Easy decluttering hacks that’ll keep your home organised

Cleanfluencer Anita Birges has encouraged Australians to declutter their homes in lockdown while taking cues from her organised pad.

As the pandemic continues to keep Australians confined to home, “cleanfluencers” are scrubbing up well on social media with tricks on how to keep a tidy, organised home.

And what initially started out as tips on how to fold your towels has swiftly become serious business for some influencers, who earn hundreds of dollars to help clean up all of our acts.

Anita Birges, who has 18,000 followers on Instagram, has encouraged Australians to declutter their homes in lockdown while taking cues from her organised pad.

“Research shows that clutter produces high levels of anxiety and depression, so take some time to put your things away in their rightful place,” Birges says.

Anita Birges.

“You’d be surprised how many calories you can burn while cleaning and decluttering your home.”

Organisational experts say that summer can be an ideal time to tidy your home.

And by following a few easy rules, this season’s focus on sorting out and packing away could be much easier and quicker.

“This year has been the year of home organisation, with customers using the extra time at home to tidy and get organised,” Bunnings storage category manager Sharyn Petrzela says.

“Our storage range has seen significant growth in demand with wardrobes, cube storage and storage containers being top picks as customers seek to reorganise their current spaces, like wardrobes and laundries, and create new ones like home offices.

“With social media providing lots of inspiration and organisation hacks, we are seeing customers’ appetite for small and decorative storage growing as they look for options that will add both style and function to their space.”

Follow Birges’ simple tips to create calm where there was chaos.

ROOM BY ROOM

A good starting point with decluttering is approaching it room by room. And don’t forget those parts of the home that are out of the way such as the pantry and the laundry cupboard.

Birges says if there are items you can’t decide upon, or feel guilty giving away, put them out of sight in a large storage box. The box can be reassessed every year.

“Break things into bite-size pieces and make sure you allocate an adequate amount of time for each project,” she says.

“For example, a bedside table takes much less time to declutter and organise than a pantry.”

In the kitchen, focus on one shelf or section at a time. Pull everything out, throw out any food that has passed its expiry date, or you know you won’t use. When you put it all back in the pantry, group items in categories.

“Labelling is important when setting up a new organising system in any area of the home,” she says.

STORAGE SOLUTIONS

Birges says top tools for decluttering include nylon checked storage bags — great for donations, boxes for recycling, sturdy garbage bags and large containers to help you sort.

“My reverse hanger hack will cut your decluttering time in half when it comes to your wardrobe,” Birges says.

“Hang your clothing with the hangers facing the opposite way every time you wear an item. Hanging items on the back of a door can also free up so much clutter. It’s great for shoes, toys, art supplies and bathroom storage.”

CLEVER CLEANING

Birges recommends taking everything out and giving each area a proper clean.

“A good disinfectant like King Mist kills 99.9 per cent of germs and viruses,” she says.

Natural products can work just as well and are good for the environment. A few drops of tea-tree oil in water make a natural disinfectant. Bicarbonate soda can be used as a gentle abrasive and also to help clear drains.

Bosisto eucalyptus oil can get stains out of carpets, disinfect surfaces and clean floors. It also helps freshen clothes in the washing machine.

Wrap a Chux Superwipe around a butter knife to clean hard-to-reach places, such as under the fridge.