5 Ways to Declutter Your Home and Life

Contrary to what most people might think, clutter is not garbage. It is anything laying around the home that does not add value to your life. That being said, it doesn’t means that the items constituting the clutter do not have any value at all. It just means that they are not valuable to you anymore but might add value to someone else’s life.This definition of clutter is important to understand because so many people make the mistake of hoarding things by holding onto items they no longer need due to a personal sentimental connection they have to the things or under the guise of a perceived value because it was bought for a pretty penny. Anything which you thought was going to be valuable but no longer is can be clutter.

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During this time where we seem to have a lot of time on our hands, decluttering the home is not such a bad idea. It can help us free up more space but more so create additional time to spend with the people we love. This is the perfect moment to create that feeling of zen in your home that could boost your mood and make you more productive. Here are some tips for decluttering your home and life this spring.

Clothes You Never Wear

Is your closet bursting at its seams full of clothing? You might want to start by taking inventory of all the clothes you have bought but never worn. Try not to be sentimental about it because chances are that if you have not worn them within a year or two, you probably never will. You can gift the items to family or friends if you wish. Other options are to donate the clothing to Value Village or Goodwill or you can also sell the items online to make some extra cash in the process.

Tidy the Kitchen Pantry

If you are a minimalist, then you will know that cardboard boxes and other packaging from food can be a distraction in the kitchen. In order to streamline the amount of clutter in your pantry or on the counter, try to get rid of these boxes. Also discard the plastic bags that go with your cereal, snacks, spices and dry goods. Switch over to glass food jars and airtight containers to keep food fresh and which don’t take up a lot of space either. Got too much food that won’t fit? Make a donation to the local food bank.

Check Your Makeup Bag

Has your makeup expired? Now might be a good time to check. Clean out the cosmetics that have lost their value and which no longer serve up any purpose in your beauty bag. Foundations are usually good for one year while lipsticks can last up to a little over two years. Eye make-up like shadow colours and brow pencils tend to last a bit longer but mascara should be replaced every couple of months.

Clean Out Your Fridge

Check your fridge at least every two to three weeks and throw out any unidentifiable foods that have been lurking in there or which may have gone bad. Arrange the levels in your fridge according to food item or category so you can always find exactly what you need when you need it. Create a section for perishable foods with a short shelf life such as vegetables and cooked food so you can go through those quickly. Meals should never last more than a week in the fridge without being eaten or it could go bad.

Organize Your Home Office

Are you a hoader of books and paper work Consider gifting the books (assuming they are in good condition) to your local library. For paper receipts and bills, scan them and keep a copy online or on your computer to avoid the pile up of clutter, which can look very unattractive. Dust your office desk. Then organize and arrange any wires, extension cords and other cables that are on the floor. Now, this might also be a good time to consider your email inbox and personal calendar. Declutter both so that instead of being unnecessarily busy and distracted, you can be productive instead.

Sort Out the Basement and Garage

How do you treat your basement and garage – Is it a welcoming part of your home or have you turned it into a junk yard for unwanted scraps? It’s time to get some plastic bins or boxes that can help you organize and declutter. Try to make some shelve space on the wall and keep things off the floor. Sort like items together and use labels to help you identify things easily. Space the boxes and bins out evenly across the shelves. If you have a lot of stuff, consider renting some extra storage space that you can place outdoors for things that won’t fit properly.

If you are curious about living a modern, minimalist lifestyle that is always tidy and organized then check out Marie Kondo.

After reading this article, how do you feel about the current state of your home and which of these tips will you be using the most?

Jamila Kyari

I’m a seasoned communications and marketing consultant with a penchant for all things stylish and chic. Follow me on social media and subscribe to the newsletter for regular updates on industry trends and much more!

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