Tips for Summer De-Cluttering
A cluttered home or workspace can be stressful and distracting.
Although summer de-cluttering can sometimes seem overwhelming, by taking small and manageable steps you can quickly and easily reclaim your space, helping you to feel more calm and productive.
“Nothing is more exhausting than the task that’s never started.” “When deciding what to buy, remember that some things are easy to buy—but then we have to use them. If they’re not used, they don’t enhance our lives; they just contribute to guilt and clutter.”
– Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin.
Here are their top five tips for Summer de-cluttering of your life from JustJunk.com:
1. Be Prepared
Don’t start your cleanup without the proper supplies. When you are motivated, you need to be fully equipped and ready to win your de-cluttering battle. Cleaning supplies, garbage bags, recycling containers, tote boxes, and a label maker are a great de-cluttering toolkit.
2. Set Goals
Make sure that your goals are small enough so that you can meet them without getting discouraged. Something like “Garage cleaned out by the end of the week” is manageable and will be a big relief when it is completed.
3. One Step at a Time
Just because there may be clutter in every room of your house doesn’t mean you need to tackle it all at once. Choose to tackle one room, or even one section of a room once a week.
4. Make Quick Decisions
When you are rummaging through all of your clutter, ask yourself “Have I used this in the last 2 years?” If you haven’t, you likely will never use it again. Remember, the goal is to simplify your life. Get rid of the items you no longer use and free up space.
5. Donate Items
Not only will you be getting rid of the clutter out of your own home, but you’ll also be helping others. Label the items you need to donate and call a local charity or junk removal service. Donating items that are still in good condition will help you remember why de-cluttering is so important, both for yourself and for others.
Your summer de-cluttering project doesn’t have to take over your entire summer! I like to go through one area at a time to keep things from getting overwhelming. I also like to make donations to my local Salvation Army every week or two so that the pile doesn’t get too big.
Bonus Summer De-Cluttering Tip: Sort Your Stuff
The easiest way to declutter and organize your home is to use office organizers. Items can be neatly organized in a row or in a different style, depending on what you feel is best for you. For example, one of the more common organizing styles includes separating items by their function, such as sorting a closet into clothing for work and school. However, when decluttering in this manner, it helps to be mindful about what needs to go back into which organizer, bin, box, or drawer.
Another method of decluttering is to sort items into categories (e.g., paper items, clothing, and so on). Then sort each category by action, such as “place in closet or drawers” or “donate,” which allows for a more visual approach to identifying items that are no longer needed or wanted. Items that are no longer needed can be placed in recycling bins or boxes if they are broken or damaged; otherwise, you can donate them to a local charity organization.
What tips do you have for summer de-cluttering?
