5 Ways to De-clutter Your Home
We have all been there with our hand on our mouth and wondering how we accumulated so much stuff. The more we collect, keep and store the more overwhelmed we get. It may feel hopeless but let me share some tips on how to get rid of the things you are likely never going to use or sell. Not to worry, I am not going to recommend a garage sale because they are usually a huge waste of time.
Here are five tips to help clean up the overage in your house:
1. Clothes in your closet:
Every spring look in your closet at what you have not worn for a season or a year and throw it in a box to donate those items: shoes included. The fact is that if you did not wear that item another season then you are likely not going to wear it at all.
2. The basement or storage area:
I will not soon forget that I lived nine years in a condo and kept putting things in storage. When I went to move out I looked in this storage unit and it was full to the top. When I started to look through it I ended up getting rid of most of it. Looking at your basement and what you have had stored there is a great start to de-cluttering your home. You will likely find that most of the things you are saving have little to no value to you anymore. Label three boxes at a time and label them: donate, throw out, keep. Then start going through one box at a time sorting everything out. Go back to the keep box and think one more time. Do I really need all of this? Is there more I can donate or throw out?
3. Your kitchen:
This is one room that seems to get cluttered over time. Look at the glasses, dishes and flatware that you don't have a set of and consider donating all those mixed matched items. See what you have that is repeated and perhaps you don't need duplications of and get rid of it. Consider giving away pots and pans that are old and could be replaced with new ones. If there is anything you are not using very often either store it or donate it. Keep only the kitchen item you really need. Look inside your fridge and pantry and get rid of the old items and those things that have been sitting around for a long time. Get things that are meant to organize your kitchen like shelves that double the space inside your cabinets and spice racks that revolve or are layered. While you are at it get rid of the extra or old spices.
4. The Office Room:
IF you have an office in your home that would be the next place to look for unwanted things. Many of us easily collect files and paper in our office space. Start with your old files and shred anything that you know is not relevant anymore. If you don't have a unit or shelf to place things inside and it fits buy it. Use that unit to organize everything: printing paper, envelopes, thank you notecards, books you are reading and more. Get a file cabinet for all the files you will be saving that are current and relevant. The most important aspect of a home office are a desk with a drawer, s cabinet to hide things in and organize, a shelving unit to place books in or a printer. There are many places that sell great office furniture and are willing to give you some advice as to what would work for your office.
5. Overall Home:
Look at your home and be honest. Is there just too much stuff inside a room? Are there accessories that you have out that are taking over the room? Remember that less is more and that collecting too many things is simply rendering your home dysfunctional. Place everything in each room in one area. Look at all of the items and select only those that have meaning or that you love. Release the rest of it. Go one room at a time and when you are ready. Although I can somewhat understand collections if you have too many glass eggs or trophies consider scaling it down and putting them inside a cabinet where they can all be displayed in only one area of your home.
I certainly hope this helps.
Coach Elliott
Here are five tips to help clean up the overage in your house:
1. Clothes in your closet:
Every spring look in your closet at what you have not worn for a season or a year and throw it in a box to donate those items: shoes included. The fact is that if you did not wear that item another season then you are likely not going to wear it at all.
2. The basement or storage area:
I will not soon forget that I lived nine years in a condo and kept putting things in storage. When I went to move out I looked in this storage unit and it was full to the top. When I started to look through it I ended up getting rid of most of it. Looking at your basement and what you have had stored there is a great start to de-cluttering your home. You will likely find that most of the things you are saving have little to no value to you anymore. Label three boxes at a time and label them: donate, throw out, keep. Then start going through one box at a time sorting everything out. Go back to the keep box and think one more time. Do I really need all of this? Is there more I can donate or throw out?
3. Your kitchen:
This is one room that seems to get cluttered over time. Look at the glasses, dishes and flatware that you don't have a set of and consider donating all those mixed matched items. See what you have that is repeated and perhaps you don't need duplications of and get rid of it. Consider giving away pots and pans that are old and could be replaced with new ones. If there is anything you are not using very often either store it or donate it. Keep only the kitchen item you really need. Look inside your fridge and pantry and get rid of the old items and those things that have been sitting around for a long time. Get things that are meant to organize your kitchen like shelves that double the space inside your cabinets and spice racks that revolve or are layered. While you are at it get rid of the extra or old spices.
4. The Office Room:
IF you have an office in your home that would be the next place to look for unwanted things. Many of us easily collect files and paper in our office space. Start with your old files and shred anything that you know is not relevant anymore. If you don't have a unit or shelf to place things inside and it fits buy it. Use that unit to organize everything: printing paper, envelopes, thank you notecards, books you are reading and more. Get a file cabinet for all the files you will be saving that are current and relevant. The most important aspect of a home office are a desk with a drawer, s cabinet to hide things in and organize, a shelving unit to place books in or a printer. There are many places that sell great office furniture and are willing to give you some advice as to what would work for your office.
5. Overall Home:
Look at your home and be honest. Is there just too much stuff inside a room? Are there accessories that you have out that are taking over the room? Remember that less is more and that collecting too many things is simply rendering your home dysfunctional. Place everything in each room in one area. Look at all of the items and select only those that have meaning or that you love. Release the rest of it. Go one room at a time and when you are ready. Although I can somewhat understand collections if you have too many glass eggs or trophies consider scaling it down and putting them inside a cabinet where they can all be displayed in only one area of your home.
I certainly hope this helps.
Coach Elliott
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ReplyDeleteThanks for compiling this list! I could really use these tips in my home. My office is so full of clutter! It makes getting my work done difficult because I can't find anything I need. I am going to follow your advice and invest in a shredder so I can dispose of all my old paperwork!
ReplyDeleteFrank George @ Dutch Hollow Supplies