Stevens Riley - Cleaning Hacks 5x 6 in 1: Learn Organization Strategies To Simplify Your Space In 7 Days How To Declutter, Clean Your Home Fast, Maximize Your Space

Chapter 1

Getting Started

With the economy still in the tank and not looking like it is going to get better anytime soon, many people are downsizing not only their homes but every area in their life. Although it may benefit our bank accounts to live in a smaller space, we still have to find a way to actually live in that space with everything you own and all of the items you have to have.

We are going to learn exactly how you can do this so that you can enjoy your smaller space without having to feel as if you are being overtaken by your possessions.

1. The first thing you want to do is choose a space to begin in. We will go through the different rooms later in this book, but once you choose what room to start in you need to decide what you want to do in that room. For example, if you need a work area in your living room, you want to make sure you note this, you will also need space to relax and enjoy your family as well as any other activity you would like to do in that room.
2. You want to begin thinking about how you can double up the function of any piece of furniture that you have in your home. Even if you just use under the furniture for extra storage. One example of this is placing storage containers under your end tables or coffee tables in order to use them for storage. You could place your throws, extra pillows or even your family photo albums. Whatever you need to store can be placed in these containers. You can choose to use clear or colored containers depending on the style of the room you are working in. This can also be done under beds and I have found it to be very useful in childrens rooms. Simply purchase a few containers that are short enough to slide under their bed but still long and wide. Place all of the childs toys in these containers and clear up space in their bedroom. You can also use this strategy with seasonal clothing.
3. Make sure every piece of furniture in your living space counts. A lot of time when we have a larger living space, we tend to accumulate a bunch of non-functional furniture just to fill up the extra space. Howeverwhen we downsize we need to understand that it is time to get rid of non-functioning furniture. Every piece needs to serve a specific purpose and that purpose needs to be one that benefits the living space. This also needs to be taken into consideration when it comes to d cor. You do not want your home full of a bunch of decorations that are doing nothing more than taking up space and making the space feel overly crowded. Of course it is important to have your space decorated so that it is comfortable and we will talk about decorating your small space later in this book.
4. Get rid of the big stuff. I will never forget the first time I walked into one of my friends small apartments, she was recently divorced and used to living in a large house. The furniture in the apartment was so large that it left no room to move around. You may end up having to sell your large furniture and purchase smaller furniture but you will be glad you did when you are actually able to walk through your living space. Another benefit to the smaller furniture is that you will be able to clean your space much easier. That was one issue that my friend was facing, she could not understand how my apartment that was the same size as hers yet looked so much larger and was always so clean. The simple answer was that my furniture fit the space I was living in.