For the “sandwich” generation, caring for their own children and their parents, comes with a unique set of challenges. Amongst those is the issue of clutter. For families who have consolidated into one multi-generational home to better care for their elderly parents, it’s likely that merging households has resulted in a lot of items and nowhere to put them all.
We’ve compiled some advice on how to declutter the excess and make living together a little easier. Don’t worry: There’s a solution out there for anyone struggling with too much stuff.
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Go through heirlooms.
Sometimes our well-meaning parents save a lot of family heirlooms for us. But if we don’t actually want the items, they can quickly become clutter. Take this time to go through anything they may have been keeping to pass down. Have those conversations now about what to save and what to donate or sell.
Combine decorations.
Merging multiple households into one is a great chance to combine items like seasonal decorations. Usually the ones our parents have are better quality anyway, and they’re probably more sentimental than something we picked up at the dollar store a couple of years ago. It’s worth keeping the best items to display during the holidays and donating those that just add clutter.
Delete doubles.
Take inventory of everybody’s belongings to see if there are any doubles that can be donated. Think things such as the same versions of books, multiple calculators, matching board games, etc. If everybody is under one roof, there’s no real reason to have more than one version of the same item.
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Sell extra items.
After decluttering excess or unwanted items, turn that clutter into cash! Have a garage sale or at least list a few things on Facebook Marketplace. Kids may also be more incentivized to clean out their toy collections if they know they could make some money doing it.
Create personal spaces.
When living in a home with multiple generations, it’s important to make sure each person has a space of their own. (And each person should be in charge of keeping that space tidy.) If not everyone can have their own room, perhaps designating areas can help. Grandpa can have a workbench in the garage, the living room TV console is where the kids’ toys can be kept, etc. Then everybody can be in control of their own belongings as much as possible.
Go digital.
Most families have a ton of physical items that can be turned digital. Scanning photos can help us retain memories online while cutting down on physical clutter. Most paperwork is safer as a scanned digital file vs. a paper copy. There are even services that will turn VHS tapes into digital versions. That way, families can watch their home videos without having to track down a VCR.
Creative storage solutions.
Take advantage of creative storage ideas. Hide containers under the beds, add floating shelves to better use vertical wall space, get benches or ottomans that double as storage, etc. It’s all about maximizing the use of whatever size space is available. When done properly, small homes can still store a lot.
Individual laundry baskets.
Clutter solutions exist for families that wash all their clothes together in large loads. Get a laundry basket for each member of the family. After washing a load, divide the clothes between the personalized baskets. Then it’s as easy as someone grabbing their basket to put their clothes away. This method also keeps items from piling up on the laundry room floor or sitting in the dryer for ages.
Label containers.
Label storage containers to make it easy for everybody in the home to know what goes where. For children who can’t yet read, print out photos of what the container is supposed to hold. Now even the little ones can get involved in keeping the home organized.
Reduce daily use items.
For items such as silverware, dishes, sheets, and towels, it’s really not necessary to have a bunch of options. Two sheet sets per bed is more than enough, and just enough dishes to serve the family (plus perhaps a couple of guests) is good. Make it a habit to do laundry and wash the dishes often enough that nothing is really sitting around for too long.
Pay attention to what goes unused.
Who has a bag of electrical cords that we can’t throw away because we might need one someday? Pay attention to the bag over a period of time and notice if any of the cords ever actually come in handy. After a while, dispose of items that have not been used. The same method can be used for clothing, toys, holiday decoration, tools, and more.
Create shopping boundaries.
Make sure that everybody is on the same page when it comes to bringing new items into the house. First, with proper container use and labeling, new items always have a home. In addition, we can institute a rule that for every new item purchased, something else has to be donated. That’s an easy way to stay on top of decluttering.
Get the whole family involved.
TikToker @couplagoofs lives in a multi-generational home, and that means a lot of extra hands for large cleaning tasks. In a video, the TikToker explained that the family members split yard and garage duties to get the house ready for the change in seasons. “It’s much easier when we do them together as a family,” @couplagoofs said.
After all, more people may create more clutter, but it also makes for lighter work when everybody’s in it together.
Schedule frequent tidies.
Stay on top of potential clutter by scheduling daily, weekly, or monthly cleanups. Daily, everyone can make sure they help out with things like dishes and laundry. Every week, do some decluttering of commonly used spaces or rooms. Once a month, tackle a larger project such as cleaning out a garage.
Store items off site.
If there’s still too much clutter, consider storing some items outside the home. Put seasonal clothes, decor, or sports equipment in containers in a basement, attic, or garage. It may also be worth renting a small storage unit. That way, you can get excess clutter of the everyday spaces while not throwing away mementos or seldom-used items entirely.
Teach little ones about donating to those in need.
We can get clutter out of our house while setting a good example for our kids by teaching them about donation. Explain how parting with some of their clothes or toys helps other children in need. They’re never too young to learn how to give back — and we’re, of course, never too old for a reminder either.
