As we journey through life, we acquire wisdom, we gain friends, and we gather memories. We also tend to accumulate ‘stuff’! Heirloom furniture handed down through generations, special gifts we’ve cherished for years, photo albums, souvenirs, keepsakes and mementos…
And whilst the sentimental value of these things can’t be measured, sometimes the sheer volume of items we collect over a lifetime can become a little overwhelming. That can be especially true if they are not organised, filed, displayed or utilised as they should.
As the old adage goes; “Cluttered house, cluttered mind”, and there’s some real truth to that saying. Studies suggest that clutter can affect your mental health, anxiety, sleep quality, and concentration levels.
Words of wisdom from our residents…."Objective is to downsize, therefore by definition you need to release yourself from clutter and shackles, which you may have needed when running a family home, however in later living such processions are no-longer required… try and focus on the way you intend to live your life in the future."
So read on as we show you how to declutter your home with the help of some clever storage hacks.
"Start the decluttering process as soon as possible, as it may take a several visits to family members, charity shops, recycling centres etc."
First things first
Before heading to the shops in search of storage solutions, it pays to start with a thorough clear out. Take it room by room and enlist the help of family and friends to sort through your belongings. Throughout the process, keep the words of designer William Morris in mind; “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful”.
Sort items into distinct piles – things that you wish to keep, things that can be passed on to family and friends, given to a charity shop, sold online, or put in the bin. When you’re happy with your remaining items, it’s time to think about how you can store them safely, organise them intelligently, or display them appropriately. Here are 10 ways to do so…
Top 10 storage hacks
- Don’t waste an inch: Custom built shelves, bespoke wardrobes and built-in cupboards can utilise every spare inch of space. This is especially true if you have any awkward angles, nooks or crannies that are currently under-utilised.
"Study floor plan and conduct a furniture placement exercise prior to your move – this gave us the opportunity to utilize favourite pieces of furniture that could be transported to our new home before the decluttering process began."
- Get organised: Use drawer dividers to organise your belongings – from your undergarments to your gadget chargers – so you can see exactly what you’re looking for at a glance, without the need to rummage around.
- Take it to the top: For items that you don’t need access to on a regular basis, store them up and out of the way. Add a bookshelf above your doorframe, for example, and run it right the way around the room for an instant in-house library.
"Consider beds with storage below the mattress – be it draws or the full base."
- Opt for multi-functional items: Items that serve more than one purpose offer win-win storage solutions. An ottoman in the bedroom, for example, can be great for storing bed linen and towels, and also double up as a window seat and a relaxing spot to read a book. One in the hallway can be a handy place to sit and remove shoes, and store them away too.
- Operation rotation: Get into the habit of packing out-of-season items away. Place winter coats into vacuum pack bags and store in the attic or under the bed as soon as spring arrives to free up wardrobe space, and do the same with summer outfits when the season turns.
- Label your boxes: It’s no good investing in storage boxes if you have no idea what’s inside them. Choose clear plastic boxes so you can see the contents, or label each box with a description or a photo so you can find what you need with ease.
- Make a feature of it: Peg boards and cork pinboards are great for hanging and artistically arranging jewellery, mementos and photos.
- Up and over: The back of a door offers a much under-rated storage space. Add hangers and hooks for clothes and shoes in the bedroom, and toiletries and laundry bags in the bathroom.
"Focus on the 3 main living areas first i.e Living/Kitchen/Bedroom – any additional room can be used as a temporary holding space for removal boxes to work from in your own time."
- Get clever in the kitchen: To save space, suspend fruit and veg in hanging baskets. (Remember the macrame craze in the ‘70s? It’s making a come-back!) Install a magnetic strip on the wall for safely storing knives and utensils. And add a dowel rod and hooks to hang mugs, pots and pans to declutter your countertops.
- Repurpose, reuse and recycle: Think twice before you throw out any old jam jars, tupperware, boxes or bags. They might just provide the perfect place to store buttons, threads, pens, cosmetics, or tools.
"Homes provide a generous utility space, plus additional storage cupboards with shelving installed, which are deceptive in size. By utilizing wall space within, you can add additional storage racks/shelves from floor to ceiling to maximise available space."
Discover intelligent design in a Brio Retirement community
Every home within Brio’s three retirement communities has been thoughtfully designed to maximise the space within. From the flow of the floorplan to the contemporary fixtures and fittings – careful attention has been given to every detail.
Each property offers the perfect blank canvas for you to put your own personal stamp on, so you can surround yourself with the things you love and feel truly at home. To find out more or to book a viewing, head to our Contact Page.
"Brio Properties are by design light and modern, therefore large furniture may not be best suited and you may wish to use this opportunity for a complete fresh look and therefore invest in furniture to compliment your new home...hold onto sentimental objects which will give you pleasure on display, rather than your original furniture that served you well in your family home for many years."
Retirement today means something very different to what it did 10 to 15 years ago. It’s now the time to do all those things you’ve been putting off.
Find all the inspiration you need to make positive lifestyle changes that last at one of our Integrated Retirement Community’s; Beechwood Park in the Cotswold’s, Button House in South London and Landale Court, close to Aberdeen.