While Eckler Cleaning Services offers decluttering services, sometimes it’s nice to do it yourself. Daily, small tasks will help keep you on track but not get overwhelmed by the amount of work. You could also break these up into weekly tasks instead of daily. Decluttering and having an organized home will help with your mental health! This is a brief guide to help you get started on decluttering.
We recommend you start a donations box that you will add to during the week. Hold yourself accountable and set a day that you will have all these items donated each week. If you are unsure on whether to keep something or not, set it aside in a “Time Will Tell” storage container. Mark your container with a future date, once that day comes go ahead and donate what you haven’t used within that 3 or 6 month time frame.
1. Go through your pantry and throw out any expired food. Put any almost expired food to the very front of your cabinet. Plan your meals this week around what you need to eat before it expires. Have you been looking at that unexpired can of tuna for 2 months but not wanted to eat it? Donate it so that someone else may enjoy it before it goes bad.
2. Any old, expired makeup or lipstick should be thrown away. In general, most makeup is good for about 1 to 2 years. Mascara needs replaced every 3 months. Foundations and eyeshadows should be replaced every 6 to 12 months. You can also declutter any bathroom product you thought you would use but haven’t used in the last 3 months.
3. How often do you use that gravy boat your grandma gave you? Any fancy dishware you don’t use regularly or during holiday season, now is the time to donate it. Any old, stained storage containers can be recycled, including the lid.
4. Any throw blankets that you don’t absolutely love could be donated to a local shelter animal shelter like Misty Eyes. Call ahead and make sure they are accepting items.
5. Any jewelry and shoes that you haven’t worn the last year can be taken to a shelter, given to friends or family, or donated.
6. Any notebooks that you are not using, old yearly planners, or any out-of-date calendars can be recycled or shredded. Let’s face it: you’ll never look at these again.
7. Take a look through your clothes and put an extra bin or basket in your closet. When you find something that you don’t like how it fits, toss in the basket to donate at a later date. This task is a little more flexible. Take any old socks with holes or mismatched pairs & toss them today. Any old underwear can also be thrown away.
8. Do you have cookbooks that just collect dust? Those can be donated or recycled. Any magazines you have read and not looked at since can go, too. Are you keeping some for sentimental reasons? Can it be framed instead of just collecting dust on a shelf?
9. Take a look at your books, movies, and cds. Downsize whatever you can in these categories. Especially if it is something you can stream online. Your local Half Price Books may even buy some of these off you. Overwhelmed by the number of books you need to go through? Start with a 20-minute timer and see what you can get done in this time frame.
10. Take all of your mostly burnt candles and toss them today. Any mostly empty bottles that you are scraping the bottom of the bottle to get the last of the product out need to be tossed or recycled.
Next week, we will release the rest of the list. Get started decluttering your home today. Need help? Reach out to Krystal at Eckler Cleaning as she is our organizational expert.
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