Decluttering the Closets
Closets often become cluttered and disorganized because they are a convenient location to hide things away. It’s easy to close the door and forget about the mess inside. To declutter your closet, begin by removing everything in the space. Sort your belongings into groups of similar items and get rid of things you no longer want or need.
Clothes that don’t fit, shoes you never wear, and broken accessories should be donated or thrown away. Don’t use valuable storage space for items you don’t need.
If you struggle when deciding which clothes to discard, try this trick. Hang all your clothing in the closet with the hangers facing the same way. When you wear and wash an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the opposite direction. After a year, notice which hangers are still facing the original way. This means they haven’t been worn. Donate these clothes to charity or give to a friend.
How to Declutter Your Home of Sentimental Objects
One of the most difficult steps when decluttering a home is dealing with belongings that have sentimental value. If you have your grandmother’s cookware collection or your father’s entire library, they are probably taking up considerable space in your home. Decluttering objects that hold strong memories is a personal process. You might decide to keep only the pots and pans that you’ll use. Choose a few of your father’s books, maybe his personal favorites, to have on your bookshelves.
Ask extended family members if they can use the items. If not, find a charity that your family member would have supported and donate these objects to them.
Sort Belongings to Declutter Your Home
When you’re decluttering, it can feel stressful to make immediate decisions on items to keep and things to get rid of. Make sorting easier by using a cardboard box for items you will be donating. Keep a garbage can nearby to discard trash. Use a plastic bin for belongings you are uncertain about.
When you are finished going through the belongings in an area, place the plastic bin full of items you aren’t sure about in a place that is out of the way, yet easy to reach. Remove things if you need to use them and return them to their proper places in the house. After six months, donate the contents of the bin that you never used.
Find Alternatives to Shopping
It’s difficult to declutter your home if you are always bringing new things into your home. For some people, shopping is a casual, relaxing, and fun way to unwind. However, if shopping always means that you’re buying, find other activities. If you feel compelled to shop, try shopping for gig work. You can do the shopping for other people and deliver items to their homes. If you have extra money to spend, shop for a specific cause. For example, learn what your local homeless shelter needs and purchase supplies for them.
It may not take much time to clutter your home, but it will take time and effort to declutter. Don’t expect to complete the project in a day or even a weekend. Make decluttering an everyday activity until it becomes a habit.
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