will select the most interesting works, and throw away the rest - free up space for storing new ones. Don't be tempted and don't buy large cabinets against the advice of store consultants. Remember: their task is to sell you furniture and get their percentage. And yours is to learn to store things in the available volume and not to be tempted by a large-capacity closet.
How to find the right place
Use the main rule of a merchandiser - beautiful display of goods. Yes, you have a lot of cosmetics, a lot of shampoos, a lot of keys on your dresser. But this is not a reason to hide everything in drawers where you won’t find anything or will be inconvenient to use. But simply wiping away the dust under all the good stuff, neatly grouping it (you can put it in baskets or put it on decorative plates) or simply arranging it beautifully will definitely not hurt.
Chaos is created not only by the number of objects, but also by the way they are adjacent to each other. For example, if on the wall in the hallway hang outerwear, scarves, hats, bags, a dog leash, and a children's replacement shoes, and much more, it creates a feeling of hopeless chaos. It is important that things are not just stored in their place, but that they are kept surrounded by their own kind. Let only outerwear remain on the hanger in the hallway. Place the hats on the hat shelf, and the shoes in the cabinet. Well, for a dog leash, get a personal hook.
There are always reserves for storing things, in any apartment. The main thing is to see and use them.
Under the ceiling. If you need somewhere to store rarely used items, the easiest way is to raise the storage furniture above eye level. We usually don't lift our heads up to the ceiling - this is a great place to place bookshelves. Along the perimeter of the room with an area of 12 square meters there will be a pair of voluminous bookshelves.
Above the door. We hang a shelf here 20 centimeters above the door jamb (to avoid the tunnel effect), and put things in boxes on it.
Between the wall and the closet. If you think that only an ironing board will fit into these 15 centimeters, you are wasting precious space. A system of shelves on a rail (narrow, but covering the entire depth of the cabinet) and flower containers for balcony plants will come to your aid. You will be surprised how many children's cars, cubes, soft bunnies will fit into such an impromptu floor-to-ceiling storage system. And the ironing board can be moved behind the curtain.
How to put things together rationally:
Hang everything you can on the wall. Clear the countertop of spice jars and throw away the bulky knife holder (the magnetic strip on the wall is harder for a child to reach and easier to keep clean). Even blenders are sold with holders for fixing on the wall - probably for good reason? We hang cleaning products under the sink on a rail by the trigger of the sprayer.
We hang scarves and belts in the closet. To do this, we buy a dozen rings for curtains, hook them with crabs onto the crossbar of the hanger - carefully thread a scarf into each ring. Such a hanger with scarves can already be hung on the bar of a regular wardrobe. The same can be done with belts.
Instead of jumbled boxes, place rings on a vertical paper towel holder. By the way, a cardboard cylinder from a used roll is an excellent organizer for earrings: just fill the required number of holes with an awl. On the second one you can wear bracelets. Or just buy a decorative tree-stand for jewelry and decorate your home with jewelry.
No more mismatched pillowcases and duvet covers: Stack them inward rather than on top of each other to keep the set as a set.
Marina Busel
decorator designer
The most appropriate furniture for storing a large number of different things is built-in furniture. It is made to order, and therefore allows you to take into account exactly your storage needs, style and space of the room.
There is no way to make custom furniture, but there is nowhere to store things? Buy chests of drawers! A huge number of things can be placed in drawers, much more than on shelves. In addition, chests of drawers are decorative. There is so much that can be placed on shelving, large and small. Especially if you add spacious and beautiful boxes to the shelves.
Make the most of the space in each room: raise the bed onto a small podium and use it as a closet. Or place flat boxes on wheels under the bed. You can make a closet under the stairs, using any niches. Where possible, place bedside tables and hang small cabinets. Use chests, boxes, baskets, stools with an opening top. All this can be easily moved and placed in different places using any free space. And the last tip: don’t store unnecessary things!
In any family there are many necessary and unnecessary things that we keep. You can display things in doses, but it is better, of course, not to store them in plain sight and not to spoil the appearance of the apartment. Modern furniture allows you not to create extra rubbish in the apartment - use built-in wardrobes hidden under the wall panels (both classic and modern style). Buy beds with a lifting mechanism that frees up the storage compartment, coffee tables with internal space. Don’t forget that the kitchen can also have mezzanines: cabinets can be hung in two rows, taking up space under the ceiling, which is usually empty. In living rooms you can use suitcases, chests, ottomans or banquettes with storage. It decorates the interior! Buy boxes that can be neatly stacked under the bed, above the closet, or just one on top of the other in the corner. Boxes come in different sizes and colors, so it’s easy to choose ones that match color scheme interior
Text: Svetlana Volina
Illustrations: Nastya Yarovaya