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Simple Hacks for Hiding Clutter

Wednesday, July 15, 2020
by The Hat Team


They say that a cluttered environment leads to a cluttered mind. Clutter overloads your senses, just like multi-tasking overloads your brain. And overloaded anything leads to stress and anxiety. And with everything going on in our world right now, the last thing anyone needs is more stress and anxiety! With that in mind, here are some simple, inexpensive ways to hide the clutter in your home, leading to less mess and less stress! The Cost of Clutter in Your Life

  • Use toilet paper rolls to store cables and cords. This is a great way to keep your cables and cords organized.  Simply wrap them around your fingers, stuff them into the toilet paper rolls, then place them in a basket, container or drawer. You can even label what each cable/cord is for on the toilet paper roll!
     
  • Put shelves in the corners. Corner shelving not only looks nice, but it is a great space saver.  Put those empty corners to use and utilize shelves to hold books, plants, toiletries or anything you may want to display.
     
  • Take advantage of the space under your beds.  Invest in some under-the-bed storage and you will be amazed at how much you can “hide” under there!  It’s a great place to store out of season clothing, extra sheets and towels and anything else you want out of sight.
     
  • Get shoes out of the way by purchasing a shoe cabinet. If your family removes shoes when entering the house, you can end up with footwear scattered everywhere. A shoe cabinet in the foyer or entryway will provide an attractive piece of furniture that will keep the floor free of shoes.
     
  • Choose furniture that will double as storage.  For example, many ottomans open and have space to store things like blankets, pillows, magazines etc.  You can also find end tables that have drawers and shelves, or a chest-style coffee table that has storage inside.
     
  • Use a vanity tool holder in your bathroom.  It’s easy to let a bathroom get cluttered; especially if you have a small vanity with little space.  You can get many items off the counter by using a vanity tool holder that hangs on the door under the sink. Hair Tool Storage
     
  • Create multi-level storage by using a decorative cake stand in your bathroom.  Depending on the number of levels on the cake stand you can have up to three times the space for your personal hygiene and make up items.
     
  • Do you have a tiny shower?  If you have no room in your shower for your shampoo, conditioner and soap, try using a shower curtain with pockets.  This will prevent you from having to place your shower items on a surface outside the shower.

Use these easy hacks and destress by decluttering!

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: wbfj.fm

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How to Declutter in a Snap!

Wednesday, May 30, 2018
by The Hat Team

A cluttered house can be overwhelming.  You might be frozen in fear of decluttering because you just don’t even know where to start.  When you’ve worked all week and you finally have some free time, the last thing you want to do is clean up the house. But trust me, once you declutter, you will be able to enjoy your free time more in an organized and tidy home.

Decluttering doesn’t have to be a massive, time-consuming project.  There are small projects you can do in 30 minutes or less.  Pick one or two projects a week and in no time clutter will be a thing of the past!

- Edit one bookcase - If you have collected a lot of books over the years and you have them spread throughout the house, sorting through them all at once may not be practical.  So, start with something more doable - one bookcase.  Have an empty box or shopping bag handy and fill it with books you no longer want or need.  When you’re done, immediately put the box/bag of books in your car and plan to drop them off to donate.  Here are questions to ask yourself while doing this:

  • Have you read the book?  If not, be honest with yourself - do you think you are likely to ever read it?
  • Did you enjoy the book?  If it isn’t a favorite, pass it on.
  • Will you reread it, refer to it or lend it out?  Nope?  Let it go.

- Clear the kitchen counter - The poor kitchen counter.  It’s a dumping ground for all sorts of stuff: school notices, hair ties, shopping bags, receipts, etc.  Don’t worry! You can  Get Rid of Kitchen Counter Clutter! You just have to start somewhere.  Recycle unneeded papers and put away items that belong elsewhere.  If you need a drop-spot on the counter (because face it…you’re probably going to put more stuff there tomorrow), make it a clearly defined zone to prevent clutter sprawl in the future.  A cute bowl for pocket change or a decorative tray or basket for mail will look nice and keep things neat and orderly.

