As women, we wear so many hats. We’re expected to be moms, wives, employees, business owners, friends, and more. And sometimes, just trying to keep all the balls in the air can be overwhelming. One area where this is especially true is keeping our homes clean and organized. If you’re like me, you sometimes feel like your house is a never quite right. Since I work from home, it’s even more critical to me that my home is my sanctuary.
I am the type that really struggles with clarity when my environment is a mess. My head is more clear when my environment is clean and clear. I love to take some of my time off at the holidays to clean out my closet, organize my pantry, clean my office, file my receipts, and set up my systems and life for the next year.
Today, I want to share a few of my favorite quick and easy ways to declutter your home so you can spend less time cleaning and more time doing the things you love.
1. Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much you can get done.
The first step to decluttering your home is to just get started. Set a timer for 15 minutes and see how much progress you can make in that short amount of time. The key is to not get overwhelmed by thinking about all the work that needs to be done. Just focus on what you can do in those 15 minutes and before you know it, your whole house will be decluttered!
2. Get rid of anything you haven’t used in the last year.
A great rule of thumb for decluttering your home is to get rid of anything you haven’t used in the last year. If you haven’t worn that shirt or used that coffee mug in 365 days, chances are you probably won’t use it again. So get rid of it! This will help free up space in your home and make it easier to find the things you actually use on a regular basis.
3. Put it in a box and deal with it later.
One of the biggest mistakes people make when decluttering their homes is spending too much time trying to decide what to do with each item they come across. Should I keep it? Should I toss it? Should I donate it? If you find yourself getting bogged down in these decisions, just put the item in a box and deal with it later. You can always go through the box at a later date and decide what to do with those items then. I label my boxes based on the date I put something into it. If I didn’t miss it within the next year, I open up the box and do my best to throw everything out that isn’t necessary. I figure that if I didn’t need it in the past year, I probably won’t need it in the future.
4. Donate items instead of selling them.
While having a garage sale may seem like an easy way to make some extra cash, it’s actually not worth the hassle in most cases. To have a successful garage sale, you need to spend time advertising, setting up tables and displays, and dealing with haggling customers—all for items that probably aren’t worth very much money anyway. Many of us can use the tax deduction, and if you itemize the things you give away, there’s A better solution is simply to donate those items to a local charity or thrift store. This declutters your home without having to go through the hassle (and expense) of holding a garage sale.
5. Use storage bins and baskets wisely.
One of the best ways to keep your home decluttered is by using storage bins and baskets wisely. Instead of letting items pile up on surfaces or stuff them haphazardly into drawers, take some time to organize them into baskets or bins. This will help prevent clutter from taking over your home and makes it easy to grab what you need when you need it. Plus, baskets and bins add a touch of style to any room!
Conclusion:
By following these five simple tips, you can quickly and easily declutter your home so you can spend less time cleaning and more time doing the things you love. Just remember, the key is to get started and not get overwhelmed. Once you get going, decluttering your home will be a breeze!
