10 Ways to Help Mom Around the House
Our moms have done so much for us through the years. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to return the favor. A great way to let your mom know how much you appreciate her is by helping her reduce the stress by reducing the clutter that comes after years of accumulation. To keep her from giving all the stuff to you and thus cluttering your home, here are 10 decluttering tips you can use to help your mom. And thankfully, using self-storage in Kelowna makes it easy.
3 Tips for Helping Mom Get Started
The thought of letting go of heirlooms and prized possession can be overwhelming and even emotional. Here are three tips to help your mom begin.
Tip #1 - Start with a plan
Before a single item goes into a box, it’s best to sit down with your mom and create a plan. Set a goal for when you want the entire project finished and how often you want to work on it. For example, you might decide that it will take about six months by working every Saturday morning for about three hours. Make sure your plan is realistic and visible in the home.
Tip #2 - Break it into smaller projects
How can the project be divided into smaller projects? Maybe your mom wants to tackle the house room by room. Maybe it will be best to start with trash, then a donation, and then deciding what to put in storage units. Storage is a great way to de-clutter because it can delay the difficult decisions.
Tip #3 - Make a to-do list
Sit down and create a to-do list. Ideas may come later as you work on the project. That’s okay, just add them to the list. Some action items might never get done, that’s okay too. It’s quite rewarding to see a list that has been crossed off, so make sure each item is simple and easy to do.
4 Tips for Decluttering Mom’s Home
Now with a plan in place, it’s time to start decluttering. Here are 4 tips to make the job easier.
Tip #1 - Begin with the end in mind
The first place to start is where the items will end up, your self-storage unit. Make sure it is organized and clean before you add more boxes to it. If you don’t feel like you’ve got enough space for additional items, look into getting another unit. Airport Village has lots of pricing options to fit everyone’s needs.
Tip #2 - Start with the easy decisions
Decluttering can be an emotional journey. Looking at rarely seen items can bring back a flood of memories and unexpected emotions. Start with items that don’t have a lot of sentimental value, like garden tools. These can easily accumulate in a garage and usually don’t become precious heirlooms. Using the Family Handyman’s creative garden tool storage ideas, you’ll have a nice clean section of the garage to motivate you to de-clutter the rest of the house. Don’t forget to store the off-season tools so that you can keep your garage clutter-free. If you use Airport Village in Kelowna, self-storage of those tools is a great solution.
Tip #3 - Set aside items that spark emotions
As you are helping your mom declutter a room, an item might surprisingly spark a memory and derail the flow of the project. To keep up the momentum, let your mom know that you’ll set it aside in a special pile and get back to it later. Stopping to cry or tell a story about each item can be draining and lengthen the process. It’s better to do all of those at once at a later time.
Tip #4 - Set aside items in self-storage
Sometimes it can be hard for Mom to decide whether something should stay or go. This is when the phrase “out of sight, out of mind” comes in handy. Put those items in a special box and label it “undecided.” Then put that box in self-storage. Decide in advance how long the item will remain in storage, for example, one year.
On the one year date, bring the box back out of storage and see if the decision is easier to make. Most likely, the item will be easier to let go since it hasn’t been in the home for a while. If she’s still struggling to make a decision, remind her that getting rid of the item doesn’t get rid of the memories.
3 Tips for Maintaining a Clutter-free Home
Now that your mom’s home is clutter-free, and you want to help her keep it that way. Here are three tips to help your mom keep the clutter away.
Tip #1 - Make a wish list
Shopping is fun and a great way to reduce stress. But it can also be a great way to bring clutter back into your home. Instead of shopping, show her how to create a wishlist instead. Many online shopping websites allow you to create a wish list or save an item for later. Just like you store some undecided items in your self-storage unit, you can keep unpurchased items stored in a cart. If after a few days or weeks, your mom still wants the item, then she can purchase it knowing she really will use it.
Tip #2 - Designate a donation space
Going through the entire home looking for items to donate can be overwhelming. It’s much easier to have a permanent space in your home where you keep a donation pile. Maybe it’s a box in the closet for clothes. Or a spot hidden in the laundry room to put items you know you don’t need. When the box is full, drop it off in your storage unit. When you have enough boxes to make it worth the trip, donate them all at once.
Tip # 3 - One in, one out
Replace don’t add items. It’s an age-old rule that really works. Every time your mom buys a new dress, encourage her to find a dress in her closet she doesn’t wear anymore. When you buy your mom a vase with flowers, see if she has an older vase she can give away. It’s amazing how the clutter stays away by following this simple rule.
As you can see, in Kelowna self-storage makes helping Mom declutter her home so much easier. Airport Village has many units and pricing options to choose from. Make sure you plan to help mom declutter by getting the right-sized unit today.
