The bright sunshine, the warm weather, and the long weekends of vacation make us want to spend all of our time outdoors. While we’re outside enjoying our fun in the sun, we might be neglecting another area that deserves some real attention: keeping our home clutter free.
On rainy days, those days that are way too hot to go outside, or whenever you can find the time during your busy summer of fun, you should devote some effort to organizing and paring down your belongings for a lighter, brighter home. Here is a simple guide to get you started on the path to being clutter free.
Easy Tips to Become Clutter Free
Where to Thin Out
It is entirely possible to target the areas of your home that are the unsightliest. The unpleasant, heavily junk burdened places in your house might be hard to find. While some homes suffer from clutter that’s out in the open, most people tend to shove their messes aside, hiding it in hard-to-reach spaces or seldom-traveled corners of the house.
Storage spaces are the best places to clear out. You can start by opening up your garage and closets. Venture into your backyard to open up a long-forgotten shed. Once you have targeted the useless items in these spaces, you can begin clearing out the more visited areas of your home. Kitchens and bathrooms are treasure troves for unused appliances and expired products. Even living rooms can contain cubbies, shelves, and baskets full of pointless possessions. However, identifying the source of your home’s clutter is only the beginning to becoming clutter free.
What to Give Up
In every location you deem worthy of purging, you should pull out every single scrap and carefully evaluate its worth. Essentially, you will divide your belongings into two piles: things you absolutely need and things you definitely don’t. For the most part, it is easy to distinguish what belong in the first category; those items you use every day or you cherish for truly sentimental reasons can stay. However, the majority of the stuff you dredge up is most likely neither of those things.
Here are some questions to ask while you sift to help guide you through the sorting process:
- When was the last time you touched this item? If you haven’t used your elliptical in six months, you probably aren’t going to start up again. It’s time to ditch it.
- Are you keeping the item out of obligation or expectation? Your home shouldn’t be cluttered because you feel guilty about hating your mother-in-law’s gifts. You can give them back or donate them to feel better about your decision.
- Are you keeping the item because you want to like it? Some hobbies seem so rewarding, but you just don’t seem to like them. If you bought a boat in the hopes of developing a love for fishing, you should accept your distaste and donate the vessel.
- Is it broken? Is it a multiple? Is it still around “just in case?” Thinking you should keep every possession in case of some future scenario is hoarding behavior. You won’t regret a clutter-free home.
How to Get It Out
Soon, you will have a giant pile of possessions you will be happy (or at least resigned) to be rid of. Now comes the hard part: actually getting rid of them, and becoming clutter free. Fortunately, there is no one right way to clear out your house ― only the right way for you. Here are a few options to help you finally get your junk out:
- Friends and family. Certainly some of your loved ones cherish the idea of picking through your giveaways. It’s like shopping, but free.
- Charities. Even if your items are slightly used, you can donate it to a charity. There are millions of people who need your stuff more than you do. Do some research online to find a worthwhile organization, especially if you have a large boat or vehicle you’ll need help moving.
- Garage sale. It takes some doing, but a garage sale is a great way to earn some fast cash. However, you’ll probably have leftovers, so you’ll need a plan for getting rid of what doesn’t sell.
- E-commerce. There are dozens of websites that specialize in selling your clutter to other people. Make sure your possessions suit the style of the site, and you’ll be clutter free in a few days.
- Trash can. More likely than not, some of your junk is just pure garbage. Toss it.
With some elbow grease, a trip down memory lane, and some time in the cool air conditioning, you too can make your home clutter free. What are your best tips for keeping your home clutter free?
photo credit: Her CLoset it a Bit Messy Kitchen window via (license)