6 Tips to Get Rid of Clutter
Just as the birds fly north, a sure sign that spring is around the corner is an overwhelming urge to clean out your closets and cupboards — and maybe the basement and garage while you’re at it. It’s time to get rid of the clutter. VirginPulse offers six tips to get you started:
1. Get rid of anything you don’t like.
if you don’t love it or use it regularly, why keep it?
2. Clear clutter by category.
Instead of tackling one room (or closet) at a time, try laying out your possessions by type. When you sort by category, it makes it easier to identify duplicate items and other things you don’t really need.
3. Keep yourself organized.
Before you tackle clutter, set up bins or boxes in three categories: donations, garbage and recycling. As you purge, you’ll have a place to put everything. Just be sure to get those bins out of house as soon as they’re full!
4. Eliminate “invisible” clutter.
Look at your home with a stranger’s eyes, and it will be easier to see all that stuff that’s been sitting around so long you no longer notice it. Identify and move it. Get started by clearing out the entryway, check for things tucked behind doors and look for items sitting on tables, counters or shelves. Get rid of what you don’t need, and find a permanent home for the rest.
5. Look out for duplicates.
Over the years, many of us have accumulated more measuring cups, paring knives or extension cords than we’ll ever use. Figure out what you own in excess and either give it away or throw it away.
6. Make a home for everything.
Clutter is created when you don’t have designated storage places. Figure out where you can store items, especially new purchases, to keep your home clutter-free in the future.
Clearing out your possessions is a big job, and it can be an emotional one as well, but an uncluttered space can have a surprising effect on your mental state, according to VirginPulse. As you pare down your possessions, you’ll find that you feel freer, lighter, and calmer — and you’ll likely find that you enjoy your home all the more.