Spring is almost coming to an end and summer is just around the corner! I know personally that I’ll feel so much better going into summer after I do some spring cleaning. So what is the difference between spring cleaning and decluttering? Cleaning has more to do with dusting, vacuuming, wiping down, or washing. Decluttering means to get rid of the clutter that piles up. Both are super important to a fresher and cleaner home. But for this post, I want to focus on decluttering.
First, try to break up the decluttering by sections or rooms in your house. You can do one room per day or even give yourself more time per room depending on the condition. Breaking it up in sections helps you not get overwhelmed with the task. Below I listed a blueprint of things to declutter in your home. You might have more to your list or less depending on your situation.
Bedroom:
- Items stored underneath the bed
- Books that you’ve read and want to give away or donate
- Memory boxes- you might find some items worth keeping for memorabilia, but you might be inclined to throw out items that aren’t that important anymore
- Drawers/closet- donate clothes you are not wearing anymore or sell on Poshmark. Do the same for shoes and accessories.
- Get rid of old perfume
- Get rid of expired makeup, hair products, or sunscreen. Clean out makeup brushes/beauty blenders or get new ones.
Office:
- Go through your files. Any documents you need to make copies of? Can you get rid of paper and scan documents to your computer files?
- Get rid of pens/highlighters/markers that are old and the ink has dried out
- Go through USBs and label them so it’s easy to identify
- Get rid of batteries that don’t work anymore
- Go through old receipts and toss what you don’t need anymore
Kitchen:
- Donate kitchen appliances you don’t use. Get rid of anything broken including glass.
- Get rid of expired food/drinks
- Get rid of old kitchen towels
Living Room:
- Get rid of old candles
- Cords and cables with no purpose
- Sell/donate furniture that you don’t love or pieces that don’t match your overall decor
Technology:
- Delete old emails/junk mail
- Backup iphone
- Delete pictures you don’t like
- Go through iPhone apps and delete whatever you don’t use
There is plenty more that you can add to the list above. But I didn’t want to overcomplicate it. Any little thing you do will already make a difference. Hope this helps you guys! Since I’m currently living out of Airbnbs with Dillon for some time, my decluttering will most take place in my bedroom. My tip to make the process more fun and doable…play some music or listen to an audiobook! Right now I’m reading Fierce Marriage and Big Magic. Next up on my reading list is This is Not a Fashion Story, The Artisan Soul, and The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. Hope you guys all have fun decluttering away this spring!
