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Simplicity at its Best: Decluttering Your Home

By Alicia Smith
Share to PinterestSimplicity at its Best: Decluttering Your Home
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Disorganization, clutter, and disarray can make it difficult to enjoy your home. It minimizes your available living space, which isn't only annoying. All that mess can be dangerous to navigate. It's also unattractive. Home decor and design are lost in the confusion. So is a lot of your stuff. It's much more difficult to find the things you want and need when your house is disorganized.

Banish the mess. Surround yourself with clean, organized spaces that reflect your personality. Give yourself room to breathe, think, and produce. Fall in love with your home anew by rediscovering its purpose and beauty.

01

First, take a photo

Share to PinterestWoman Taking Pictures of A Living Room in Model Home with Her Smart Phone.
Feverpitched / Getty Images

Photos are an excellent way to memorialize your before and after home organization journey. But, more importantly, they help you visualize what you have and where you want it all to go. Pictures are helpful when you start to inventory your possessions in the next step. Be sure to snap photos of the items you donate for your records.

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02

Write down what you have

Share to PinterestSeeing your items inventoried on paper can help you eliminate stuff.
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Look at your belongings with a critical eye. Do you need all these things? How often are you using that stepper? Are you really ever going to start scrapbooking? You fell in love with that oversized ottoman 5 years ago, but how attracted to it are you now? Be honest, not reactive. Make a list. Highlight the items that you haven't used or truly noticed in the past six months.

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03

Choose a room

Share to PinterestOrganizing your garage frees up storage space for clutter in the house.

You've probably read that you should start with your attic, basement, or garage. Organizers counsel you to start with your storage spaces. That way, you'll have a place to move items to while you're organizing other rooms. It's a smart method and it works in most cases. But organizing is a very personal process. You may have limited time. There may be one room in the house that's crying for your attention first. Maybe you even need to desperately locate something in a particular area of your house. Whatever the reason, let that drive your decision. Also, if you have hoarding tendencies, it may be better to wait on your storage areas. Don't give yourself more opportunities to hold on to unused possessions.

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04

Purge unnecessary stuff

Share to PinterestYoung woman is sorting out wardrobe
urbazon / Getty Images

Now that you've identified the things you can easily live without, get rid of them. Donate usable items to your favorite charity. Dump old, broken, worn items in the trash. If you've accumulated lots of stuff, rent a roll away dumpster for an efficient clean out. Now, it's time to start organizing.

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05

Make good use of your time

Share to PinterestAnnoyed Adult Woman Leaning on a shelf in her Closet
CasarsaGuru / Getty Images

It took time to build up all that clutter. Don't expect to take care of it overnight, or even over a weekend. Be realistic, and pace yourself. In the spirit of organization, set a schedule. Give yourself set time frames to tackle each room in your home. Stick to your schedule. You set it, so, you can do it.

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06

Use bins

Share to PinterestShelf of work out equipment in modern gym. Yoga, classes, stretching.
David Tran / Getty Images

Bins are your friends when organizing. They're plentiful, inexpensive, and versatile. For items you use frequently, choose see-through containers with lids. Opt for larger rubber tubs for seasonal possessions, like holiday decorations, camping gear,and sports equipment. Apply labels for easy identification. Small, metal baskets are also good, especially for your pantry.

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07

Use space wisely

Share to PinterestMother and daughter folding towels together
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Look for spaces, nooks, and crannies to store items in a neat and orderly way. Under-the-bed storage and corner shelve are good utilization of small areas. Tall shelves make the most of vertical space. Commercial room organizers are plentiful and may offer creative methods for storage and organization with a decorative flair that complements home design.

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08

Get inspo from the millions of organization websites

Share to PinterestMen working at home selling online in small business
TwilightShow / Getty Images

There are tons of tips available on the internet, in the library, and at your local hardware store. You can find hacks, new products, creative ideas, and original ways to tackle organizing. Do your research. Look up solutions to specific problems you're facing. Check for free home organization workshops in the area, too.

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09

Get extra hands involved

Share to PinterestYou never know who's willing to help until you ask.
AleksandarNakic / Getty Images

Get family members and friends in on the actions. Outside eyes can be more objective about what you need to toss. Plus, the extra manpower is valuable for getting things done and helping with the heavy lifting.

You probably know someone who alphabetizes their pantry and color-coordinates their sock drawer. Ask her for tips and advice. They may even volunteer to lend a hand.

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10

Stay organized

Share to PinterestShot of a mature woman going through paperwork on moving day
PeopleImages / Getty Images

All your work is for nothing if you don't maintain your new de-cluttered space. Pull up your calendar and set reminders for sweeps. Do them weekly, monthly, and seasonally. Stagger different rooms for review.

  • Kitchen — toss out expired foods
  • Closet — get rid of pieces you're not wearing
  • Laundry Room — stop clutter before it builds
  • Garage — purge what you're not using

Set your reviews realistically. But understand that these maintenance tasks will get quicker and easier over time.

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