With Tidying Up With Marie Kondo on Netflix becoming more and more popular, the whole world has found the motivation to start the decluttering process looking for those things in their home that “spark joy”. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, try only spending 30 mins a day until you’ve gone through everything.
The best part about having a clutter-free home is having a relaxing, stress-free space to come home to every night.
1.) Old Mail/Junk — Start with the junk mail and old bills that have been sitting on your counter or shoved in a drawer for months. Get rid of all garbage you have laying around your house. If you don’t have a use for it, throw it away.
2.) Pantry — Throw out all expired food in your pantry and your fridge. Use this time to deep clean your pantry and fridge as well since we all know it hasn’t been cleaned in months. Put your flour, sugar, cereal etc. in matching containers to make everything look like it has a place.
3.) Toys — Go through your children’s toys. Keep the good quality toys that’ll last them for another couple of years and get rid of anything broken or missing pieces. Donate the toys that they’ve grown out of. Keep the toys in bins or a toy box so there’s always a place for them. Have a bookshelf for all of their books.
4.) Junk Drawers — I’ve never been in a home that doesn’t have a junk drawer. Empty it completely out, throw away all old pens that no longer work, old batteries, and whatever else you find that doesn’t have a use in your life. Once you’ve gone through the whole drawer, put everything back into a utensil organizer to keep everything in it’s place.
5.) Closet — Empty out your closet and drawers. Donate anything that no longer fits you. Throw away any clothing with bleach stains or tears in it. Then go through the remaining and only keep the items you really love. Added bonus, it’ll make it easier to get dressed in the morning!
6.) Decor — Nothing clutters a home more than too much decor! Pick a few pieces that you really love to display. If you can’t part with everything then store the remaining pieces and switch them out every few months for some change.
7.) Storage — Everything should have a place. If you have a place for everything it makes it much easier to put it away when you’re done using it and keep everything out of sight. Get a TV stand with drawers so you have a place to put the remotes, a new nightstand that has some extra storage and that new coffee bar you’ve been eyeing. You can never have too much storage.
The most important part of the decluttering process is keeping up with it. Continue to put things where they go and throwing out any expired food or old mail. If you notice you haven’t worn a shirt in awhile, donate it. If you notice you no longer like the decor in your home, sell it and put out something new. Ask yourself whether an item is useful or not, or in the words of Marie Kondo: "Does is Spark Joy." If the answer is no, then its time to let it go and start creating a world free from unneeded things and stress.
For those of you thinking about selling your home in the next 6 months, this is also a great way to make the process of getting your home on the market easier and less chaotic. Homes free from clutter and unnecessary items make a much better first impression to potential buyers and show just how clean, clear and inviting their future home can be.