How To Declutter and Clean Your Home

Were you born a messy or neat person? Organized or cluttered? I have always liked to have a clean home and I actually like to clean. As I have gotten older, I am not as good at housecleaning as I once was. (Check here for my article on Spring cleaning tasks that includes a free checklist.)

I am not a hoarder, but we definitely have some clutter. It is something we are working on.

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Just what is clutter? By definition: clut·ter /ˈklədər/: (verb) to fill or litter with things in a disorderly manner. “All kinds of papers cluttered the top of his desk”, (noun) a disorderly heap or assemblage; litter. “It’s impossible to find anything in all this clutter.”

Clutter is basically anything in your home that does not add value to your life. For many of us, cluttered areas cause stress from feeling like our lives are out of control.

So, how to tackle clutter? I guess it’s like asking how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. Defeating clutter is a step process. I created a 5-page list of things to get rid of. Check it out and use it to help with your task. My list is organized by room to declutter: kitchen, living room, bathroom, closet, bedroom, and miscellaneous items. Working one room at a time is my way of eating an elephant.

Sidebar – A little about me –  by trade, I have been in Information Technology most of my adult life. Starting many years ago as a programmer, then on to Project Management and Business Analyst. Most recently I am Tester and QA. My gift of being very detailed has served me well in IT. Part of my success is that I am a planner and a list maker. I drive my family crazy sometimes because I plan get-togethers and vacations like a project! So, it just makes sense that I have a cleaning schedule and decluttering process.

Which room should you start with? I believe it should be the easiest room in your home. Maybe you start with your kitchen pantry. When complete you will have a feeling of accomplishment and you will be motivated to tackle other areas that might be more of a challenge. The area you pick to start is up to you.

The Box System

OK, now you know where you want to start but what will you do with all the stuff? My system is to have four or five collection boxes. They can be boxes, laundry baskets, or bins. Here’s how the box plan works:

1. Have a box or garbage bag for trash. Anything you want to get rid of that is not good for donating or selling.
2. Donate or sell. Items you don’t want but are still in good condition. Personally, I am not a yard sale person so I don’t try to sell, instead, I donate to a local community help center.
3. Store somewhere. This is for items you want to keep but you don’t use them every day. Seasonal items are an example. The box can then be put in the attic, basement, garage, or storage building.
4. Put somewhere else. These are items you want to keep and use often but they belong in another room.
5. Fix and repair. These items are ones you want to keep but they need to be fixed or repaired. Maybe a watch you would use if it had a new battery.

A possible sixth box is for sentimental items. These are items that have meaning to us and we are not sure if we can part with them. I suggest putting them in a box that can be gone through later. That way it won’t hold up the room you are working on and you won’t make a decision you are not ready to make. Other items for this box are things you are just not sure what to do with. Don’t spend the time trying to decide while working the room, instead, save the decision for later.

Some Decluttering Tips

• When you start a room, tidy it up first, like making your bed and putting dirty clothes in the laundry room. Removing the visible mess will make the decluttering much easier. I suggest tidying each room and remove clutter before tackling things in cabinets and drawers.

• When you do unclutter your dresser and clothes chests, take everything out and go through them. If you fold clothes where they can be placed vertically, you will be able to see everything without rummaging through it. If an item no longer fits or you have not used it in six months, give it away or sell it. The same 6-month rule works for your clothes closet as well. If you have shoes that are worn out or hurt your feet – get rid of them.

• In the bathroom, you probably have a lot of unused cosmetics or ones that need to be discarded because they are too old to use.

• Your kitchen countertops are probably holding a lot of things that don’t belong there. If you have small appliances that you don’t use every week, try to find another place to store them. For instance, I have a stand mixer that I don’t use very often, so I store it covered up on a shelf in my laundry room. The laundry room is off the kitchen, so it’s not an inconvenience to keep the mixer there. On the other hand, I have an iced tea maker that I use every other day, so it makes sense that it has a home on my countertop.

• If you are a crafter like me, decluttering your crafting supplies may be a very large chore. I like to do many crafts so I have materials for wreaths, die-cutting, scrapbooking, crochet, ceramic coasters, and on and on. I store some supplies in our upstairs bonus room and some in the garage. Just today, I started going through all the garage items. Wow! It is going to take me several sessions to get it all organized. I have a storage rack where I put the supplies. So, I totally emptied the shelving and am going through every box of crafts. It will take time to declutter and organize, but I am sure it will be worth it. Things will be so much easier to find, and I won’t end up buying something because I cannot find it when I need it!

• Something you might not think to declutter and organize is your small hand tools, Scissors, pliers, box cutters, etc. may be taking up several “junk” drawers. I am not the normal female when it comes to my wish list – last Christmas I asked for a toolbox! My husband got me a nice sized but lightweight toolbox and I am moving my tools to their new home!

• Decluttering and organizing is an ongoing process and your first pass through your home may take a while to complete. Just schedule time each day or weekend and you will see results in no time!

• One last tip – make your beds, put dirty clothes in the laundry room, and clean dirty dishes every day. Believe me, you will feel so much better for that time well spent!

There are definite benefits of decluttering; you will have less stuff to clean, your stress level will be lower, and you will save time looking for things!

Were you born a messy or neat person? Organized or cluttered? Clutter is basically anything in your home that does not add value to your life. Share on X

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