A home is a place where, at the end the day, we return to relax, and be cozy. That is why we, as homeowners, must know how to preserve the comfort of our abode and protect it from any untoward circumstances including pests.
Pests may invade any household and many authors claim cleanliness or hygiene is not solely responsible for a pest infestation. Nevertheless, a cluttered home is more attractive to pests. Where there is clutter, pests will have more spaces to hide and breed.
Part of making a household worth living in is keeping it pest-free and properly maintained. Speaking of home maintenance, pest control maintenance is something that should be included in our regular itinerary. Besides other things such as plumbing maintenance, observing pest control measures is an important task a homeowner must do.
Getting Rid of the Clutter
Clutter pertains to anything that is no longer useful. It could be unused toys, old clothes, empty boxes, nonfunctioning appliances—anything that no longer matters in your life. Removing these waste materials in the nearby dump is necessary to make room for things that are valuable. Also, it will lessen your stress levels that come as a result of unwanted clutter.
When there is too much clutter in the house, you will have difficulty finding misplaced objects. Moreover, you can have an accumulation of dust and mold if you hoard too much stuff, which is harmful to your health. In addition, pests like bed bugs, dust mites, rodents, and cockroaches are drawn to clutter. Hence, decluttering helps greatly in reducing and eliminating potential hiding spots for those pesky critters. To make your decluttering a lot more effective, these tips and tricks can be your guide:
- Make a plan and checklist of things you will get rid of along.
One should create a good action plan to get things organized and done properly. A checklist is one way to get started especially if you’re new to decluttering. You need to have a list of things you want to keep, let go, recycle, etc. and have specific plans with regard to the timelines of your decluttering. A master plan and a checklist will make things a lot easier.
- Start by removing clutter one space and one day at a time.
You can spend even 5 minutes a day to declutter. Start with a few items per day and increase the number of these items as time passes. To make it more convenient, focus on one room per day as well. You can imagine the difference it will make after a year of removing those stuffs that are no longer needed.
- Donate old stuff (i.e. clothes, shoes) you no longer wear.
Another trick to declutter your home is to donate items you don’t need to those who need them. You will feel fulfilled knowing and seeing that your old stuff is becoming useful to someone and is in a new home.
- Host a garage sale.
Now, this is not only a good strategy to let go of your clutter at home. It is also a practical means to earn money. If you’re up for it, go and enjoy a day or two where you can sell all your unused items at home. You can check out a designated date where you can have a garage sale in your neighborhood.
- Get a buddy.
Having someone like a friend to help with decluttering is a wise move to make. Your friend can make sensible suggestions about items you must keep and things you should give away without personal biases. This tip will make it easier for you to decide what to get rid of and what to store and keep in its proper place.
- Sort out the clutter and use boxes.
One organized method for decluttering your home is to sort out all items you want to get rid of. Four boxes labeled with “Give Away,” “Trash,” “Keep/Store,” and “Relocate” will serve very useful. Thoroughly check every single item and place each inside the box it belongs. This scheme will allow you to realize what really matters and what doesn’t.
Decluttering is a healthy way to ventilate your home and keep it bed bug free. If you feel the need to finally declutter, you have to sleep on it first. Moreover, you need to enjoy the times that you are setting some things free and get a new start with a clutter-free home.
