Cover image via IKEAFollow us on Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp for the latest stories and breaking news.
This Spotlight is sponsored by IKEA.
Typical Malaysian homes often have spaces that are filled with things that we can't seem to find a proper place for
A drawer in a bedroom will have old receipts, rubber bands, and random pieces of cutlery, while the fridge might be hiding a long-forgotten container of sambal belacan from 2021 right in the back.
While we all want our homes to look clean and neat like the images from a brochure for a new housing development, these pile-ups of random items can often leave our living spaces feeling messy and cluttered.
Thankfully, the solution is as easy as four letters: IKEA.
Loved all around the world for great-looking, reasonably-priced furniture and decor, IKEA also has smaller storage solutions for the everyday messes we tend to put off dealing with.
Here are five easy ways to start clearing clutter at home:
1. Keep track of what's in your fridge all the time
Before buying more groceries, you should know what's already in your fridge. You might find two open bottles of the same sauce or leftovers you forgot to eat.
Once you've cleared out what needs to go, use transparent KLIPPKAKTUS storage boxes (RM23 each) to group smaller items. A KLIPPKAKTUS turntable (RM39) can also make jars at the back easier to reach.
2. Give your drawers more organisation
Every home seems to have a drawer for batteries, spare keys, takeaway cutlery, and anything else you don't know where to put.
Empty it first and keep only what you need, then use small NOJIG organisers (from RM1) to separate the remaining items, so you don't have to rummage through the whole drawer for a pen.
3. Create more space around your bathroom sink
When the whole household leaves their toiletries around the sink, even brushing your teeth can feel like you're trying not to knock something over.
As space in this area is usually limited, keep your daily essentials on the counter and move the rest to a slim VESKEN shelf (from RM25).
This gives shampoo bottles and other items a place nearby while freeing up the sink area.
4. Stop using your chair as a wardrobe
Everyone is familiar with this chair. It holds clothes that are not dirty enough for washing, but not clean enough to put back into the wardrobe.
You can fix this by giving these clothes a separate basket or a dedicated spot, and put clean clothes away before the pile grows.
To make things easier, you can use IKEA's SKUBB organisers (from RM19) to organise clothing items inside your drawers, which then allows you to know which items are fresh, and which ones have already gone through a wear or two.
5. Always know where your keys are
Keys, access cards, and wallets are things that are so easy to lose, and worse still, we always seem to lose them at the most inconvenient times.
You can solve this problem by mounting a small HAVREKROSS wall organiser (RM7) near the door. Its hooks give your keys a regular spot, while the small shelf can hold other things you need on your way out.
