Decluttering is a great task to take on a couple of times a year. It gives you the opportunity to take stock of your belongings and get rid of things you don’t need. You’ll free up space in your home and be able to find things more easily. Here is an overview on how to declutter your home.
How to Declutter Your Home
Focus on One Area
It’s best to split up your decluttering project into one room or area at a time so that you don’t become distracted and overwhelmed. Focus on a single room or project, like the kitchen cabinets, one at a time before moving on to the next area.
Sort Everything
Once you start working, it’s important to sort all of the items in the room or space that you’re decluttering. Designate at least three containers or boxes for items to keep, fix, or donate. You’ll also want a trash bag or another container for things you want to throw away. Having these containers in the room will help you sort the items faster.
To fill these containers, you may need to make some tough decisions about things you’ve been holding on to. Do you need this item? Do you ever use it? The bin for items to fix is for things that are valuable and useful and can easily be repaired.
Keep in mind that these containers are only useful when you move the items to their final destination, whether that be someone else’s home, the dump, the tailor, or a secondhand shop. If the cluttery you’ve gone through ends up sitting in a corner of your home, then you’ve only shifted clutter and not removed it.
A Plan to Declutter Your Home
You might find it easier to declutter your home if you start with the smallest room first. For many people, this is the bathroom, or you might start organizing your utility or laundry room. Work from top to bottom, opening every cabinet or drawer and removing each item for sorting.
Closets are often a project of their own, so tackle them separately from the rooms they are attached to. For clothing and accessories, it’s easiest to sort by type: jeans, tops, dresses, shoes, belts, etc. Take out all items so that your closet is cleared out completely. This will help you choose which items to keep, donate, fix, or toss.
Storage Solutions
During this process, you might discover items that you use and want to keep that don’t have a home. To declutter your home permanently, invest in storage solutions whether it be a piece of furniture for the entryway, baskets to place on shelves, or bins to store seasonal items in the attic. This will help keep your belongings organized and your home clutter-free.
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