Some easy steps you can take to declutter your home for the start of Summer!
Now you may have heard of Marie Kondo’s decluttering...”Does this bring me joy?” question . . . but here are a few more steps you can take to get rid of the old and bring in the new this Summer!
I don’t know about you, but for the vast majority of people, having a cluttered home and space typically makes it harder to focus on other tasks and can be distracting. Here are some tips on how you can clean and organize your home - and where to put the items you don’t want!
CLEANING
One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten when it comes to cleaning is to start with one side of the room and slowly make your way over, rather than trying to do whatever you see first. Start with your floors, make your way up to furniture, then focus on some of the smaller details to make sure you don’t miss a spot.
When going through items ask yourself, “When was the last time I used this?” If it wasn’t within the past two weeks or you can’t think of a purpose for it, put it in the get rid of pile.
Cleaning leads to a less distracting workspace and studies show that it is linked to helping lower anxiety. Having a cluttered space can also be a good way to reset and focus on your overall goals.
When going through and deciding what item is a keeper and what isn’t, separate what you can donate and what can be tossed.
ORGANIZING
One of my favorite activities! Organizing is a great way to relieve stress and can be fun when redesigning a room or rearranging your items to make them look the best.
Storage bins are one of easiest ways to organize and can create the appearance more space in your home! Bins can also be put into cabinets to allow for specific groups of things to be put together in a cute way.
You can also use them tonmatch the colors of your house or stand out like an accent piece!
Installing shelves is another way to spread out some of your items to help your space reach its full potential. The less items on the shelf, the bigger the home appears.
Now the closet is a whole other topic in organization. One great habit to get into is giving away clothing that your children may have grown out of to a friend or neighbor!
This is environmentally friendly and also a great way to upcycle! Be sure to keep any clothing items that may be sentimental and put them in a special container in the garage as well to save them for later.
You can also increase closet space by trading out plastic hangers for felt or wire ones. This allows for more clothing while also creating a tidier look!
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH THE ITEMS YOU DON’T WANT?
Obviously if it’s trash, it’s trash! But most clothing items and furniture can be donated!
If your clothing is an well-known brand and in good condition, some great websites to sell on are Poshmark and Thread Up!
If you are trying to get rid of furniture, find your local Goodwill or Habitat for Humanity restore.
If you have a little bit of extra time, try finding a local clothing swap on Facebook or online! Clothing and furniture swaps are a great way to save money on items while being able to clean out your closet of stuff you don’t use anymore!