When it comes to decluttering my home, it can seem like a neverending task. And while I’ve tried and tested every decluttering hack going, it isn’t too long before I fall back into old habits again. From the FhiFho method to ‘hushing’ my home, I’m yet to find one to which I’ve stayed loyal.
That was until one particular hack caught my attention. The ‘house purse’ organization trick has been around for a while, after going viral on social media, and offering a savvy way to keep your home tidy.
Intrigued by the name alone, I decided to give it a go to see if it would make any difference to my daily routine, and make organizing less of a chore. Here’s what happened.
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What is the ‘House Purse’ organization hack?
Woman picking up pile of books on table (Image credit: Shutterstock)
So what exactly is the ‘house purse’ decluttering method? If, like me, you’re imagining a Mary Poppins style bag full of endless random items, you’re not too far off.
As the name suggests, the ‘house purse’ stays indoors at all times, and could be anything portable to store your essential clutter. This could be a storage caddy, dedicated small bag/backpack, or even a pencil case.
The idea is that rather than having items that you regularly use cluttering up your spaces, just keep them all in one convenient place to carry around the home. This could be small things like phone charging cables, tissues, pens or other handy items.
Rather than having items that you regularly use cluttering up your spaces, just keep them all in one convenient place to carry around the home.
That way, you have everything at hand, and won’t have any items cluttering up a space that’s not suitable for them. But while it sounds like a simple idea in theory, how did it work in practice?
I finally tried the ‘House Purse’ decluttering method
House purse with items inside (Image credit: Future)
Admittedly, I’m guilty of always leaving items around the home. Be it hand cream, comb or USB cables/chargers, my well-curated shelves would often become a dumping ground, creating an unsightly mess.
With that in mind, I decided to reinstate an old transparent travel bag (that had been collecting dust) to be my new ‘house purse’. Here I stored all my essentials that I usually reach for on a regular basis — lip gloss, battery pack, hand cream and chewing gum, so that everything was in one convenient place. What’s more, my shelves finally looked clear, tidy and clutter-free again. Win-win!
For the next few weeks, I carried this bag around the home to make things easier to find my essentials. And while it took some getting used to (I’d often forget it in one room), I found it super useful to have at hand.
Plus, I no longer wasted time frantically searching for my phone charger, as it was easy to find inside my ‘house purse’. You can even have a caddy or bag in each room, so that all of your essentials are kept there and in reach. In fact, this idea is probably one of the easiest and simple decluttering tips I’ve tried.
There’s absolutely no excuse for ad hoc items cluttering up your living room, shelves or surfaces ever again!
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