Do you long to declutter your home and get rid of some stuff? Fewer objects means less to clean, less to organize, less to stress about. If this sounds good to you, here are some tips to help you declutter and relax.
- One Step at a Time
Don’t feel overwhelmed. The secret to decluttering your home is to start slowly. Take five minutes and pick one thing to do. For example, choose a shelf or a counter to clean, or pick up five things and find a home for them. Visualize how you want the room to look. Then, stop after five minutes.
Other simple steps include giving away an item each day or filling one trash bag per day. Just grab a regular-size trash bag and see how quickly you can fill it. Let the kids join in and make it a competition.
- Simple Closet Fixes
One way to decide what clothing to throw out is to use the hanger method. To use this idea popularized by Oprah, turn all your clothes to face one direction. When you wear a piece, return it to your closet and switch the direction the garment faces. After several months, look at the hangers and see what clothes you like wearing and which you should get rid of.
Another space saver is only hanging clothes for the current season in your closet. Box up off-season items and store them. Rent a small storage area if you don’t have room at home. This is especially good for people living in apartments. Then, once a year switch out your boxes for your current wardrobe.
A fantastic way to organize t-shirts is roll them and line them up in a drawer. That way you see what the shirt is before choosing to wear it. This tip works well with children who may want to wear a specific shirt each day. - Bathrooms and Kitchens
In the bathroom, take out everything on shelves or in cabinets. Throw away shampoo, conditioner, liquid soaps, or shower gels that only have a drizzle in the bottle. Get rid of old makeup and the complimentary hotel toiletries you kept because they are cute. Throw out anything else you don’t use.
Start with pots, pans, and containers in the kitchen. Throw out any plastic containers without lids and any pots without handles. Dispose of chipped or cracked dishes. Check the sell-by dates on cans and boxes and toss out any items that are too old. Once the clean-up is finished, organize your cupboards by item type.
Keep a drawer for items like candles, scissors, pens, and other small objects. Divide the drawer into compartments to keep everything neat and easy to find. Locating what you need is much easier with organization.
Decluttering does not mean hours and hours spent going through everything you own. Pick one spot at a time and clean out larger areas over several days, or choose a weekend and have everyone pitch in. You will find yourself happier and more relaxed when the clutter is gone.
What other tips do you have when you declutter your home?
