The new year is here, and one of your resolutions may have been cleaning up your home. We have great news for you: decluttering will not only help you find peace of mind—it will also help you avoid a pest infestation. However, we know it’s easier said than done. Here are tips for decluttering your home in a way that will keep pests at bay:
Start with Food Storage Areas
One place where you’re likely to find pests in a cluttered home is the kitchen. When decluttering your home, start in the kitchen. Keep your cabinets, pantry and counters clean and organized. Store food in airtight containers to reduce pest attractions. Then, focus on either donating or tossing food items and kitchen accessories you’re not using. The less you have in your kitchen, the easier it is to keep it clean and tidy.
Clear Out Cluttered Storage Areas
Storage areas often don’t see a lot of activity once items are put away, making them perfect hiding spots for pests. Remove stacks of newspapers, cardboard boxes and unused items where pests like to hide, especially in areas like attics and sheds. Make sure to go through your storage occasionally, especially in times when you bring a lot of new items into your home. If you use a lot of cardboard boxes for storage, consider switching to rubber or plastic containers that can fully seal to avoid pest infestation.
Take it One Room at a Time
Once you have tackled the main pest attracting areas, commit to decluttering to one room at a time. This will help you stay focused and get through the process. It may take half a day to go through more cluttered rooms, and depending on the amount of clutter you have, the whole process may take a while. However, seeing one room at a time becoming tidier (and therefore less welcoming to pests) will help you get through it.
Regularly Dispose of Garbage and Recycling
When most of your home is decluttered, the next most popular spot for pests is the trash area. Take out trash frequently, and make sure recycling bins are rinsed and cleaned. Make sure the indoor area around your trash can is clean, as well. Otherwise, you’re creating a haven for pests inside your home. There’s nothing like free food to keep pests inside your home, and most pests are not picky eaters.
Create a Cleaning and Decluttering Routine
Set up a schedule to regularly clean and declutter. The reason cleaning and cluttering becomes overwhelming is because of it piling up over time. Find a time every week or two that you can dedicate to removing clutter from your home. Consider putting it on your calendar so you don’t forget. Making decluttering a habit will help you avoid adding stress to your life. As a bonus, decluttering on a regular basis keeps potential pest hiding spots in check.
Still have pests despite your best decluttering efforts? The team at Command Pest Control, a veteran-owned pest control company near Fort Lauderdale, has you covered. Call us at 954-943-0008 or contact us online for a free inspection.
