Whether it’s a random assortment of bits and bobs floating around or an ever-growing collection of stuff, even those of us with the tidiest of homes have a ‘to sort’ pile. More than a third of Australians say the amount of clutter at home bothers them and it’s hard to know where to begin with organising it, especially with kids at home and a house full of devices, piles of paper and random school and craft projects.
We spoke to experts to help solve common clutter pain points and rescue those little areas of your home from becoming the family dumping ground.
How to Declutter Your Tech
Tech content creator Aliesha Boyce shares her tips for how to tidy and refresh all your digital clutter.
Use an External Hard Drive to File Your Photos
“If you have thousands of photos and videos on your phone, the first thing to do is sort them all into albums on your phone so they’re not jumbled up. Then you can either back them up onto external storage devices or delete the ones you don’t need. You can also use an automation app, like Shortcuts, to create a shortcut that organises, for example, all your screenshots once a week, and it puts them into an album for you,” says Aliesha.
Do a ‘Cull and Tidy Afternoon’ for Physical Tech
Never short on cables and leads, but never able to find the one you actually need? “Firstly, sort all your adaptors and cables. Categorise the separate ones like USB-C or USB-A, and then make a recycling pile of any leads that don’t work or aren’t very powerful,” says Aliesha. If you need to keep multiples of some, she recommends keeping one shorter length and one longer length. “Then get storage containers, loop cord straps and a label maker to keep them organised but on hand and put away anything you only use for travel.”
Did You Know: Overwhelmed by your old tech drawer? Officeworks makes it easy to responsibly recycle or trade in your old devices. Visit our trade-in page to see if your device qualifies for an Officeworks gift card. If not, bring your device to your nearest Officeworks store and hand it to one of our team members in-store for recycling.
Clean Your Tech With Care
Regularly cleaning your screens and devices of dust and toast crumbs extends the life and quality of its performance. “The number one rule is to be very careful with liquid around your tech,” says Aliesha.
Here are her tech cleaning tips:
- For screens: Use a microfibre towel. Spray your screen cleaner onto the towel first and then clean the screen.
- For ports: Use an air duster spray. “That’s the most important thing. I would never be sticking anything metal into a port, because you don’t want to damage the pins.”
- For keyboards: “I like to use a soft-bristled make-up brush or the ones you get in tech cleaning kits – just make sure it’s soft.”
How to Streamline Your Digital Subscriptions
Aliesha’s number-one tip is to turn off auto renewal payments “To stay on top of my subscriptions, I make sure to only have one active streaming subscription at a time. Or I’ll use prepaid gift cards to make sure I'm not overspending on services I don’t need. There's times that I have bought editing software, and I’ve only needed it for six months, but I have to get a yearly plan. So I make sure I turn off the auto renewal.”
What to Try
- Lenovo Legion Cleaning Tool Kit
- Keji Cable Box
- J.Burrows 20 Piece Electronic Cleaning Kit
- Keji Hook and Loop Cord Straps Black/White 6 Pack
- Brightwipe Screen Cleaning Wipes 10 Pack
- Otto 3 High Desktop Drawers Acrylic Clear
- Keji USB-A to USB-C Cable 1m White
- Otto Landscape 2 Drawer Cabinet Black
- Laser Clean Range Pressurised Air Duster 400mL
- Keji Micro USB Cable 1m
- Seagate 4TB Expansion Portable Hard Drive
- DYMO LetraTag 100H Handheld Label Maker Blue
SEE ALSO: Make Your Device Last: Screen Protectors, Battery Life and More
How to Declutter Your Art and Craft Supplies
Claim back your dining room table with these clever storage solutions for all your hobby items with professional crafter extraordinaire Alexis Teasdale, founder of The Festive Co.
Designate a Main Storage Space
Whether it’s cube shelving or a cupboard with storage tubs, keeping all your supplies in one spot keeps them tidy and stops the slow spread all through the house. “I love a fillable trolley! It’s the hardest working part of my craft studio. It's so easy to wheel around the space and I can move it from table to table,” says Alexis.
Invest in Clear Containers
“I use clear plastic containers to separate my coloured markers, paint brushes, palettes and paints. Put them at the top [of your storage space] as they need the most room,” says Alexis. Smaller clear storage boxes with compartments are also great for keeping loose items together like beads, ribbons, hot glue sticks and googly eyes. Being able to see everything stops duplicate buying and makes your craft setup faster.
Add Stackable Drawers or In-Trays for Paper
“When it comes to paper crafts, I love a trolley with sliding drawers. It keeps it all neat, but importantly, clean and wrinkle free! Drawers are also great for smaller craft items too like gift bags, ribbons, twine, glue sticks and labels,” says Alexis. Plastic baskets are another great option for paper storage.
What to Try
- Ezy Storage 4.8L A4 Clip Lock Storage Container Clear
- Keji 12 Compartment Organiser Large
- Keji Small Storage Tray 800mL 4 Pack White
- J.Burrows 9 Drawer Chrome Trolley Clear
- Really Useful Box 16 Box Organiser Rainbow
- Born Craft Box Aqua Glitter
SEE ALSO: Expert Tips for Home Organisation
How to Declutter Your Kids’ Artwork
As hard as it is, you're going to have to Marie Kondo that stack of precious paintings and drawings into three piles: 'keepsake’, ‘photo book’ and ‘circular file’ (aka the bin). And if that scribble from your toddler does really bring you joy and needs to stay, we have a plan for that – here’s how to transform your children’s creations into forever pieces and useful everyday items, with Officeworks Print + Create.
Design Custom Wrapping Paper
Kids get a thrill from creating cards for their friends, but for extra squeals of delight, they can design their very own wrapping paper. Simply upload a photo or scanned image of their art, drop it into a template and you’ll have custom wrapping paper sorted in minutes.
Make a Mug or Shirt
Your morning coffee is already a highlight of the day, but why not elevate it with your kid’s cutest or funniest creation on your mug? Another fun idea that’s great for gifting: a personalised T-shirt. You can showcase just one feature artwork, a series of them or impress your child with their artwork inside a heart shape.
Create a Photo Book
Collate artworks and all the toddler scribbles you can’t bear to throw away into a delightful coffee table book, or gift it to a loved one as a sentimental keepsake. Just choose your preferred book size, cover type (hardcover or softcover) and paper finish, upload images of the drawings or paintings, then personalise pages with backgrounds and text.
Frame a Masterpiece
Creative framing isn’t just for photos. You can get digital images of your child’s art printed in a range of sizes and formats, including canvas prints, photo tiles and metal prints, so you can create an at-home art gallery. Or upload art to a digital photo frame that will keep kids entertained with a rolling slideshow of their creations.
Personalised items require 7 to 10 business days for printing. Express same-day photo gift printing available at selected stores. Same-day photo gift orders must be placed in-store at the photo kiosk.
