Spring ushers in lots of reminders to clean your home, but Fall is the perfect time to get organized and declutter. If you’re moving soon or planning to list your home, decluttering can save you money, time, and stress! (Just imagine if you only had to pay movers to move 75% of the things you currently own!)
Here are some great tips from Marie Kondo’s “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” that can help you assess your “stuff” and get organized like never before!
1. Let go of things to make room for what matters
If you have a full wardrobe but only like 7 shirts out of 30, it’s time to donate or sell 23 shirts. Why?
a.) You’ll have more space in your closet.
b.) You’ll have more time since you won’t be digging through an overly-stuffed wardrobe.
c.) You’ll have less stress about “wasting” money/space since the visual reminders will have vacated the premises.
Bonus: Try to apply this tip to your time commitments too so you can spend less time regretting an activity that takes you away from doing the things you love.
2. Only keep things that bring you joy
We’re not talking “happy” necessarily, but if you’re keeping anything out of guilt or if you hate looking at something in your home, it’s time to let go of whatever items aren’t doing it for you. Someone else may actually love what you don’t!
3. Stop waiting for “someday”
It never comes! Block out 15 minutes whenever you can on your schedule and focus on one small area at a time. You don’t need a deadline but you do need to just go for it!
4. Treat your possessions as if they were alive
Okay, not literally. But if you treat them with respect they will last longer and you’ll need to clean less frequently since you’re obviously not going to be dropping stuff into piles around the house anymore… right?
Now that you’re ready to start giving things up, don’t forget that your trash may be someone’s idea of treasure! If you don’t want to take the time to sell something, please consider making a donation to your local Salvation Army or other thrift shops. You can add donations to your tax deductions, so keep all of your receipts paired with records of what you’ve donated!
Ready for more? Check out our Pinterest boards on cleaning tips, homeowner tips, and more useful ideas to help you get organized!