For most of us, clutter equates to chaos. Even if we don’t know how to manage it, or try to pretend it’s not there, clutter can affect our productivity and stress levels. Our physical environments play a major role in how we feel, behave, sleep, and even the relationships we have. If your home is in need of decluttering, try these tips—your mental health will thank you.

Take preventative measures

Once you let clutter into your home, it’s that much harder to get rid of it. Before an impulse purchase, ask yourself if you really need it, or if it will just take up unnecessary space. Similarly, free gifts seem appealing in the moment, but more often than not they wind up collecting dust on a shelf. Make sure junk mail and magazines go right into the recycle bin so they don’t stack up on the counter or encourage you to read through and buy more.

Keep your closet organized

Normalize cleaning out your closet more often—it doesn’t just have to be an event that only occurs when you’re moving. If you haven’t worn a piece of clothing for a full year, ditch it. Put a small shopping bag in your closet so you can easily toss old clothes into a bag to drop at good will every so often. Also, try to implement a “one in, one out” policy when buying new clothes. Knowing you’ll have to get rid of something in your closet will make you think twice before impulsively buying something new, plus it will keep your closet from getting cluttered with clothes you don’t wear.

Invest in storage pieces

Make sure everything in your home has a dedicated space—invest in quality storage pieces that will keep your stuff in place and organized. Check out this thoughtfully-made list of functional pieces that will elevate your organization at home. Like anything else, make sure to shop smart when it comes to those staple storage pieces, too many will cause even more clutter at home.

Clutter can be overwhelming, and it’s hard to part with things you’ve had in your home for years on end! If you need extra helping hands getting your clutter under control, schedule an at-home deep clean with Alfred today.