Can you believe another year has passed? Where did the time go? It seems like yesterday that you vowed to get rid of more stuff or learn to live with less. Change can be hard and finding the time to declutter or get rid of things can be the last thing on your list when there are so many other things on your plate. Here are 5 areas where investing a bit of time to declutter can make a big impact. You’ll reap the benefits of less mess, less stuff, and clear space.
Clothes
– Go through your clothing and group it by type (shirts, pants, skirts, etc.). It’s much easier to decide what you should keep versus donate when like items are together. Items that can go:
- It has holes or tears or is stretched out of shape
- You don’t feel good when you wear it
- It does not fit you (if you get to that size again, you’ll buy new stuff)
- You have not worn it in over a year
Organization Tip: Invest in slimline hangers. They not only hug your clothes, but they also prevent fabric marks that plastic hangers seem to leave behind.
Toiletries & Makeup
– Bathroom counters, cabinets and drawers easily become cluttered because oftentimes things go in them, but never leave. Items that can go:
- Makeup that is dried out or is a shade or color you no longer wear
- The hair products you tried but just never worked for you
- Bottles that are half full or less indicating that you stopped using the product for some reason and would not use it again
- Bath and body kits you received as gifts but are still unopened
- Expired meds
Organization Tip: Use drawer organizers to keep your bathroom drawers from becoming junk drawers. Use containers under sinks to easily see and access all things stored there.
Linens
– How many sheets, towels, and blankets do you need in your home? My rule is two sets of sheets for each bed and two sets of towels for each bathroom. You only need one or two extra blankets for those cold evenings and a few extra pillows for guests. Items that can go:
- Sheets that are ripped or stained
- Towels that are frayed or ripped
- Sheets that have lost their sets
Organization Tip: Label your sheets with a sharpie to indicate the size and store on the corresponding labeled shelf. No more guessing whether the sheet is a twin, a full, a queen, or king.
Kitchen
– It’s easy to overlook what is contributing to the clutter in your kitchen, but once you start to get rid of stuff you’ll be surprised at the space you free up. Items that can go:
- Appliances that seemed like a good idea, but you never use (e.g. pasta maker, panini press, yogurt maker)
- Food and spices that are expired
- Tupperware that is missing it’s top or bottom
- Pans with peeling or scratched non-stick coating
- Promotional water bottles and on the go coffee mugs that you never use
Organization Tip: Try not to store food in deep cabinets without some kind of container or label so you know it is there. Oftentimes if you can’t see canned goods, spices, cooking ingredients, or snacks, they are forgotten.
Entryway & Mudroom
– This space is the first thing you see when you enter your home. Make your entryway or mudroom functional and inviting versus cluttered and repelling.
- Go through every drawer, cubby and closet
- Get rid of the obvious trash (old receipts, old gum/candy, irrelevant mail or papers)
- Sort coats and jackets for those that still fit and your family will wear
- Make sure sports gear and equipment are still relevant and being used
- Invest in containers (drawer organizers, hooks, baskets for mail and papers, etc.) that will keep your space from getting cluttered again
Organization Tip: Create a landing spot for everyone’s stuff (keys, backpacks, mail) in order to help clutter from building up.