January is the time for fresh starts. And the beginning of the New Year is a great time to focus on decluttering your Las Vegas home. If you are thinking of selling your home in the near future, it is wise to de-clutter your house and get things organized ahead of time. But even if you are planning on staying put for a while, decluttering is still a great idea, because it is one of the best ways to simplify your life.
Luxury homeowners who live in communities such as Tournament Hills, Southern Highlands, or The Ridges may be especially motivated to declutter their homes for some of the following reasons:
More Space and Openness: A cluttered home can make it feel smaller and less spacious, which can be especially problematic for luxury homes that are meant to feel grand and open.
Decluttering Equals Less Stress: Decluttering can help to create a more peaceful and relaxing environment, which is especially important in a luxury home where homeowners may want to escape from the stresses of daily life.
More Aesthetic Appeal: A cluttered home can be visually unappealing, which can detract from the overall aesthetic quality of a luxury home.
Easier Maintenance: Decluttering can make it easier to clean and maintain the home, which is especially important for luxury homeowners who may have high standards for cleanliness and upkeep.
Greater Organization and Efficiency: A cluttered home can make it difficult to find things when they are needed, which can be frustrating and time-consuming. Decluttering can help Las Vegas luxury homeowners to keep their houses more organized and efficient.
Virtually everyone who is reading this most likely agrees that they should declutter and organize their home and that the start of the New Year is the perfect time to do it. But there are some obstacles that often stop people from getting started.
For one, many people do not know where to start. And secondly, people often think they do not have the time to declutter their home because it will take too long.
These concerns can easily be overcome with the right mindset. The most important thing to keep in mind is that you do not have to accomplish all of your decluttering in one day. In addition, there are a number of tried and tested hacks that can allow homeowners to declutter their homes far more easily than they may have realized.
Here are some of the most useful decluttering hacks to help get your home organized in the New Year:
Start Small
Begin by tackling one room or area at a time, rather than trying to declutter your entire home all at once. This will make the process less overwhelming. Start with a small space, such as a closet or kitchen drawer. This will help you build momentum and make the process feel more manageable.
Set a Timer
Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and see how much you can declutter in that time frame. This helps to stay more focused and motivated. Using a timer is also helpful because it allows you to divide your time into segments that you can more easily manage.
For example, it is much easier to imagine doing 15 minutes of decluttering rather than thinking about it in terms of countless hours that may be needed to finish the whole job. Complete your tasks using small and easy chunks of time, and you will find that the work is far less stressful.
Use the “One In, One Out” Rule
For every new item that you bring into your home, make sure to get rid of one old item. This helps to keep the clutter at bay. Along the same lines, when you think about an item you may want to purchase and bring home, consider how much you have used similar items in the past.
For example, you might be fascinated by the latest treadmill or elliptical machine that you see at the Galleria at Sunset. But before you buy it, think about how much use you got out of your last piece of exercise equipment.
Is the type of equipment really the issue? Or is there something else that is keeping you from fulfilling your exercise goals?
Invest in Efficient Storage Solutions
Having a designated place to store everything can make a big difference in keeping your home clutter-free. Consider investing in storage solutions such as bins, baskets, hooks, cabinets, and shelves to help keep things organized. Label each bin, basket, or cabinet with its contents to make it easier to find what you need.
Along the same lines, whenever possible, use clear storage containers. Using clear containers can make it easier to see what is inside, which can make it easier to find what you need and keep your space organized. You should also consider investing in storage-friendly furniture, such as beds with built-in drawers and other storage areas to help maximize your available space.
Make a Plan for Donating or Selling Unneeded Items
As you declutter, make a plan for what to do with the items you no longer want or need. Donating to a charity or selling items through a garage sale or online can help to declutter your home and in some cases, provide you with a little extra cash. Go through your belongings and get rid of anything that you no longer need or use. Doing this is one of the best ways to declutter your home and make room for new things.
Don’t Be Afraid to Let Go
As you consider what items you need to donate, sell, or send out with the garbage, do not be afraid to let go of things that you have been hanging onto for impractical reasons. For example, it can be difficult to part with sentimental items, but it’s important to remember that they are just things. Consider taking a photo of the item or writing down the memories associated with it, then let it go if it is no longer useful for you to keep it.
Use Vertical Space
In some places of the home, it might make more sense to go up (vertically) rather than out (horizontally). Make use of vertical space by installing shelves or hanging organizers where appropriate. This can help you make the most of your storage space and keep your things better organized.
Create a Designated Space for Everything
Make sure you have a designated space for everything in your home. This will help keep your home organized and clutter-free. For example, if you find that your home is constantly cluttered with new items, designate a specific spot for them when they are brought into your home. This could be a basket or shelf that you use to temporarily store incoming items until you have a chance to find a permanent home for them.
Along these same lines, another idea that is worth considering is to create a designated place for donation items or items that you might be able to sell. Having a special place to put the things that you are sending out to charity or listing for sale can help make the entire decluttering process much easier and more efficient.
Use Your Smartphone to Store Important Receipts and Papers
You can significantly reduce the amount of paperwork in your home by taking photos of important papers and receipts and storing them on your smartphone. There are, of course, important things such as birth certificates, that you must retain a paper copy of. But for many others, a digital copy will suffice.
Invest in a paper shredder and get into the habit of photographing paperwork that you want to save before shredding it. Then use a digital filing system such as Evernote to keep things organized on your phone. If you are concerned about losing digital paperwork, you can regularly back up your files to a cloud, external hard drive, or even a flash drive that has a good amount of memory.
Set Aside Time Each Week to Declutter
Make decluttering a regular part of your routine by setting aside a specific time each week to go through your things and get rid of anything that you no longer need. By doing this weekly, decluttering will become a habit that, like regular exercise, you might actually enjoy and look forward to.
Questions about Luxury Homes in Las Vegas? Contact the Knoch Group Today
Americans make a lot of New Year’s resolutions every year, and most go by the wayside within the first couple of weeks. If there is one resolution that is well worth keeping, it is decluttering your home. Doing this will not only give you a less cluttered home, but it will also give you a cleaner and more organized life.
Whether you need to de-clutter to simplify your life or you are thinking about selling your home, the Knoch Group is available to answer any questions you may have. Our founder, Ryan Knoch, is one of the top luxury home brokers in the Las Vegas area, and he can provide you with advice to help you map out a plan for where you want to be in 2023.
Call our office today or send us an online message for to speak with Ryan about your home.
