How To Declutter Your Home, Room By Room

Today, we're going to do something amazing. Are you ready? By following this guide, you're going to be able to declutter and reorganize your home so that it works for you. It's not gonna be easy, there'll be hard decisions to make, but we'll get there. The payoff will be more than worth it. Ready to begin? Let's go!

First off, you'll want to arrange five bins to sort items into these categories:

• Put away.
• Recycle.
• Fix/mend.
• Trash.
• Donate.

Once you've done that, you're ready to start. 

1. The Bathroom

Begin with the medicine cabinet. Get it all out and evaluate how often you use these items. Discard outdated medications and toiletries. Then, put everything back into your cabinet, storing those items you use most often at eye level. 

2. The Bedroom 

First things first: Make your bed. Now that that's out of the way, move to your nightstands. Remove everything that doesn't belong and sort it into your Put Away bin. Throw out any trash. 

Do the same with the tops of your dressers, chests, and/or bureaus. Go through each one, taking everything out. Anything you no longer wear, put in your donation bin. Put away everything you're keeping. 

If you have a desk or vanity, turn to that next. Try not to stuff things into drawers and instead put them in your Put Away bin. Throw away anything you've not used in the past six-twelve months. 

 

3. Closet and Clothing 

The best way to tackle this area is to go by clothing type. Start with footwear, then dresses, denim, and so on... By doing this it'll be easier to see when you've got too many of the same thing and it's wise to lose some. Now's the time to start deciding what to keep and what to say goodbye to. 

Sort into four piles. Things that need putting away, dirty laundry, anything that should be repaired or dry-cleaned, and things to donate.

    

4. Entryways, Mudroom, and Foyer 

Maximize your entryway's functionality with regular de-cluttering. Start with any storage areas you have in the area, like desks, consoles, or side tables. Go through each drawer, removing the contents and deciding whether to toss or keep each item.

Remember to pay attention to the tops of each unit. Is there space for your keys and other items? Make sure everything has its place and is easily accessible. 

 

5. The Kitchen

It's a good idea to tackle the kitchen either by item category (cutting boards, glassware, utensils, for example) or by zone. Clear out each space and evaluate every item. Then put them all back. Start with the bigger spaces or categories and move to smaller, easier areas. Move as many items as possible off of counters and into storage. 

 

6. The Living Room

 

Now for the living room. The key is to decide on permanent spaces to store commonly used items like remote controls, books, and magazines. Then remember to declutter regularly. Just like before, move space to space emptying and assessing the items, before returning them to their places.

First do your bookcases, console, and side tables, then your coffee table and entertainment center. Next, electronics. Anything that's not connected to your home theater system should be assessed and stored if possible.

And there you have it! Now that all the hard work is behind you, it's time for your reward. Sit back and enjoy a calm, uncluttered home.