There are some schools of thought that assume a family home has to mean a cluttered home, but it doesn’t have to be that way if you plan carefully.

As if being a parent isn’t hard enough, cleaning and household chores seem beyond measure! Every surface in your home quickly becomes cluttered and you can never seem to find anything in a hurry, but does it have to be this way? Is this the only way to survive parenthood?

There is another way

Don’t worry! It is possible to have a young family and an uncluttered home - minimalism and family life can work together to keep you sane and your little ones safe. The first step is to identify what’s creating your mess, whether it’s toys, paperwork, or your teenager’s sweaty socks - everything can have its place with a little organisation.

Decluttering the right way

One thing you can’t escape from when you want to declutter is a purge of all the unnecessary and unwanted items filling your home. Having a sort through your child’s toy box is a good place to start. Taking out those unloved toys and donating them to your local charity shop will help clear your home, your mind and also give you that feel good factor from a little goodwill gesture!

Kitchen nightmares

The kitchen is also another room where it’s worth having a good sort out. Do you have piles of baking equipment and years of good intentions that haven’t quite turned you into a Great British Bake Off candidate! Or perhaps your Granny’s old china, rarely used, is cluttering up a perfectly good cupboard that could house some chic tableware. This isn’t to suggest you should throw out possessions you hold dear, but perhaps finding a better home, stored away, will help clear the decks, and make life easier.

What to do once you’ve finished decluttering

Simply sorting the kids toys and the kitchen can be a great start towards a clutter-free home so once you’ve done that you need to think about how you are going to store the things you need or want to keep.

It’s time to start assigning a suitable storage space for everything.  This is where some handy storage could really play an important part in making your house a tidy family home; no longer a cluttered, stressful place but a safe, comfortable space that the whole family can enjoy. Better still, you will be encouraging the kids to develop good organisational habits, which can’t be a bad thing.

For those things you just can’t bear to throw away, but you just don’t have enough good storage around the home then make use of any other available space providing you don’t need regular access to your stored possessions. Attic space, a garage or even a garden shed can come to the rescue here if you are fortunate enough to have such extra storage.

However, not everyone is fortunate enough to have a large double garage or other space to fill; so safe external storage could be a good solution. There are lots of options for people with too many possessions to keep at home, such as storage companies that offer portable mini-storage units. Sometimes collection and delivery of storage units can be arranged (even sometimes for free). This can give you peace of mind as your treasured possessions will be transported by a team of professionals to a safe and secure location – no risk of breaking Granny’s china. A great solution for the overflowing family home that simply needs more room.

There you have it! Parenthood doesn’t have to mean living in a cluttered space. With a bit of effort decluttering your home you will be more organised and have more time to get on and enjoy all the fun of family life.