7 Tips for Decluttering Your Home (And What To Do With The Stuff You’re Ditching)
The snow surely isn’t finished here in southeast Wisconsin yet, but let’s be optimistic and put thoughts of winter aside and prepare for the warmth and sunshine of spring.
With spring comes the classic thoughts of starting anew – organization, cleaning, donating, and refreshing our homes and environments. Here at Kelmann Restoration, we’re diving headfirst into our own “home projects.” We’re currently cleaning out and remodeling our headquarters’ basement, creating new use out of existing space to make room for offices and group workspaces.
Our Tips For Decluttering
Before your calendar fills up with the fun events of spring (Brewers’ Games, the annual Milwaukee Riverkeeper Spring Cleanup Event, your family’s spring break trip), set aside some time to declutter your own home. DON’T PANIC! Here are seven tips to approach decluttering with (relative) ease:
- Start small: Begin with one room or one area at a time, such as a closet or a drawer, and work your way up to larger spaces. That kitchen junk drawer or linen closet might be good places to start.
- Categories are your friend: Designate piles for items you want to keep, donate, sell, or throw away.
- Stick to the One-Year Rule: If you haven’t used an item in a year, you don’t need it. Donate it or sell it.
- It’s all about storage: Invest in storage containers, shelves, or baskets to keep items organized and easily accessible. Better yet? Clear storage, so you can always see what you have (and what you don’t!) at a glance.
- Ditch the duplicates: If you have multiple items that serve the same purpose, consider keeping only one and getting rid of the rest.
- Don’t get (too) sentimental: Let go of items that have emotional value but no practical use. Take a picture of sentimental items before letting them go. Maybe turn your child’s artwork into a photo album, and condense the originals.
- Take advantage of technology: Use websites like Facebook Marketplace or Craigslist to sell items you no longer need or use.
Know Where To Send The Stuff You’re Getting Rid Of
Once you have the items you want to throw away, make sure you are doing so responsibly. Check out the schedules and requirements of your local dump or recycling center here. And consider supporting charitable organizations with your donations of items in good condition. Here are eight charities that will pick up your donations for free!
Happy cleaning!