Small steps to declutter and organize can lead to tidier spaces.
As we start the New Year, it’s time to create a doable plan to declutter and organize all areas of your home. But, without adding stress to your already hectic life.
Follow the below steps to get you on your way to a clutter-free and tidy home.
Things to have on-hand before you declutter and organize:
- Trashbags
- Paper towels and cleaner
- Broom and dust pan
- Vacuum cleaner and hose.
Simple Ways to Declutter and Organize your Spaces:
- Start by getting rid of all the trash.
- Choose one small area to organize, like a drawer.
- Sort items into three piles: Keep, Donate, and Toss.
- Find a home for everything you are planning to keep.
- Group similar items together so you know where to find them.
- Before you buy something new, get rid of something else to limit extra items.
- Don’t hoard items for your heirs. Ask if they want it, and be ready for them to say no.
- Schedule small amounts of time to work on decluttering and organizing each day or week.
A Few Pointers and Tips to Declutter and Organize Your Home:
1) Just Start Somewhere
Start with the area of the house that bothers you the most (mine is the kitchen). One hour on that task will get you energized to organize more!
2) Create a “Donate” Box
Keep this box by the door so you can grab it when you’re leaving the house. Put in it anything you’re planning to donate, give to a friend, or to recycle.
3) Take Down the Decorations
The holidays are over! As you are putting away your decor, separate decorations by holiday. Throw away anything you didn’t use this year.
4) Create an Entryway System
Set up a command center near your entry/exit door. Add hooks for coats, bins for shoes, and a mail sorter.
5) Gather your Pet Supplies
Hang hooks and cubbies near the door and keep leashes, food, bowls, and toys in one convenient spot.
6) Organize your Spices
Arrange your herbs and spices alphabetically, or by cuisine. This will make them easier to find when you’re cooking.
7) Pare Down your Utensils
Cut back on your kitchen utensils and use drawer dividers or double utensil dividers to keep everything in order.
8) Get Rid of Extra Pots and Pans
Donate pots and pans you hardly ever use and install cupboard organizers to help manage the rest.
9) Purge Expired Foods
Cut back on your kitchen utensils and use drawer dividers or double utensil dividers to keep everything in order.
10) Stack your Pantry Items
Sort through your staple dry goods (flour, sugar, pasta, oatmeal, beans) and put them in airtight, stackable containers.
11) Downsize Kitchen Gadgets
Sell or giveaway those space-hogging kitchen gadgets that don’t really help with your cooking or meal prep.
12) Get Rid of Extra Coffee Mugs
This is a hard one for me (I LOVE seasonal coffee mugs). But, to keep your cabinets cleaned out, only keep one or two mugs per person in your household. Donate the rest.
13) Toss Unmatching Food Storage Containers
No singles allowed. Toss any tops or bottoms that have no mates. This will really help clear up some clutter.
14) Assess your Display Shelves
You don’t need shelves crammed with little knick-knacks, books you don’t read, and more unnecessary stuff to collect dust. Donate what you can and nicely arrange what’s left.
15) Put Clothes on New Hangers
Buy new, slim hangers that keep your clothes on the hangers. They use less space and help keep clothing off of the floor. Discard clothing you haven’t worn in a year.
16) Group Accessories Together
Buy accessory hangers or install hooks on a wall to corral belts, scarves, purses, hats, and jewelry.
17) Reduce Bed Linens and Towels
Only keep the really nice, constantly used towels, washcloths, potholders, dishtowels, and bedding. Whatever you don’t need, donate them to the animal shelter.
18) Hang a Shoe Organizer
Hanging shoe organizers are great for a multitude of uses. Not just for shoes, but they can store scarves, toys, cleaning supplies, and craft supplies. And, you can trim them to fit inside a cabinet door.
19) Declutter and Organize your Desk
With more people working from home, this is an essential task. Keep the top of your workspace clean, with minimal items like a stapler, mouse and mousepad, keyboard, and pen cup.
20) Tidy your Files and Shred Old Paperwork
Shred any old papers and receipts that you’ve had for several years. Also, tidy up your files by organizing them by color and labeling them clearly.
21) Pare Down your Personal Care Items
Grab your trash bag and throw away any expired personal care items, hair products, makeup and mascara, lotions, powders, and medications.
22) Purge Under the Sink
Clean out everything under the sink (this goes for the kitchen and in every bathroom). Then, buy some really great multi-tiered organizers and clear bins so you can easily see and access your daily essentials.
23) Hang a Shelf or Two
Find a spot in your home where a shelf would solve a problem and hang it! This could be useful in a bathroom, bedroom, laundry room, or for your kid’s stuffed toys.
24) Declutter and Organize those Junk Drawers
We all have them. Dump your drawer onto one surface and sort everything into piles. Once cleaned out, use drawer dividers to maintain a more organized space.
25) Store Your Tools Correctly
Keep a complete toolbox in a drawer so everyone knows where it is. This should have a tape measure, screwdrivers, hammer, nails, screws, picture hanging kits, etc. For lots of tools, you may want to keep them in an easily accessible space in the garage or basement, and use a pegboard and clear labels.
A Few Words on Decluttering and Organizing
For anyone, decluttering can be something we try and put off – maybe we don’t have the energy to do it today, maybe we will feel more like organizing tomorrow. To this I say, set a goal to not only get rid of more but to buy less.
Finally, remember that the happiest people don’t have the best of everything, but they make the best of everything. : )
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