And Live a Simpler, Happier Life

There’s no question that decluttering your home can be a daunting task. But it’s also an incredibly rewarding one. Not only will you feel lighter and freer, but you’ll also find that your home is more functional and organized. As a homeschool mom, we have way too many books, paper, and supplies. And the problem with having too much is not being able to find what you need when you need it. Additionally, clutter robs us of joy! These 19 tips to declutter your home will have you smiling and happier in no time.

Here Are 19 Tips To Declutter Your Home And Live A Simpler, Happier Life:

The first step to any project is to admit you have a problem that needs to be solved. Most of us have too much stuff and less and less time to deal with that stuff. I personally want to experience life without the baggage of clutter weighing me down. Some people’s solution is to buy a new home. However, they soon fill that home to the brim. You may need to deal with psychological reasons why you keep acquiring stuff before you are ready to get rid of things. However, this article just deals with the decluttering process.

1. Get rid of clothes you never wear.

Everyone has that piece of clothing they hang onto “just in case.” But the truth is, if you haven’t worn it in 6 months (or a year), you’re probably not going to wear it at all. So donate these items in good condition to a local thrift store or consignment shop. One way I do this is in January, turn all the clothes with the hangers face out. Once I wear the item, I turn the hanger around the right way. At the end of the year, I can easily see what I haven’t worn in the last year.

Now, if you simply cannot let go of an item, I have found the best way to deal with it is to store it in a box at the top of your closet. If, in a year’s time, you cannot remember what it in the box, it isn’t worth keeping.

2. Let go of sentimental items.

Keeping a few sentimental items is okay, but you don’t need to keep everything. If you’re holding onto something because it reminds you of a happy memory, take a picture of it and then let it go.

Remember, you cannot expect family members to be on board with your decluttering. And sometimes, people hold onto sentimental items because of trauma. Forcing someone to part with their items can cause more damage.

3. Get rid of duplicates.

When beginning the decluttering process, getting rid of duplicates is the easiest place to start. Do you really need ten coffee mugs? 5 pairs of scissors? and 2 toasters? Downsizing your duplicate items will free up valuable space in your home.

Furthermore, we tend to overfill our spaces. If you have small spaces in your cabinet, filling it to the brim means you won’t be able to easily find what you need when you need it.

4. Donate unwanted gifts.

Everyone has received gifts that they don’t really want or need. So instead of letting them take up space in your home, donate them to someone who can use them.

5. Organize your shelves and closets.

A cluttered shelf or closet can make your whole home feel cluttered. So spend some time organizing these areas so that everything has its own place.

6. Purge your bathroom.

Everyone has that one drawer in the bathroom that’s crammed full of half-used products and expired medications. Go through this drawer and remove anything you don’t need or use.

Keep reading for more tips to declutter your home.

Photo by Brett Jordan on Unsplash

7. Donate unused kitchen items.

Do you really need that second set of mixing bowls? The truth is most people could declutter their kitchens by getting rid of duplicates and unused appliances. Donate these items to a local food bank or shelter. Do you have kitchen or household items that seemed like a good purchase but you have never used? Get rid of them now.

8. Get rid of old magazines and newspapers.

Old magazines and newspapers can take up a lot of space. Most likely, they are sitting on your living room end table. Recycle them or donate them to a local library or senior center.

9. Empty your junk drawer.

Everyone has that one kitchen drawer full of miscellaneous items like old batteries, rubber bands, and receipts. Go through this drawer and get rid of anything that you don’t need or use.

10. Put away seasonal items

If you’re not using it, put it away. This tip to declutter your home is very important. Seasonal items like holiday decor and winter clothing can take up a lot of space if they’re left out all year long. Instead, store these items in labeled boxes in the attic or basement so that you can easily find them when you need them.

11. Rent a storage unit to declutter your home

If you have items that you’re not ready to get rid of but don’t need on a daily basis, consider renting a storage unit. This will free up valuable space in your home while still allowing you to keep your belongings. So do a quick search online for storage units near me.

Remember, renting storage space cost money, and someone has to eventually deal with that clutter at some point.

12. Don’t buy items in the first place

A good idea to implement is to not bring clutter into your house in the first place. Limit purchases to what you need. I take one month a year to purchase nothing but food. This is a great way to save money, but also to really assess what we actually need versus want. While I am all for helping the economy, bringing even wonderful items into my home without a plan for it is still clutter.

Additionally, if you buy quality clothing, you will love those pieces and not feel the need to buy something just because it’s on sale. Invest in quality, not quantity.

13. Deal with your paper clutter

We were told as we used computers more, we would eliminate paper. That is just not true. We now have more paper clutter than ever before. Unless you deal with that paper, it tends to accumulate on flat surfaces such as your coffee table, end table, or kitchen counters. Walking into a room with too much paper robs you of joy. Dealing with this helps you declutter your home.

One easy way to deal with paper is to have a plan. Have files for important medical, insurance, and loan papers. For things that you may need to get to easily, create a file on your phone labeled medical: It is here that I take a photo of and store items such as eyeglass prescriptions, or notes from the doctor. I have also created a folder for the kid’s artwork that I want to save, but you can’t save it all.

14. Take time to declutter often

Grab a trash bag and start throwing out papers, magazines, broken items, etc. If you haven’t used it, fixed it, or taken it to the donation bin, throw it out now.

15. The laundry Room should be for laundry

Can you not enter your laundry room because you have so much stored in there? I know this is one area of my life that I need to get control of. We tend to store things in rooms that people don’t go in, and these are usually rooms like the laundry room or spare bedrooms.

16. Stop buying storage bins

Most of us have too many storage containers, and we just keep packing them full. I knew a woman who would clear off her counters into grocery store bags and put those bags in storage bins and put those in her garage. If you deal with the clutter, you won’t have the baggage of the storage bins weighing you down.

17. Tips to declutter your home-Have a garage sale

Planning a garage sale will help you immediately get together items you have been meaning to get rid of but still haven’t. Just remember that after the garage sale, immediately donate or throw out anything that is left over. Don’t bring that clutter back into your home.

18. Hire a professional organizer

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the thought of decluttering your home, consider hiring a professional organizer. They can help you create a plan and execute it so that you can finally achieve your goal of a clutter-free home.

19. Read from the professionals

I did read The Magic Art of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. While I don’t agree with everything from the Konmari method, I have gotten some important tips to declutter my home from her. I hope you have found some of these decluttering tips helpful. Remember, the easiest way to deal with clutter is the first time you touch an item. If you don’t have anywhere in your entire home to store, display or use what you are holding, don’t buy it! Use these tips on a regular basis to get control of your entire house and life.

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