6 Ways to Declutter Your Life
Art Credit: Haruka Sakaguchi
With the lull of the holidays behind us, some of us may be struggling to settle back into our regular routines. A good way to regain control over our daily lives is to organize our surroundings and cherished living spaces. Here are 6 handy tools to declutter your life:
01. Collapsible Storage
Canvas boxes and knit hampers are sturdy enough to contain your belongings in a tidy fashion—better yet, they can also be neatly collapsed when not in use. Invest in a stylish basket or a box set of various sizes to compartmentalize smaller objects in your living room and bedroom. Our favorites are the Umbra Round Crunch Can and the luxurious Canvas Organizer from Schoolhouse Electric & Supply Co.
02. Shower Curtain Hooks
Shower curtain hooks take up significantly less space than hangers. Organize your scarves, belts, and shoulder bags by using these mini “hangers” to keep both your clothing and accessories displayed in an orderly fashion. Pictured: Split Dual Shower Curtain Hooks from Bed, Bath and Beyond.
03. Mason Jars
A disorderly pantry or cabinet shelf leads to overstocking or food gone bad. Keep your kitchen storage organized by investing in clear canning jars to store your tea, spices, and dried goods. Varied sizes and awkward packaging tend to take up more cabinet space than necessary, but the uniform mason jars are stackable and more aesthetically pleasing. These jars also reveal stored contents and supply levels in one quick glance. Keep leftovers in their original packaging and consolidate them in a separate bin to refill the jars when needed. Mason jars can be found in many hardware stores and select grocery stores for around $13.99 per pack of 12.
04. Magnetic Knife Rack
Magnetic knife racks can double as wall-mounted racks for metal objects such as keys and pocket knives. This is a more compact alternative to the standard key rack, which holds fewer keys and takes up more wall space. We love the GRUNDTAL Magnetic Knife Rack Strip from IKEA.
05. Magnetic Makeup Board
Consolidate your blush palette, eyeshadow pots, concealer—pretty much everything in your cosmetic bag—on a magnetic “makeup” board to keep your beauty tools visible and organized. That’s right, no more rummaging through a dusty makeup bag for that exact shade of eyeshadow. Simply glue a magnet on the backings of compacts and makeup pots and stick them neatly on the board. Apply the same treatment to film canisters to store awkwardly shaped items like lip liner and eyeliner pencils. Our favorite is the SPORTAN Magnetic Board from IKEA.
06. All Purpose Cleaner
From countertop cleaners, to floor cleaners, to Windex, the area under the kitchen sink tends to become a formidable jungle of chemical-filled plastic bottles. Clear up some space down there by opting for an all-purpose cleaner instead. The All-Purpose Spray from the Common Good ($7.99) cleans dirt and germs from any non-porous surface and is Leaping Bunny certified with 100% pure essential oil scents.
