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Looking to declutter? I’m here to help! I’m sharing 5 easy ways to declutter this new year!
We all have those trouble areas in our house. The kids’ closets, the “junk drawer”, the pantry. They easily get cluttered and over-ran. And when that happens, we really can’t do anything in those areas efficiently. You can’t find clothes that fit the kids and overlook stuff until they’ve outgrown it. You can’t find the new tape roll you bought, and then you end up buying more for no reason. Food goes bad before you find it or get around to it in the pantry.
I know it can seem like holding onto things is being frugal. But remember that what you keep has a cost to you. Inefficiency, space, time. It costs you something. And it’s time to get your home back in order! Below, I am sharing great tips to help you with decluttering your house this year.
5 Easy Ways to Declutter
1.) Identify your areas that need to be decluttered, and only tackle 1 area a day. And by area, that isn’t necessarily an entire room. It may just be 1 or 2 drawers. These drawers didn’t get cluttered overnight, and they can’t all be cleaned out overnight too. It will take time. And you want the decluttering to last. It’s better to take your time and really think out how you want each area to look, how you will use each area, and what you want in each area.
I prefer to choose a room first, and then narrow it down to an area in that room. Keep moving along until you have finished the entire room, and then move on to the next on your list.
2.) Start by throwing away expired, broken items that you can’t use. The trash in your “junk drawer” or kids’ toy areas? Throw it away. Expired food in the fridge or pantry? Throw it out. Several half-empty spice jars? Consolidate them. Take the time to do it.
3.) Get rid of items not used in at least a year or not wanted. This goes for toys, clothing, home decor, etc. I usually make a pile to sell and a pile to donate. And what doesn’t sell gets added to the donation pile too.
4.) Get organized. Make sure you have enough storage containers. Label items. Put like items together. If you’re putting away Christmas decorations, label bins by areas or rooms and group items together that go in the same area. If you’re working on your spice rack, organize alphabetically and consolidate multiple spices that are the same. No more ending up with multiple of the same spice!
5.) Put items where they make sense. If you’re storing outdoor toys, coolers, and beach towels, why not put them in a closet near the door or on a shelving unit in the garage? Work smarter, not harder. There is no point in walking all the way into your bathroom at the other end of the house or upstairs to grab beach towels that will go with you to the pool, lake, etc. Think logically about how and where you will use each item, and then put it as close as you can to that spot that makes logistical sense.
Which room is your worse room? Ours is definitely the garage! Will you be decluttering? Which room will you tackle first?
