In our previous blog posting, we discussed simple, effective, low-stress approaches to declutteringyour home. One of the approaches is using a “Room-by-Room” approach. In this post, we will outline this approach to help you make it an effective and rewarding method of decluttering your home and getting rid of the things that have been weighing you down!
Decluttering your home using a room-by-room approach is an effective way to systematically tackle the clutter and create a more organized living space. This method allows you to focus on one area at a time, which can be less overwhelming compared to trying to declutter the entire home all at once.
Let’s dive into the room-by-room approach and provide examples for different rooms:
1. Bedroom:
- Clothes: Start by going through your wardrobe. Donate or discard clothes that no longer fit, are out of style, or you haven’t worn in a year.
- Shoes and Accessories: Sort through your shoes, belts, scarves, and jewelry. Keep items you regularly use and love.
Tip! Don’t forget the nightstand!
2. Living Room:
- Media Center: Organize DVDs, CDs, video games, and electronics. Consider donating or selling items you no longer use.
- Decor: Evaluate decorations and knick-knacks. Keep those that enhance the space and align with your style.
Tip! Don’t forget the bookshelves and coffee table!
3. Kitchen:
- Pantry: Check for expired items and consolidate duplicates. Organize items by category.
- Cabinets and Drawers: Declutter cooking utensils, gadgets, and dishes. Keep what you use and donate items you have multiples of. Also, be sure to ask yourself how many coffee mugs do your really need!
Tip! Don’t forget any small appliances that you no longer need or use!
4. Bathroom:
- Toiletries: Discard expired products and items you rarely use. Organize remaining products for easy access.
- Medicine Cabinet: Dispose of expired medications and first aid supplies. Keep essentials in an organized manner.
Tip! Don’t forget to declutter the shower and get rid of those unused extra bottles of shampoo, conditioner, and soap!
5. Home Office:
- Desk: Clear off your desk and sort through papers. Create an organization system for important documents.
- Electronics: Organize cables and declutter old electronic devices.
Tip! Don’t forget the filing cabinet!
6. Dining Room:
- Table: Clear off the dining table from any clutter. Designate a space for important items like keys and mail.
- China and Glassware: Evaluate your collection and keep pieces you regularly use or hold sentimental value.
Tip! Ask yourself how many chairs at the table do you really need. Also, consider taking out the leaf in the table and making the table smaller.
7. Kids’ Room:
- Toys: Involve your children in deciding which toys to keep and which ones to donate. Rotate toys to keep the room less cluttered.
- Clothes and Books: Like the bedroom, declutter clothes and books specific to the kids’ room.
Tip! Give your children an incentive to donate toys and book that they don’t play with or read anymore! For example: If they donate 5 (or whatever number) of toys, they can get ice cream for dessert.
8. Home Gym or Exercise Area:
- Equipment: Assess exercise equipment and keep what you use. Sell or donate items that are gathering dust.
- Workout Gear: Organize workout clothes and accessories. Discard worn-out items.
Tip! Equipment can be heavy. Get (professional) help when moving any equipment!
9. Laundry Room:
- Supplies: Organize laundry products and dispose of empty or expired containers.
- Storage: Declutter storage shelves and cabinets. Keep laundry-related items and tools only.
Tip! Consider having multiple baskets, so when you or members of your household put dirty laundry in the baskets, it is presorted, e.g., darks, whites, delicates, etc.
10. Garage or Storage Area:
- Tools: Organize and categorize tools. It may help to designate zones for tools, sports equipment, storage, and vehicles. Dispose of duplicates or items you no longer need.
- Holiday Decor: Store holiday decorations in labeled containers. Discard broken or unnecessary items.
Tip! This may be a good time to sweep out or vacuum the garage or storage area!
11. Attic/Basement:
- Boxes: Go through stored boxes and bins. Donate or sell items you don’t need anymore.
- Seasonal Items: Keep seasonal decorations organized in labeled containers. Discard items that are damaged.
Tip! This may be a good time to scan the area for any leaks to avoid long term damage!
12. Home Entryway:
- Coat Closet: Organize coats, shoes, and accessories. Donate items you no longer wear.
- Entry Table: Keep keys, mail, and essentials organized on an entry table or designated space.
The room-by-room approach allows you to focus your efforts and see progress in specific areas. You can adapt this method to your own home and preferences, and feel free to allocate more time to larger rooms or high-clutter areas. The key is to maintain a decluttered space by regularly revisiting each room and making conscious decisions about what to keep and what to let go of.
Remember! Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task! By following these approaches and tips, you can make the process simple, rewarding, and more enjoyable.
We hope this helps and sets you on a path to less stress and a decluttered home! Please contact us if you have any questions or need any assistance!
“Less Clutter – Less Stress. Make your space a Simple Space.”