This New Year is the perfect time to make the intention of decluttering your home. I started my own journey of decluttering last year and since then the whole family has hopped on board. I have complied a list over the past year of 75 items around your home that you can purge or donate today to decrease your clutter.
Follow along with the simple lists of things that everyone has lying around taking up space, making your closets and drawers crowded and unorganized. I guarantee that if you toss these things today, you won't miss them tomorrow.
Ready to declutter your house? Let's get started.
HOME ZONES
I have broken this post into home zones to easily help you target sections at your own pace. Maybe you would like to take a weekend to go through your whole home or would like to work through one space a month. Either way, take a read through and make sure to download the complete guide to help you conquere your home clutter NOW.
Included in the post are also some amazing resources that go into detail about decluttering. I have used some of the principles in books like The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up and The Clutter Free Home and have successfully applied them to projects in my home as well as clients' home. Simple lesson learned, no one has missed a thing that we've purged, and we are more content with the items that now have.
Kitchen spaces tend to have items that are not frequently used enough to be taking up precious space in a high traffic area. Removing necessary items that are not frequently used and storing them in another location of your home, like a basement or pantry, can free up some much-needed space in the kitchen. Another common cluttering problem is keeping items with missing pieces or broken items that need to be purged or fixed if possible.
Below are some common items that might be in your kitchen to start decluttering:
Bedroom spaces also tend to have items that are not being utilized or missing/damaged. Clothing and accessories are high ticket items when it comes to cluttering up your bedroom. Now is the time to be honest with yourself about the items piling up.
Ask yourself some questions: Would I buy this in a store today? Do I know someone who this item might work for better than myself? Make this a habit when putting away items of clothing.
Below are some common items that might be in your bedroom to start decluttering:
Bathroom spaces can also be a challenge to keep clutter at bay. Many of us love to hoard bathroom products like shampoos, body washes, and even medicine. Take some time to set up a simple system of having a basket designated for backstock items that you can easily check before purchasing any accidental duplicates.
Below are some common items that might be in your bathroom to start decluttering:
If you are anything like me, you might have a collection of linens and decor that is constantly expanding over the years. An easy way to control the clutter is to go through each decor item when you initially bring it out for the season and decide if it is something still to your taste and not damaged. Do the same thing at the end of the season when packing up your storage totes. Limit the number of totes that you have per season to help control the number of seasonal items.
Linens are another area that can lead to clutter. The rule of thumb is that you only need two sets of bedding per bed in your home. Make sure to purge old bedding or have it repaired if need be.
Below are some seasonal decor and linens items to start decluttering:
What does this cord even go to? If you have to ask yourself that question, it is probably time to declutter your technology. Do yourself a favor and walk around your home to collect all the cables and old technology that you can find. Most items can be purged and replaced with items like universal charging cords or uploading old CDs and VHS tapes onto a space-saving hard drive.
Below are some common technology items to start decluttering:
Especially with staying in more, the amount of entertainment items and products have increased in your home. With much entertainment now available on demand, the large collections of old movies and books can easily be transitioned onto apps. Take some time to go through your old entertainment items and purge things you no longer need or take the time to convert old VHS into a digital format.
Another trick for keeping hoards of magazines at bay is to go through them and take photographs or scan important recipes or decor ideas into your phone or computer so you can easily access them without all the home clutter.
Below are some common items that might be in your entertainment areas to start decluttering:
Children items/spaces are some of the hardest to keep the clutter controlled. Getting into the habit of toy, clothing, and item purging can help.
At our house, I like to involve my kids in cleaning out their rooms. We have a designated number of toys that they are allowed to keep at one time. Another idea is to have toy or item storage that must always fit into the basket or bin system you have in place. If your kids cannot fit their all their items into the system, then they must purge some items to make room.
Clothing is another area to easily control with a simple system of either donating or throwing away clothing that is damaged or stained when putting away their laundry. Seasonal changes are another perfect time to go through kids clothing items. I like to only keep clothing for the season in their closets or drawers and put the out of season items into long term storage. Anything that is too small and in good condition will go into storage for the next child or to be donated.
Below are some common items that might be in your kids' rooms to start decluttering:
Garage spaces tend to be a catch all for many people. Setting up a functional system in your garage can help keep the clutter at bay. Get into the habit of putting an item back in its' place when you are done using it. A simple trick to help keep your items more organized is to have a catch all tote in your garage that you can easily put items in when you are in a hurry. Once a week, go through the tote and put all your items back in their spots.
Removing multiples of items in garages is another simple way to decrease your clutter. Do you really need 5 tape measures? No, you do not, but maybe someone you know might need one. Shoot a text out to your friends and family and see if anyone might need some duplicate tools or lawn supplies items.
Below are some common items that might be in your garage to start decluttering:
Maybe you are new to organizing this year or you are a seasoned pro looking for the newest ideas out there. I am always searching for ideas on how to help my clients keep an organized home.
Below are some of my favorite book choices with strategies and simple to utilize ideas to keep your spaces clutter-free long term. With thousands of positive reviews, these books are worth every penny to start your decluttering journey out on the right foot.
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Make sure to download the Complete Declutter Checklist from this blog post to help kick start your home organization. Simply download it by clicking the button below, print, and take it with you as you work your way towards a MORE ORGANIZED HOME.
I hope you enjoyed This Organized Home’s Declutter Your Home in 2022. Have a great idea for other tips on how to declutter, make sure to comment below. Be sure to download the Declutter List with 75+ ways to get your home decluttered THIS YEAR!
Can't wait to catch up on the next blog... Stay Organized.
