Freeing up extra space

Now that we are well on our way to enjoying spring, it is not uncommon to find your home a little cluttered in the post winter period. There is a good reason people often talk about giving their homes a good spring cleaning, but nowadays, that seems to revolve more around getting rid of all that clutter. If you are feeling like your home has gotten smaller over the winter, try freeing up some extra space by following these handy tips:

Get stuff off the floor. You can instantly make any room feel less cluttered by freeing up some precious floor space. Try using a corner entertainment center to organize your home theatre system, put those magazines on a bookshelf, and try relocating decorative fixtures to tables or shelves.

Store your winter clothes and free up closet space. You can purchase simple rubber storage containers at just about any home store and many are designed to fit under the bed. During the winter, do the same with your summer wardrobe.

Don't be a pack rat. Most people have a hard time getting rid of old stuff even thought they never use or wear it. If you are drowning in stuff you no longer use, consider donating it or holding a garage sale. If you are unsure as to whether or not you should get rid of something, try to remember the last time you needed it. If it was more than a year ago, there is a good chance it is just taking up space.

Take it one room at a time. Instead of clearing up a little space here and a little there, completely organize one room at a time. This will help prevent you from simply moving stuff back and forth.

After you have done your Spring clean up remember a good rule is when one item comes into the home another one has to be removed. Easier said than done!

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.