Decluttering Tips To Get Your Home Organized

Getting your home organized can help make your days more productive. Decluttering can help you make the most of your space, so you’ll spend less time cleaning and less time searching for things that you need. And this can be true whether your closets and storage rooms are overflowing with stuff or whether it’s simply the drawers in your kitchen that need to be turned out and organized.

Getting truly organized is not a quick process, however, and can take both time and several adjustments to get it right. By taking it in stages, you can feel motivated throughout the process, no matter how overwhelming it may seem in the beginning. The following tips can help you declutter your home so you can start the organization process off right.

Take It Space by Space

It can be tempting to want to take on the decluttering process by starting with all the drawers in your home or all the items stored in bins, but it’s actually easier if you start with a complete space, like a bedroom or a storage room. Get one space completely emptied out before you move on to the next.

When you’ve completely decluttered an area, rather than just a section of it, you can get a real sense of satisfaction that can help you want to continue on. You’ll see more progress this way, and if you also take the time to organize things for that space before you move on, you’ll find that you may have a spot to put things as you go through the rest of the house.

Have a Disposal Plan in Place

As you start decluttering, you’ll likely end up with at least three piles of things – the stuff that you’re keeping and reorganizing, the stuff that you’ll likely donate or give to friends or family, and the stuff that needs to be disposed of. If you don’t have a plan in place for what you’ll be doing with those three piles, you may find yourself simply moving stuff from one area to another and not really decluttering at all.

So start with a solid plan for both the donation pile and the disposal pile. If you know you’ll have a lot of donations, consider calling and arranging for a pick up from a local charity. If you have a smaller amount, find out what the local drop off hours are at your local thrift shop or community center so you have a time and plan in place for getting it out of your home.

The same applies to the things you’ll be disposing of. If it’s a lot of stuff that needs to go, consider renting a dumpster. With the dumpster parked in your front yard or driveway, you can get stuff out of the house immediately, making a big difference right away. If it’s smaller items, find out what your waste disposal company will accept or call the local dump and find out what the procedure is there, and what the hours are. Make regular trips or get things right to the curb in a timely way; you want to ensure that things are moving quickly so you can see the difference and feel motivated to continue.

Be Prepared

Gather everything that you’ll need to start decluttering and organizing before you begin. Don’t wait until you have things piling up on the floor to determine what’s needed to organize and remove rubbish.

Have garbage bags handy in a variety of sizes. Purchase some tubs or stackable bins so you can start storing the items you’ll keep right away. If you’ll need clothes hangers for your closet, shoe racks, shelving or anything else to help make the process easier, get it right away and make sure it’s nearby. The same applies for cleaning supplies; as you empty an area, get in there and clean it so you’re ready to start putting items back in a clean space.

Be Honest with Yourself

When you start decluttering, make sure you’re being honest with yourself about what needs to stay or go. It can be tempting to hang onto things for sentimental reasons or because you think you might need it someday, and sometimes this is true.

Other times, however, things really don’t have any value and would be better off out of your home. Make sure that you start the process with a clear goal in mind and are honest with yourself about how you’ll use the space when you’re through to ensure it goes smoothly.