Every house has one. A junk drawer, a junk closet, or even a junk room. It’s a dedicated space for dumping stuff that you’re not sure what to do with at the time. At some point, however, the junk starts to overflow and the time has come to deal with the mess.
The good news is, it doesn’t have to be the backbreaking task you’ve imagined. In just 10 easy steps, you can transform that junk room into a dedicated zen space that will declutter your house and rejuvenate your spirit.
Getting Zen
One of the reasons your home’s spare room is also referred to as the “junk” room is because you probably never got around to organizing it let alone getting rare flowers. But it’s high time you stop procrastinating and start that long-awaited makeover! Who knows, before you know it, you’ll soon see its potential for becoming a room dedicated to chilling out and relaxation.
Perhaps you envisage reading your favorite books accompanied by a good glass of red? Or maybe you’re adventurous enough to place a cheeky bet on a fun casino game. And if it’s the latter, we highly recommend visiting the free online gambling guide NoDepositDaily for some useful tips and tricks. Now, let’s dive into your 10-step transformation.
1. Visualise the Possibilities
When you first moved into your house, this room was not a designated “junk room”. Over the years, it may have accidentally become one, but now it’s destined to be a beautiful zen retreat. Sit back and imagine how you want the room to look and all of the new memories you’ll make in this space.
2. Devise a Plan of Attack
Now that you’re motivated by inspiration, it’s time to make a plan. Starting a home improvement project can be overwhelming, especially when it means parting with belongings that you’ve had for years. Consider how you’ll approach the task, who will help you, and how much you’ll enjoy the finished product in the end.
3. Collect Your Supplies
Before you get started, gather everything that you’ll need to make this project a success. It’s better to have all of your supplies at hand at the outset so as not to slow your momentum. Grab some garbage bags, empty boxes, markers, sticky notes, vacuum cleaner or mop, dusting cloths, and all-purpose cleaner. With your arsenal at the ready, you can get started.
4. Arrange Stations
Getting organised begins with systematising your approach. Start by labelling stations around the room for what you’ll do with each item you sort.
- Trash
- Recycle
- Donate
- Keep
It might be easier to begin by actually tossing the rubbish around the room. Before you delve into any of the boxes of mementos or the wrapping paper closet (we all have one), just take the baby step of getting rid of trash and recyclables. With that done, the next part comes easier.
5. Don’t panic. It’s just stuff
It’s important to be ruthless when sorting through your belongings. It may seem overwhelming — a daunting task you’d rather avoid. Instead, focus on the positives of paring down and the joy you’ll get from using the room again and turning it into a dining room. As you sort through the stuff, start by thinking about how long it’s been since you’ve used (or seen) a particular item and use that to motivate yourself to part with it.
6. Remove the Junk
Putting items in appropriate bins is not the end of the story. Now, it’s time to actually get everything out of the house. Put the trash pile in the dumpster, the recyclables in the recycle bin, and the donation items in your car to take to the nearest facility. Once it’s out of the room, you’ll have more space to think.
7. Congratulate Yourself
Congratulations! You should be very proud of yourself and your accomplishments. That was not easy but you did it. You made some serious headway in turning your useless junk room into a zen paradise. Take a minute to acknowledge your achievement before starting on the next step.
8. Organize and Pack What’s Left
Pack away what items that remain from your whirlwind decluttering spree. There shouldn’t be much left, but if you do have a few boxes, make sure to put them in a storage space in order to keep the room completely empty and ready for a makeover.
9. Clean the Former Junk Room
Next, thoroughly clean the room to prepare it for its new life as a relaxing zen escape. Once cleaning is done, you may consider painting, re-carpeting, or re-tiling the floor, depending on how much wear and tear the room underwent in its former state.
10. Redecorate & Relax
As you begin to see the possibilities for your beautiful new zen room, keep in mind that less is more. Don’t go overboard buying decorations for this room. Zen decor is minimal, simple, and natural. Renovate the room however you see fit, as you think back to your initial inspirations.
Finally! You can relax and enjoy your new zen room. You’ve transformed this space and now, hopefully, the cozy and serene space can transform you too.