10 de-cluttering tips to make the most of this lockdown

With the COVID-19 lockdown, those lucky to stay at home would momentarily take a break from their work from home setup —  the distress of developing news stories — by cooking, streaming movies, and Tiktok dancing. But there is one useful activity you can add to this domestic roster: De-cluttering.

It’s a great home project, especially if you have been putting it off for the past few years. 

Besides, the act of de-cluttering and clearing your space can benefit your mental wellbeing, especially if you are in a small home.

Are you ready for ECQ Week 3's project? Here are ten tips to help you do it properly. 

Photo by Arnel Hasanovic on Unsplash

1. Set unnecessary items aside, put the important ones out

“First, your home needs to be purged of items that you don’t use regularly to make way for things that are essential to this lockdown,” advises interior decorator Grace Moslares of Magara Designs.

She cites breakables, multiple decorative accessories, and other dust-catching ornamental pieces as unnecessary for now, adding that an excess of such items can make your home harder to clean and disinfect. Dispose of these decorative items or set these aside in storage. 

“Your essential household items these days include soap, alcohol, hand sanitizers, disinfectants; gather these and put them in a box where everyone in the house can easily access them,” the decorator adds. 

2. Prep an “Emergency Center”

A pandemic is an emergency, and you and the rest of the household should be prepared. If you have a shelf or table near your main door, you can assign it as your “Emergency Center.”

Remove the contents of the shelf or table, and use this spot to store your essential sanitizing items like alcohol, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant (“You can recycle an old container for this purpose,” says Moslares), as well as other items like boxes of disposable masks or gloves for the designated family member who needs to head out for supplies or food.

You might also want to add a foot-pedal-operated trashcan nearby for the disposables of anyone heading back in.

3. Remove dark and heavy pieces to lighten up

If you have a heavy feeling about you daily, it’s not just because of the fear of infection—the reason may also be that you have too many heavy, bulky, dark-colored pieces. 

“Keep all of your excess throw pillows, thick sofa throws, heavy drapes, fluffy rugs and carpets, and replace these with minimalist décor like light-colored pillows and easy-to-maintain mats,” says Moslares. “This will make your daily cleaning much easier, plus your space would feel light and airy which is important during this emotionally heavy time. Let your home ‘breathe.’” 

4. Add some greens for positivity

Once you’ve lightened up your home, you might want to bring some of your outdoor plants inside. “Place plants throughout your home, since these exude positive energy,” says Moslares. Aside from its decorative and uplifting aspects, specific plant species can also help filter your air.

5. Return things to their proper place

If you’ve been missing that single sock or set of keys, now is the time to hunt them down. “De-cluttering helps channel my anxiety and nervous energy into something productive,” says Pierra Labrador, a writer and fashion journalist of Fifi’s Finds. “But afterwards, be diligent about returning things to their proper place so clutter doesn’t accumulate again.” 

6. Throw away useless papers, bills, receipts to prep your WFH spot
A clean and clear work station can help you focus and boost your productivity. If you’re working from home, organize your work station first. Do away with paper and supplies from months past. 

“Take out all those old bills, envelopes, and paperwork from your table and drawers, especially if these are more than a year old,” says Moslares. “Free up the space for your new, more important Work from Home office files.”  

7. Recondition your shoes with this brilliant trick

If you purge your shoe closet, don’t forget to clean and disinfect the remaining pairs. Lifestyle journalist Liza Ilarde gives an unusual but brilliant tip of how to condition your remaining shoes: wear a different pair each day around the house!  

“Otherwise, they might crumble when it’s time for you to wear them outside,” says Ilarde. “Start out with your leather shoes first, since these are the most sensitive to humidity.

8. Organize a more practical dresser or makeup table

You won’t be going out anytime soon, so organize a makeup table or bathroom counter that is more efficient for the times.  

Take out all your beauty products and sort through them. Immediately throw away any expired makeup or product. Put opened products front and center so you will use these first. Stash away all your evening makeup in drawers, and place skincare products such as moisturizers, serums, and sunscreen in an easily accessible spot. And since you have the time, wash and disinfect your makeup brushes, and wipe down your mirrors.

9. Save the mementoes for last

 “It’s important to start de-cluttering with things you can easily let go of, to get the momentum going,” says Labrador. “For me, I leave the sorting of journals, photos, and letters ‘til the very end, otherwise I’ll be stuck in nostalgia and never get anything done.” 
 
10. Finally, prepare a space for reflection

Clear out a quiet corner of your room, or a small console or altar table “…to make way for a prayer and reflection area where members of the family can spend a few minutes alone in or together,” suggests Moslares. “Because in this situation, faith may be the only thing we can hold on to for now.” — LA, GMA News