While last year was challenging and unique, we’re already optimistic and looking forward to what this new year brings! January is always the time for resolutions, and we think welcoming the new year with a clutter-free look in your home is a great way to start! If you don’t know where to begin, we’ve got some great tips on how to declutter your home, so you can go through all the rooms in your home with a positive and organized mindset. Let’s get started!
Ask For Help
Please do. A decluttering project takes some time, so maybe ask a friend to help you out. Thank them for your help by offering them takeout at the end of the day! 🙂
Go Room By Room
No need to fret, we’ve got a plan. Tackle each room one by one and avoid feeling overwhelmed throughout the process.
Separate, Separate, Separate
Before you do anything, set up garbage bags or piles for various purposes. As you declutter your house, you can separate your piles and label them with a sharpie or label maker.
- Keepers: Any items that you use often and can’t live without like your favorite TV shirt, coffee mugs, kitchen utensils, and candles you use every night.
- Storage: Items you’re going to store in storage spaces like your garage, closet, or even a storage unit if you have one. We’re thinking about winter clothing, books you’ve already read, and holiday decorations because they probably aren’t used very often.
- Recyclables: Recycled items such as plastic, paper, and more.
- Donations: Items that are never used like clothes you haven’t worn in months, children’s toys, and cookbooks, can be donated to someone you know or a non-profit organization. Someone else will be able to use an item just because you donated it!
- Trash: Items that can go in your trash right away such as damaged charging cords, old towels and makeup, and outdated medicine. One man’s trash is another man’s treasure!
Ask Yourself This Question: Will I Use This Item Soon?
Start by putting similar things together. Next, pick up one of these items and ask yourself, “Will I Use This Item Soon?”
Some examples of items you can start with are books, your large selection of T-shirts, accent pillows you forgot about, and receipts you don’t even know why you have anymore. If you don’t love the item, consider moving on.
If you’re still having trouble eliminating items, consider the last time you used the item. If it’s been more than six months or a year, it’s probably time for it to go.
Remember, it’s still okay to be nostalgic because there are always sentimental items that are part of your home for a lifetime.
Now, let’s visualize how we can help you with a few different rooms in your home!
The Bedroom
- Make your bed.
No, this isn’t necessarily decluttering but making your bed is already accomplishing one task, helping you get motivated to clean out your room!
- Only keep the essentials by your side of the nightstand.
Review what you use before bed as part of your nightly routine. If there’s anything you don’t use on the top of your nightstand, consider getting rid of it. This could be a book you’re done reading, paper and pens, lotion, a candle, and charging cords.
If you happen to have a drawer or two, you can put some of these items away.
- Take everything out.
When you’re decluttering your closet, take everything out of the drawers and shelves. From here, try to eliminate any clothing you haven’t worn in six months or longer; these can go to someone who will wear them instead. Add them to your donations pile. Plus, did you know we only wear 20% of the clothes we own?! Try to get rid of the 80% you don’t use.
If your closet is still overcrowded, you can get storage solutions for an organized and clean look. We love putting our clothes inside wicker or plastic baskets.
And of course, put similar things together when you’re adding everything into your closet again. This makes it easier for you to find your socks, T-shirts, dresses, and more. You can even go a step further and categorize them by color!
- Keep your home office separate.
Your bedroom is supposed to be your sanctuary, a place to go at the end of a long day to relax and sleep. That’s why it’s best not to have your home office in your bedroom. Working and sleeping in the same room makes it hard to separate your work from your personal life.
The Entryway
- Declutter your console table.
Keep two or three decorative pieces on the top of your console table for a clean look.
- A catch-all for everyday essentials.
When you enter and return to your home, your keys and wallet should always be within reach, so a bowl in your entryway is a great solution for quick access. A hook or coat rack can be used for hats, coats, and your child’s backpack but remember, don’t overcrowd it as the entryway is the first area you and your guests see when you enter your home.
The Living Room
Only add about three decorative pieces to your coffee table for a minimal look. Remove any clutter from your side tables, so you have space to put down a beverage and snack by your side of the sofa.
And if you don’t already have coffee and side tables with drawers, consider storage as you can hide coasters, TV remotes, and more inside.
The Kitchen
- Start with your countertops.
Having less on kitchen counters gives you more space and a peaceful feeling. Remove anything that you don’t use often, and decide if you’re going to store it somewhere else or better yet, donate it.
- Have a home for everything.
When you’ve finished decluttering your countertops, remember, keep similar things together. Small appliances and food prep items can have their own area so you know where everything is.
- Add a touch of decoration.
You can display items in your kitchen creatively like placing tea bags, K cups, and fruits inside cute baskets.
- Spice it up.
Are you always misplacing the garlic salt or cumin? Organizing your spices alphabetically in drawers lying down can make all the difference. You won’t be frustrated looking for your favorite spices anymore!
The Home Office
- Think about your workday.
Take off anything from your desk that you don’t use, and donate any items that are still in good shape. Once you’re done, you can get a desktop organizer for items that you need nearby as you work.
- Go through your files.
Go paperless and forget about all the additional copies of documents that you have. Review your file cabinets and only keep the most important documents.
If you have any documents that would be hard to replace if you needed another copy of them later on in life, consider keeping them. As long as you have a copy of your tax records from the last 7 years, you’re golden.
- If you’re a visual worker.
If you need to see papers and more on your desk as you work, make sure you give yourself ten minutes to put everything back into its home when you’re done for the day.
- Keep these stacks to a minimum.
Too many stacks will make you feel like you’re going to forget something at the bottom of the stack. You can instead get a clear rolling file cabinet that will allow you to see your files without stacking them on your desk.
P.S. While we didn’t go through every room, keep in mind that there are always items in the closet that we need to get rid of, even in your garage, so make sure you declutter your entire home.
Now that we have given you tips on how to declutter your home, we’re excited for you to start! If there’s anything you need from us, you can shop at our online store anytime or visit a showroom near you in Naples, Miami, West Palm Beach, Broward, and Ft. Myers. Tag us on Instagram using the hashtag #myedfhome with photos of your decluttered home, and you’ll have a chance to be featured on our account!