Clear out the Clutter

If you’re feeling overwhelmed with all of the stuff you’ve accumulated over time, it’s time to do something about it. Clearing out the clutter can often give the feeling of being able to breath a little easier. It’s much easier to keep your house clean with fewer items to deal with. I’m not suggesting you need to change to a minimalist style in your home, just weed out some things you don’t need.

Organization Accessories

A good way to free up space in your living areas is to rethink how you display items. If you have several bookshelves in a room it can make the room feel smaller. There are lots of hanging shelves and organizers available. This moves items up instead of out in the room. You’ll need to be sure you attach any type of wall unit securely. Make certain you have the hangers screwed into studs to keep heavier items on the wall.

Have old items hauled away

Sometimes the best thing you can do to clear away clutter is to have furniture items that have outlived their usefulness hauled away. There are companies that will come and pick up larger items you no longer love. Companies like Junk Rescue will actually come to your home to pick up items. This is a better option that just placing items at the curb for a waste disposal company to trash. Really look at the items in your home. Decide what you truly no longer need or want. Be ok with letting them go. Just think of others who may have use for those items.

If you are getting rid of old computers, be sure your personal information has been wiped or deleted from the hard drive before doing so. Always go through furniture such as filing cabinets to ensure it is free of paperwork or precious keepsakes before removal.

Donate

If you are purging items; consider donating them to trusted organizations. If it’s clothing, be sure clothes are clean and in good condition. If an item is worn out, it’s ok to throw it away. You can even set furniture items aside for donation. There are organizations like the Kidney Foundation who will do a porch pick up of large items. Again, items need to be in fairly good shape. Don’t try to donate a busted dresser or bed frame. The object it to help those in need. This is not the time to give some one a “project piece.”

You may feel better about parting with some items when you consider the good they will do for someone else. And in the process, you’ll be freeing your home of its clutter. If you’re donating to charitable organizations; remember to get a receipt for the items that includes the estimated cost and value so you can take the donation on your taxes.

Be careful

As you are eliminating unwanted or unneeded items, be sure you are careful that no personal information can be found. If you’re bad about leaving personal documents, papers, or vital records laying in a “I’ll get to it later” pile, protect them. The first thing you should do is take those documents and get them organized and placed in some kind of filing cabinet. A fireproof cabinet is the best option.

Go through the kitchen and place anything that does not belong there in the laundry basket. (An important note: If there are time-sensitive papers or vital records, put them where they belong right away so they do not get lost.) Once you have found everything that does not belong in the room you are working on, you can begin your organization efforts. 

Here is a video to guide you on the best practices for organizing your home.

Cleaning and decluttering your home does not have to be a frustrating task. Create new spaces, play upbeat music, or listen to the latest true-crime podcast while you’re busy making your life less disorganized. You will be amazed at how much work you get done while getting rid of junk you no longer want. Your home will look great and you’ll feel better when you are done.