Try a few of these tips to whip your place into shape with minimal time and effort.
Trick yourself into tossing things
If you know you have a problem parting with things, get two large boxes and label one “repair/clean” and the other “not sure.” Box up the latter items, and date the box. If you haven’t opened the box in a year, donate it. Same goes for the “repair/clean” box. Think about it – you’re not that committed to those items if you haven’t repaired, cleaned or looked at them in a month or two.
Turn castoffs into cash
Maybe extra money is the prime incentive you need to help you clean out cluttered spaces. Good luck selling!
Curb your clothes
Your closets are likely full of clothes you don’t wear. So what should you throw out? Focus on clothes that don’t fit, are out of style, require expensive tailoring, that don’t look good on you, or are duplicates. You could end up eliminating a large section of your wardrobe, yet feel you have more clothes since everything you pull out is something you’ll actually wear!
Save space in your closet
After getting rid of your unwanted clothes, set up simple systems and maintain them. Look for inexpensive closet organizing tools at Ikea, the Container Store, or Bed Bath and Beyond.
Purge paperwork
It’s time to unload those old catalogs, coupons, junk mail and tax support documents. If you need to shred but dread the prospect of feeding a small home shredder all weekend, you could use Staples or FedEx Office shredding services. For the remainder papers you want to keep? Invest a file cabinet or inexpensive stackable plastic file boxes. You could also eliminate paper bills by setting up electronic payments through your bank.
Inspect your pantry
This is one of those hidden areas where unused stuff tends to mysteriously gather. Start by tossing out all expired food. Next, donate your food you won’t eat as well as kitchen appliances you haven’t used in over a year. With your new space, you could install shelves to organize and keep food in sight so you’ll be sure to eat it.
Break down large projects
If the idea of tackling the entire closet in one swoop makes you cringe, break down this arduous task into bite-size pieces. This will keep you from getting frustrated or overwhelmed by the decluttering process. When tackling a cabinet, start with just a section – the floor, your shoes, top shelves. If you don’t get through the entire thing, at least you’ll have one item to check off the list.
Maintain
Organizing is an ongoing process. A good idea would be to keep a container on the closet floor. Whenever you see an item you no longer want, drop it in. Take the contents to a thrift store when it’s full.
