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Have you ever felt that clutter around your office makes it difficult to work? Or do you find it challenging to function in your kitchen when your space is untidy? Do you have trouble unwinding when your living room has toys strewn about? If so, you are like most people!
Scientifically speaking, it can be difficult for your brain to feel at ease when there is visible clutter or chaos in your surroundings. You likely feel a significant difference in your level of contentment when your home is clean versus when it is in disarray, and your outdoor living space is no different.
Your patio, deck, or balcony should be a tranquil outdoor living area where you can relax, unwind, entertain, and spend quality time with your loved ones. Therefore, it should feel functional, neat, and tidy.
Below, we share tips on reducing patio clutter to make your space a place you, your family, and your guests love to be. We talk about how to use your space and offer steps you can take to work through your clutter and find ideal storage solutions. We also offer insight into creating a sustainable system to manage messes.
Read on to learn more!
Before you make any decisions about how to declutter your outdoor living area, you should consider your unique space and decide how you want to use it going forward. Establishing your priorities will help you decide later about what to keep, purge, store, upgrade, or rearrange.
Your patio should suit your lifestyle and be arranged and organized in a way that works best for you currently. This may mean pivoting from what worked previously, and it will likely continue to evolve over time. Therefore, if your patio no longer feels comfortable or relaxing, always start by evaluating if your setup is serving your current needs or if it needs an upgrade.
For example, your old partying hotspot may predominantly become an outdoor play space after you have children. Or perhaps your friend group or family has grown over the years as people got married and had their own children, creating a need for more seating. Alternatively, you may be a recent empty nester or retiree wishing to add a hot tub or create a more luxurious lounge space.
Once you have a clear idea of how you plan to use your patio this season, you can start implementing some of our next tips!
When decluttering, it can be easy to get overwhelmed by the little things. That is why we recommend looking at the biggest items first. Large items like your patio sectional, sofas,
chairs, dining furniture, patio swings, loungers, and firepit tend to take up the most space. It is also typically easy to identify if they are dated, worn, rusted, or simply just in the way.
If you determine that an item is underutilized or dated but still in decent shape, plan to sell, donate, or gift it to a new home. If it is broken or no longer usable, leave it at the curb or take it to the dump (depending on your local waste collection rules).
If you decide to replace your large items, opt for high-quality patio furniture and décor that will last for many years to come. Come in and speak with a patio furniture expert at Cottage Culture.
Often, the little items or functional, everyday tools create a feeling of clutter. They accumulate over time and can make tidying up feel overwhelming. It is best to dedicate blocks of time to sifting through smaller items. Then, if you still need, want, and use the item – keep it! If not, toss it, sell it, or donate it to a good cause.
Purging can be tricky, so identifying broken toys, old garden décor, unused gardening tools, duplicate kitchen utensils, or extra pillows and cushions is a great place to start. From there, you can further decide what needs to be readily accessible still and what could realistically be stored inside or put in a bin in the shed or garage.
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Once you have evaluated your space and purged unwanted items, you can start planning how to elegantly display or store things that used to create a feeling of clutter. For example, some items can go inside patio storage boxes, and others may be tucked away in stylish patio accessories like baskets.
If you decide you would like to add a storage box to your patio, we love the Gaster Storage Box in white or anthracite or the Grasse Cushion Box in black or white. Both options allow you to store cushions, toys, towels, tools, or anything else you want to keep handy but out of sight.
If your space is small or you would like to reduce the amount of patio furniture you have, consider opting for multi-function patio furniture. Look for sofas, sectionals, or stools that provide hidden storage options or that can serve more than one purpose.
For example, add a cushion to the top of your storage box to create extra seating or turn your fire pit into a coffee table with the 24-inch Modern Cube Steel Table Top. You can also find planters that double as rain barrels.
Opting for these types of creative storage solutions is a great way to store your items without sacrificing style. They also help you keep frequently used items within reach.
While we are clearly big fans of reducing the amount of unneeded stuff lying around, we also know that sometimes the problem isn’t the number of things at all. Sometimes, the issue is that your patio furniture simply does not fit your space.
For example, your outdoor furniture and décor may be too large or have patterns that detract from the overall aesthetic of your patio space. Or perhaps the colours of some selections clash with your home’s exterior, creating visual chaos.
Ideally, you want to have patio furniture and décor that complements each other and creates the vibe you are going for in your backyard. Therefore, if something feels off, consider upgrading your patio furniture, re-evaluating cushion colours or patterns, or replacing décor that is throwing everything off.
While working on decluttering and organizing your outdoor living space, do not forget to utilize your garden shed or garage fully. Likely, not all of your patio items actually need to be on, well, your patio and can instead go into storage somewhere else on your property.
Perhaps you only need to have your extra loungers out when your grandkids come over for a swim. Or maybe you only use your firepit or larger garden tools once a month. In those cases, consider if those items can go in your garden shed or garage instead.
Consider utilizing shelving and bins to give everything a neat and organized home. Add labels to your bins so you never need to dig around too much to find what you are looking for. Also, ensure you are making use of all the vertical and rafter space. These areas are often underutilized but can significantly increase your storage options.
While there may be a significant time commitment when you first start your decluttering journey, it will be worth it when you know that everything has a dedicated space.
Keeping your space tidy is easier when you have a system that supports your success. For that reason, it is recommended that you think through what organization systems will be most sustainable and functional for you.
Can you keep a bin nearby to create a natural spot for your kids or grandkids to drop their toys into at the end of the day? Could a family conversation about everyone pitching in to help make a difference? Is it possible for you to plan to go through bins once a season to keep on top of regular purging?
Regardless of what works best for you and your family, finding a system that you can stick with can make everything feel more manageable.
Are you ready to organize and tidy your patio, deck, or balcony? Cottage Culture is here to help! We offer high-quality patio furniture to suit your family’s needs.
Browse our online patio furniture collection or visit our showroom in the beautiful community of Hensall, Ontario to see what we have in stock. Our professional and enthusiastic staff are ready to help you select patio furniture that will help you keep your outdoor living space neat and tidy. In addition, we offer outdoor furniture and décor delivery and installation services.
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