Decuttering this Spring
Clutter at home is an inevitable side effect of a life well lived, but decluttering can be a breath of fresh air for your home and family. Follow this guide to learn how to declutter your home as quickly and efficiently as possible. We can run out of storage just like we do on our phones holding on to all our photos. At some point you have to make more space and decide what you hold on to and what you let go of.
Where to Start If You Want to Declutter Your Home
Making the decision to declutter your home can feel like a huge step in and of itself, but actually getting started is a much larger obstacle. Particularly if you have a big decluttering job ahead of you, knowing where to begin the process can be overwhelming — which is why coming up with a decluttering game plan is so essential
The Best Way to Tackle a Cluttered Room
As you get ready to start the decluttering process, it helps to have a system in place that you can use as you clean and reorganize. One super simple, straightforward option is the “Four-Box Method” — using four boxes or storage bins, you can streamline your decluttering job. Here’s a breakdown of how just four boxes can make tackling a cluttered room a breeze
Box 1: Trash
The first box will be your designated trash dump. Any items you want to get rid of that aren’t worth donating or selling go here. Pro tip: to save yourself a step, go ahead and use trash bags instead of a box so you can take your trash straight to the curb after cleaning up. And don’t forget to recycle items whenever possible!
Box 2: Give Away/Sell
Next, designate a box for items that are still in OK condition, but that your household could do without — like old books or toys, for example. Whether you want to give these things away to family/friends, donate them to charity, or sell them in a yard sale to make a little extra money is totally up to you. If you have clothes you ahve not worn in a year, probably time to let it go and slim down your wardrobe space.
Box 3: Storage
This box is for things that you can’t or don’t want to get rid of, but that you aren’t in need of on a day-to-day basis (think things like seasonal decorations). It’s also a good idea to make an inventory of items that you’re putting in storage as you go — that way, you won’t be left wondering what exactly is taking up space in your garage or attic down the line.
Box 4: Put Away
Lastly, have a box ready to place any items that need to be kept in your house, but relocated to their proper place. If you want to get really organized, you can have a few smaller boxes — one each for places like your bathroom, kitchen, or bedrooms — and sort misplaced items into their “homes” to save yourself the hassle later.