- Make space under the kitchen sink - If you haven’t looked under your kitchen sink in a while, you might be surprised to discover that it has become a storehouse for random cleaning products, plastic bags and miscellaneous tools.  Pull it ALL out!  Give the cabinet a good cleaning.  Then only replace the items that you actually use, that are full and in good condition.  Recycle empty containers, and move items that belong somewhere else to their appropriate spots.

- Create a calm oasis on your bedside table - How can you rest peacefully when a cluttered nightstand is the last thing you see before closing your eyes to go to sleep?  And chances are you start your day feeling discombobulated because the disorganized mess is also the first thing you see in the morning.  Clear away the toppling pile of books, scribbled notes and old water glasses.  Wipe off the dust - it’s time for a fresh start.  Replace only your current reading, a journal and pen and perhaps a meaningful photo in a frame or small vase of flowers.

- Go through your wardrobe one drawer at a time - Trying to tackle your whole wardrobe at one time will feel like a staggering task.  Instead, set a timer for 30 minutes and start with a single drawer.  Keep working your way through your clothes one drawer at a time until the timer goes off.  Eliminate items you know you won’t wear anymore.  If they are in good condition, pack them up to donate. 

- Simplify the linen closet -  If your linen closet is a jumble of towels and sheets that you’ve been accumulating for years, it’s time to purge some of the old ones.  Take 30 minutes to sort out your household linens, pulling your least favorite (or most frayed) sets to have picked up by a local charity. Find charity organizations who pick up donations here: Donation Town

- Clear your desktop - It’s next to impossible to concentrate when you’re trying to work at a desk with a mountain of “stuff” on it.  Set a timer for 30 minutes and have a desk clutter-blasting session.  Sort and file important papers, shred and recycle unneeded documents, test the pens in you pen cup (hint: throw out the ones that don’t work), and clear out the drawers.  Work tasks will be much more pleasant with a neat and tidy desk

If you are decluttering to prepare for listing your home for sale, let experienced Realtor Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you in understanding how to stage your house to sell!  Call them at 334-834-1500 today!

Photo Credit: organizedmom.net

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Tips for De-cluttering Your Bathroom

Wednesday, February 8, 2017
by The Hat Team

De-cluttering any room in your house can sometimes feel like a huge job to take on but for some reason de-cluttering the bathroom can seem to take on a whole life of its own.    Truth is there are many items in our bathrooms that we no longer use.   Take an hour or so to go through your bathroom with this list of tips for de-cluttering.

  1.  The first tip to de-cluttering your bathroom   is to do what was just mentioned, take the time to go through your entire bathroom looking for items you no longer use.  If you haven’t used an item in the past week you should consider either getting rid of the item or at least finding a spot for it that will help to cut down on clutter in the bathroom.
  2. Another tip for de-cluttering your bathroom is to throw out old toothbrushes.  Some folks may not know this but you are supposed to change out your toothbrush once every three months to keep it from forming bacteria.   If you want to keep your old toothbrushes you could do so and perhaps use them as cleaning tools in other areas of the house.  You might find that they are good for such things as cleaning in between tiles and other small areas that you can’t otherwise reach.
  3. Take a look in your bathroom medicine cabinet when de-cluttering your bathroom.  If you find medications that have expired, go ahead and toss them in the garbage right away. 
  4. Another tip for de-cluttering your bathroom  is to toss out any old makeup or nail polish you may have stored away in a drawer.  Old makeup and nail polish will not work like it is suppose to so there is no use to keep it around. 
  5. If you have a lot of half empty shampoo and/ or conditioner bottles laying around your bathroom you can use what is left in them to refill your soft soap container.  Throw out all the old bottles once you have used their contents to help de-clutter your bathroom in a great way. 
  6. If you have a lot of hotel soaps, shampoos etc, why not toss them into your gym bag and use them there to help make your bathroom less cluttered. 

De-cluttering your bathroom is quite simple really; you just have to take the time to do it.  Once you do, I am sure you will like the clean fresh feeling you have as a result.  

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.   

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