Tips: how to declutter your home
RE/MAX Southern Africa shares tips on organising your home after the holidays.
As the new year begins, many of us find ourselves surrounded by the aftermath of holiday celebrations – from scattered wrapping paper to piles of unused toys and post-vacation souvenirs and knick-knacks.
Luckily, with just a bit of planning and organising, you can start the new year with a clean and clutter-free home.
According to Adrian Goslett, the regional director and CEO of RE/MAX of Southern Africa, some homeowners might even be able to put off the need to sell if they were to organise and declutter the home.
“Often, a property has more floorspace than we realise if we simply use all available spaces and integrate clever storage solutions,” he suggests.
To help homeowners start the year fresh and clutter-free, RE/MAX of Southern Africa shares these post-holiday home organisation tips:
• Sort, pack and store holiday décor
Designate a specific space in your home to store seasonal decorations, making it easier to find them next year. Be mindful of the storage space’s climate to ensure the longevity of your decorations.
As you take down decorations, assess each one’s condition. Streamlining holiday décor can help free up space and ensure you only keep the items you love. Donate items still in good condition to a charity to use as decorations for next year.
• Organise home stationery supplies
Wrapping gifts, textbooks and school workbooks at this time of year brings a lot of messy stationery supplies. Rather, get on top of this before the school and work year starts. Set aside some time to pack away all holiday wrapping and get organised.
Buy that 2024 diary and desk calendar, and spend time setting up your home office space so you can stay on top of all the year’s events – the more pleasant you make this space, the more likely you are to use it and keep it clutter-free.
• Deep clean
After a month of at-home get-togethers and festive celebrations, the home probably needs a thorough cleaning. This includes clearing out the fridge and sorting through the kitchen cupboards to pack out any holiday leftovers.
Have the carpets deep-cleaned to keep them looking pristine. Hire a high-pressure hose to clean the home’s exterior, including paved driveways and dirty roof tiles. Regular maintenance of these aspects will protect the home’s resale value and (hopefully) prevent the need for costly repairs later down the line.
“Post-holiday home organisation is an excellent way to start the new year with a sense of order. By decluttering and investing in clever built-in storage solutions, not only will you ensure your home remains a haven of tranquillity throughout the year, but you will also be safeguarding the resale value of your home – keeping it sale-ready if the need to sell ever suddenly arises,” Goslett concludes.
