With spring right around the corner, the idea of spring cleaning may be a daunting task to consider. However, there are a few ways to begin the task by making an inventory of items you already have, then deciding whether to donate or toss them out. Rather than dedicating an entire weekend deep cleaning out your space, try starting small.
According to the Reader’s Digest article, “15 Things Professional Organizers Do Daily to Stay Clutter-Free,” consistency is the first key strategy. “Small, manageable daily routines help you declutter your life and train your mind to be more organized,” the article states. Cleaning and organizing professionals offer easy methods to help you stay on top of decluttering year round, eliminating the stressful need of deep cleaning your abode. If you are like me and need this advice on where to start, read on for seven tips on how to tackle this process.
Tip #1: Always have a “donation bag” ready to go. By having a set place to put your not needed items, you can amplify your decluttering efforts. Continue to add to the bag by scanning your home for something to give away as often as possible. Set aside time to take a quick look at things that have not been used in a while like clothing, food storage containers, kitchen gadgets, etc. Finally, when the donation-ready shopping bag is full, load it in the car, take it to the local charity thrift shop, then repeat.
Tip #2: Get rid of junk mail daily. This seems like an obvious step, but it is surprising how many hold onto old mail in the hopes that they will be able to use that coupon for their favorite restaurant. If you are like me and fall into this category of coupon hoarding, set aside time once a month to go through the coupons, throwing away expired ones. You can accelerate your mail sorting process by buying an accordion file to sort paperwork into three main files: “To Pay,” “To Do” and “To File.”
Tip #3: Have a go-to spot for your daily accessories. This is a simple decluttering tip and great method to prevent losing important accessories like car keys, air pods, etc. Try hanging a lidless bin on the wall, or a simple basket or bowl will also work. Having this right by a door will help remind you to place these items there upon returning from an outing. Make sure to go through the bowl often though to eliminate not needed items like old receipts, etc.
Tip #4: Throw away your old beauty products. According to the Buzzfeed article, “Throw It Away!: This Professional Organizer Is Going Viral for Calling Out the Everyday Items in People’s Homes That Belong in The Garbage,” these unused items should be an easy method to clean out your cabinets. Allyson Cartwright, a Baltimore, MD based professional organizer advises sorting your products into four categories: “daily morning routine, daily nighttime routine, special occasion self care products and special occasion makeup products.” She insists that everything else can be trashed. “I know it’s scary, and I know it feels like such a waste, but I promise you, these items are not serving you. They are doing the opposite. They’re in the way of the products that you’re actually using and the products you actually love.”
Tip #5: Do not forget the medicine cabinet! From the same article, Cartwright mentions how expired medicine also has no place on our shelves. Set aside time to go through all your medicine baskets and get rid of anything past the expiration date. Also, make sure you are using the products in the baskets versus storing them. Like the makeup, old lotions are not serving us if they are just sitting in a basket or bin.
Tip #6: Set aside five minutes DAILY. This is a simple and manageable amount of time that one can use to begin tackling whatever decluttering needs to happen. Use those five minutes to declutter your sock drawer, organize your junk mail or eliminate not needed items from the in and out bowl. You can easily build onto these five minutes, but at least this can give new declutterers a place to begin.
Tip #7: Give away something every day. I realize this may seem intense, but it is not. It does not need to be an expensive pair of jeans you cannot fit in, but rather a book you have loved but would like a new friend to now enjoy. If you do the math, by giving away one item a day, by the end of the year, you have eliminated your space of 365 not needed items.
