If you’re living on a modest income in a big city, then you might struggle to create the space you need to thrive. In fact, even those who are reasonably well off might find it difficult to create the required space. Clutter can quickly accumulate, and the effect on your mental health might be considerable. If you’re working from home, this might be a particular concern.
So, what can we do about this? There are a few different approaches to consider.
Think What Really Matters
Before you get started, it’s worth reflecting on your priorities. There may be certain items that you reach for every single day. Others might be used more infrequently. Some might never be used at all. If you don’t use something, and you honestly know that you never will use it, then it’s probably time to get rid of it.
Once you have a good feel for these categories, you can begin the process of moving through the home, and clearing out the spaces within and around it.
Making Room
Once you’ve decided what you’d like to keep, you’re left with the challenge of finding a home for it all, in a way that minimises clutter in your living areas. This might mean being creative with built-in storage furniture, and getting the best from your loft and garage spaces. Items of furniture that serve multiple purposes, like Ottoman beds and storage chests, can make a big difference to the amount of space available elsewhere in the home.
In some cases, it’s worth looking at storage solutions outside of the confines of your home. If you’re based in the north, the self-storage Manchester has to offer might be exactly what’s required.
Keeping Space Long Term
Generating space in the first place is one thing. But even if your decluttering process is flawless, and you successfully create a home that’s perfectly clean and tidy, you might still end up back where you started – if you don’t adopt the right habits. This is where the people you live with can do a job holding you to account.
Set up a schedule for regular decluttering and cleaning, and adopt a ‘one in, one out’ policy for new purchases. Books are notorious for piling up, once we decide that they’re worth reading. But you can only read one at a time!
