January 2016 www.womanthismonth.com 48 After a long month of celebrations, January may seem a bit dull due to lack of activity. Hence many people make home improvement their pet project at this time of the year. It seems like the ideal thing to do – a fresh year calls for a refreshed look and, most importantly, it’s your chance to eliminate the clutter that an action-packed December leaves behind. Home organisation is one of those essential and ongoing tasks that is just as frustrating as it is gratifying. You might detest the idea of having to go through kitchen drawers or sort through the closets, but you know you’ll be pleased with the end result. BEDROOM We’ve all been there (I can definitely say that for myself); overflowing drawers, floors in disarray and a messed up bed. A new study warns that a messy bedroom disturbs sleep, can increase stress and aggravate mental illness. So in order to sleep and feel better, get cleaning. Start with the wardrobe; it’s the heart of a well kept bedroom. Go through the clothes and get rid of anything that doesn’t fit or you haven’t worn in the past few month. Be ruthless; if it’s too difficult to do it yourself, get help. Pick an organisational system for your LIFESTYLE | home CUTTING THROUGH CLUTTER clothing; all the pants in one area, collared shirts in another and dresses in another. You can even further break down categories by length, occasion or season. Get a good variety of hangers including trousers hangers and the non-slip ones. Now, if you’re channelling Monica Gellar, arrange the sorted clothes by colour. This makes it really quick to sort through your wardrobe and pick out what to wear. Shelf your bags or hang them on either clothing hangers or hooks on the wall or a door. Keep drawers tidy by folding everything neatly (for as long as you can). Another place where things tend to pile up is the night stand, so choose one wisely with an in-built shelf or a drawer. Go for beds that have storage space, to hide away out of season clothing. Utilise the space at the footboard for storing blankets and linens. If the last year was all about clutter make the new one about getting organised. Ankita Mamgain tells you how to start the New Year on an orderly note.
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