Dejunk Yourself Week Six: Misc Spaces
Garage, attic, garden and multipurpose rooms - we're coming for you
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It’s Misc Spaces Week, y’all!
If you’re lucky to have extra rooms in your house, you’re going to want to read this. Offices, attics, basements, even gardens - each of them are likely in need of a good declutter. Here’s how to do it.
This week I also received an email from a subscriber asking about multi-purpose rooms such as open-plan living rooms and kitchens, or studio apartments. These are the most difficult spaces to declutter as they err on the small side. So we’ll be tackling these too.
Vamos!
When it comes to miscellaneous spaces, many of the principles we have talked about in previous weeks apply. Take it slow. Listen to my mother and de-clutter one area at a time. Remember every item should have a place.
I won’t repeat myself. Instead, head back to week one to remind yourself of some practical tips and tricks that you can apply to your miscellaneous spaces.
Here are also some specific ideas around each “extra” room you may have in your house.
Gardens
Back when I had one, gardens were my weak spot. I could easily spend more money than I should (or even had) for pots, flowers, and garden equipment.
That is until I spoke with my mom. She has one a beautiful garden and she once told me she has spent next to zero dollars on it. She also has a little summer house in one corner which doubles up as a garden shed, and there’s suspiciously little in there.
So I asked her for her tips on a decluttered garden and garden shed. Here’s what she told me. 3 easy steps:
Stop buying garden paraphernalia. All you really need to maintain most gardens is a watering can or hose, a trowel, a spade, a small and large fork, a lawnmower, canes, and string. Most of the rest of it is superfluous (I never even owned a rake for instance).
Instead of buying expensive plants, take clippings from friends’ and family’s gardens (almost all my flowers came from my mother’s garden).
Don’t expect a perfect garden in year one. It takes time for a garden to establish itself. Don’t buy lots of annual plants to fill the space which will eventually be filled by perennials.
Again, use the 100 items list to quickly discard garden items.
Garages, attics and basements
Ah, garages, attics and basements. Where unused items go to die. I’ve seen many of them filled to bursting because it’s so easy to throw everything in there to deal with at a later date. Except…it never gets dealt with.
Here’s how to stop the cycle.
Use prevention rather than cure. Every time you’re about to chuck something in the garage/attic/basement, ask yourself if you think you really will re-use this item, or are you just taking the easy way out? Deal with it there and then.
Throw away or donate every duplicate you have, from the five boxes of nails (because you keep forgetting you already own a box) to excess bottles of paint stripper / white spirit / anything DIY-like.
Once again, use the 100 items list to find inspiration for easy discard items.
Constantly re-visit your garage, basement or attic. Don’t just do a one-time clearout and forget about it - set a reminder to get in there every few months to check what’s been used and what hasn’t in that time. I guarantee you’ll find plenty more you can discard as time goes on.
Offices
Back when I lived in the UK, I always found the little box room I called my office the worst to declutter because there are so many papers that need to be kept (by law) for so long.
But when I finally tackled it, I also found I was hoarding hundreds of documents that did not need to be kept, from old utility bills to junk mail.
Here are some practical ideas on how to tackle the office:
First thing’s first, take out all your documents. Pile them into “must-keeps, “snap then discard” (in other words keep an electronic copy but discard the paper one), and “shred”. When I did this, I cut my documents by about two-thirds.
Get organized. Use folders, colored stickers, and label EVERYTHING. You’ll thank me when your tax return rears its head.
Identify everything that belongs elsewhere and get it out of there!
Use the principles of week four’s empty drawer module to help you with your filing cabinets and desk drawers.
Use the “100 items to get rid of today” checklist for some easy office clearout wins.
Open plan rooms
Open plan rooms must be one of the hardest spaces to declutter thanks to their dual or even triple purpose. As I travel full-time, I often stay in studios or one-bedroomed apartments with open plan EVERYTHING. Personally, I love spaces like these but they do take some extra work when it comes to decluttering and maintaining an organized space:
First, know your space will not be as flexible as larger rooms. Alas, that might mean making some tough decisions on what to keep and what to throw. The smaller the space, the more organized - and ruthless - you may have to be.
Use height. I used to own a home with a tiny bathroom so we placed two shelves above the door and used wicker baskets on those shelves to house our bathroom paraphernalia. I’ve seen people string up their bicycles in their hallway. Height is a great way to gain more space in small abodes.
Think dual purpose. Coffee tables that double up as storage. Side tables that are again, also storage. TV stands that are - you’ve guessed it - storage units.
Make use of “in” instead of “on.” For instance, open shelves can look great in larger rooms (stuff “on” shelves) but in small spaces, you might be better off with a set of boxes to store items “in.”
Make use of every little bit of space. The space under my bed used to double up as my wine storage facility for instance. Those cheap plastic storage boxes were always at the bottom of my closet holding my seasonal clothing.
When you don’t have the luxury of something like a garage to shove stuff in, you should re-evaluate often. IMO it’s a good thing - the more often you take stock of what you own, the less likely it is you will reach a point of overwhelm.
Have I missed anything? If there’s a room in your house I’ve not yet covered (and you’d like me to), give me a shout at charliebrownwriter@gmail.com. I love receiving mail.
Resources
I love a bit of visualization so this week I’ve created a few Pinterest boards with ideas for these misc spaces. Maybe they’ll spark some ideas for how you can use your misc spaces.