Spring brings with it fresh new energy and the potential for change. Embrace this forward momentum and use it to tackle the clutter in your home, creating a more functional living space. Don't let it be a bummer: decluttering can be calming, and it often involves some physical activity too. That means not only will your home look better and your mind feel more organized, but you will burn a few calories along the way. Bonus!
Clutter can be overwhelming; so overwhelming it can prevent you from even starting. The best way to handle this is to make a list of areas you want to tackle and then systematically work your way through it over a few days, weekends, or months. Do not stop until you've checked off every last task.
This preplanning step lets you prioritize and really give thought to the areas of your home that need some love to relieve the stress they cause. Winter months keep you caged up indoors and bring those messy spots into glaring focus. Make it your mission to have your biggest niggles sorted by the end of spring.
Winter is a bulky season, and no doubt coats, beanies, scarfs, and gloves have piled up around your front door and entranceway. Not to mention multiple pairs of messy boots.
Now that there is no longer a need to bundle up, pack these items away in a closet. Give your entrance a sweep and wipe down scuff marks from the walls. An organized, clean entrance space is that much easier to keep neat and tidy, too.
Summer entertainment is around the corner, and you can use springtime to get your outside areas ready for hosting and just for hanging. Rake leaves and debris away, toss any broken pots and dying potplants, and wipe down patio furniture so people want to sit in it.
Clean up or throw away any old citronella candles or outside nicknacks that didn't make into the shed last fall — they're probably not faring too well.
Winter calls for cozy nights on the couch, enjoying Netflix or your favorite book. But all the time spent in the living area can result in nicknacks and curios piling up in your sanctuary. Look around the room, and decide what can be thrown away or donated. Tidy up unruly cables or electronics that are no longer in use.
Once you are left with only the items that belong in the living room, consider your storage options. Can you repurpose what's already there or in a different corner of your home? If not, you might invest in some wicker baskets or pretty boxes with lids to make an organized area where important things can be stored neatly out of sight.
It is likely that winter saw you topping up your freezer with frozen goods and some ready-made meals to avoid unnecessary trips to the grocery store in the cold. Don't let these items take up space better reserved for spring produce.
Make it your mission to add what remains to your weekly meal plans, emptying your freezer before these bits and pieces become too old to use. This allows you to have a fresh start come summer when you will be eating lighter meals and more fresh options.
Unless you have tons of excess space, your cupboards and closets are most likely stocked to the gills. To give your storage some breathing room, take a look at cleaning, beauty, and medical products.
Take stock of what's shoved to the back that you have forgotten about or that has expired. Chuck out everything you never use or haven't touched in far too long. Wipe the shelves and wipe down whatever is going back on them so they look refreshed and worthy of your regular spring and summer routine.
This step can be daunting, but tackling your kitchen to free up cupboard space will feel so good. Donate appliances you no longer use, and toss tools, storage containers, and dishware that is cracked, chipped, discolored, or broken.
This journey of discovery will help you take stock of what lovely items you do have and what you need to invest in for your spring and summer entertaining. You can also use this time to free up your pantry, throwing out anything expired and combining those bags of macaroni you accidentally purchased on three separate occasions.
Assess what items are no longer serving you. Get rid of or donate clothes that you no longer wear. Move the winter items to another closet, if possible, or to the back of your wardrobe, so your lighter clothes can take center stage — this makes you feel ready for warmer weather and will also ensure you actually wear them!
Move coats, scarfs, gloves, and boots into labeled boxes so they are easy to locate when winter rolls around again next year.
If not given some routine TLC, the shed can become a frightening area filled with dirt and dust, not to mention every outdoor — or even indoor — piece of junk you didn't feel like dealing with at the moment.
Give your shed a sweep and throw out old products and broken items. Sharpen your garden tools and oil them in preparation for spring planting. Knowing that your shed is ready for the gardening season will make that upcoming event a pleasure and give you some peace of mind.
As things warm up, we often find outselves reaching for all the fun outdoor equipment we own. Get ahead of the stressful last-minute searching by unearthing and sortings your camping things, beach items, and bicycle gear before the season begins.
Give them a dust off and a wipe-down and find an easily accessible, or at least memorable, place in your garage or storage shed. This is also a great opportunity to donate anything you didn't use last year and be reminded of the items you loved, jumpstarting that summer planning.