By Jerri Perry
If you have a tendency to collect things, you probably have some issues with space and clutter. This is especially true if you live in a small space. A room or a studio apartment can easily become overrun with Elvis tribute records, Beatles songbooks, or Tori Amos cd singles.
The clutter issue can apply not only to deliberate collections, but also to the kinds of things that just pile up accidentally, like magazines and dvds. Any of these things can create problems in a limited living area.
You often hear people jokingly warning each other not to become "Hoarders" like the people on the tv show. Your home is a window into your personality, and when people visit you, they make assumptions based on what they see. No one likes coming into a completely disorganized space, especially when they are seeing the home of a significant other for the first time. Here are some ideas for decreasing the amount of clutter.
The clutter issue can apply not only to deliberate collections, but also to the kinds of things that just pile up accidentally, like magazines and dvds. Any of these things can create problems in a limited living area.
You often hear people jokingly warning each other not to become "Hoarders" like the people on the tv show. Your home is a window into your personality, and when people visit you, they make assumptions based on what they see. No one likes coming into a completely disorganized space, especially when they are seeing the home of a significant other for the first time. Here are some ideas for decreasing the amount of clutter.
1. Throw away old or unnecessary items. This can be tough, but you have to be tough, too. If you have invested time and money into your collection, you may not want to get rid of anything. But if you are honest, you will have to admit that there are some things that are either damaged, or for some other reason no longer valuable. Look for these things in your collection, and get rid of them.
2. Sell some of your stuff. Again, this may not be easy. But be honest with yourself about the attachment you actually feel to your collection. Do you really still want this stuff, or are you just keeping it for nostalgic reasons? CDs, for instance, can be easily tranfered to a computer or an ipod. You can still keep all that Tori Amos music, and maybe also make a little bit of money online from people who are still collecting.
3. Place some stuff in storage. There might come a time when you really do have the space for all of your stuff. For this reason, it is worthwhile to keep things that really are important to you. However, they do not have to be in your immediate living space. You can reduce your clutter by storing them in a rented storage locker or an attic or basement. You can always bring them back out when you have the space to deal with them.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Whether your collection consists of cds and songbooks, Elvis tribute records, or first edition mystery novels, you can follow the tips above to make it organized and keep your living space neat. When you
2. Sell some of your stuff. Again, this may not be easy. But be honest with yourself about the attachment you actually feel to your collection. Do you really still want this stuff, or are you just keeping it for nostalgic reasons? CDs, for instance, can be easily tranfered to a computer or an ipod. You can still keep all that Tori Amos music, and maybe also make a little bit of money online from people who are still collecting.
3. Place some stuff in storage. There might come a time when you really do have the space for all of your stuff. For this reason, it is worthwhile to keep things that really are important to you. However, they do not have to be in your immediate living space. You can reduce your clutter by storing them in a rented storage locker or an attic or basement. You can always bring them back out when you have the space to deal with them.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Whether your collection consists of cds and songbooks, Elvis tribute records, or first edition mystery novels, you can follow the tips above to make it organized and keep your living space neat. When you
3. Place some stuff in storage. There might come a time when you really do have the space for all of your stuff. For this reason, it is worthwhile to keep things that really are important to you. However, they do not have to be in your immediate living space. You can reduce your clutter by storing them in a rented storage locker or an attic or basement. You can always bring them back out when you have the space to deal with them.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Whether your collection consists of cds and songbooks, Elvis tribute records, or first edition mystery novels, you can follow the tips above to make it organized and keep your living space neat. When you live in a small place, it is sometimes difficult to decorate it the way you want to. You have to make some compromises, but you can definitely have an organized and welcoming space.
4. Display what you keep in an organized fashion. Regardless of what you store, sell, or throw away, you will probably still have a small excess of stuff. Find creative ways to display it on shelves. Get it off the floor and out of the way. This way, when people come into your home, they will see a purposeful display rather than a jumbled mess.
Whether your collection consists of cds and songbooks, Elvis tribute records, or first edition mystery novels, you can follow the tips above to make it organized and keep your living space neat. When you live in a small place, it is sometimes difficult to decorate it the way you want to. You have to make some compromises, but you can definitely have an organized and welcoming space.