By: Lifestyle Desk | New Delhi | Published: July 11, 2020 1:13:23 pm Small spaces should be seen as an opportunity and not a deterrent. (Source: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

It is hard to focus on a healthy lifestyle with clutter crowding your home. Whether you are trying to get a good nights sleep in your bedroom or be productive at your work from home setup or casually unwind in your living room, with clutter sneaking around from every and any corner, it is near impossible. Space has always been a hot commodity, no matter if you live in a dorm or a condo. With a few tricks, here are an easy-on-the-pocket and a quick guide to bid adieu to clutter in a jiffy.

Go multi-functional: An ottoman or a table with in-built storage is your cue to quieten the chaos of your cluttered abode. For instance, you can stack away your books or charging cables and non-essentials in that storage space when not in use. Keep it minimalist at the top with clean lines.

Do you really fancy dining on the dining table or working at a proper desk but cant because of space constraints? Well then, fret not, folding tables are the answers to all your worries. These multi-functional units come with built-in storage where you can display and/or store your cutlery or books.

Think vertical: By simply lifting furniture, clutter, and everyday objects up and away from the floor, space can instantly feel lighter, wider, and detoxified. Opt for sleek wall shelves to display your memoirs, frames, curios, etc, which would otherwise find a home in every nook and corner. Leave those windowpanes and tabletops empty by curating a vertical garden to add some buoyancy to space hang the planters on the wall with the help of a wire or rope or you can just simply hang them from a net.

DIY effect: Utilise that empty space under the bed to store items like steam iron, extension cables, paper bags, footwear, etc. Instead of just dumping it down there, bring out those good old cartons or shoe boxes and use them as storage units. Organise each item categorically before you tuck them away; label each box for convenience, Saloni Khosla, Head of Spatial Design, Pepperfry. For instance, if you are opting to tuck footwear under the bed then put all the sneakers in one box and your heels in another. Take an old bedsheet or a t-shirt and stitch it from three sides leaving one side open and hang it up on the sides of the wardrobe or bookshelf to store your magazines or files or socks in a tidy manner, she said.

Designate a clutter drawer: Remember Monicas secret closet from the iconic sitcom FRIENDS? No matter how storage savvy you are, you will end up having clutter accumulating in small pockets. The idea is to assign one drawer or cabinet to become a place to store items that you may not use and yet do not want to throw away.

Look above: Out-of-the-way areas like the empty space above your wardrobes or cabinets can often prove to be surprising yet useful storage spaces. Use transparent boxes to store your old paperbacks, toys, or seasonal clothes, et al. Stack them up and use every square metre to optimally use the space.

Declutter Ask Yourself, What Do I Need?: Decluttering has a domino effect which enriches both living spaces and your well-being. Do away with all those items which you have not used in over a year. Clearing out even a few items will make you feel calmer.

A little bit each day: People often say that they do not have enough time to do any organising, but everyone can find 10-15 minutes in their day to focus on at least one small space or project. You spend 15 minutes going through a drawer, a shelf, or a room. In a small room, 15 minutes might be all you need to make a big impact.

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