Life can be completely overwhelming when stuff piles up — these simple decluttering tips can help!
Minimizing Decluttering Tips
After taking the entire month of December off from homeschool lessons, I started the new year refreshed and ready for some much-needed purging and organizing!
This working homeschool mom gig never slows down and a fresh start was just what I needed, you guys!
Check out the 2 simple decluttering tips I leaned on all month long!
The Purge Method
While there is a huge variation of decluttering tips and methods to choose from, this one is always a sure winner for getting organized in the new year.
With that said, I actually lean on this method multiple times a year and the results never cease to amaze me!
The purge method is so, so simple you guys!
Starting on the first of the month, simply place a small box in a well-traveled area of your home.
I typically put ours in our home office or the entryway.
While not pleasing to the eye, this step is crucial because if that box got tucked away somewhere, the whole ‘out of sight, out of mind‘ scenario would become a reality – meaning this method would no longer be a productive way to purge!
Once your box is in place, simply get rid of 1 thing each day for an entire month.
Before you know it, you will have filled that box and will be working on a second one!
We filled and donated 3 boxes in January as well as 2 others that we filled with stuff to sell on Marketplace.
This method is my absolute favorite for pre/post-holiday decluttering or spring cleaning!
Tips for Purging
Once you’ve done your initial New Year’s purge, try using these additional decluttering tips for purging all year long!
- Do the purge method 2-3 times each year
Try focusing on doing this method for 30 straight days before or after big events such as Christmas and birthdays.
Or, consider doing it up to 4 times a year by doing it seasonally instead!
Purging is also a great tool to lean on before prepping your homeschool year.
I always utilize my summer months to work on decluttering, purging, and organizing our homeschool area so we can have a more productive start to the year!
- Keep purging every month
While the box method is great for a larger purge, continuing the act of purging every single month will yield even better results when it comes to minimizing the clutter in your home.
For this, I keep a small plastic bag hanging in our home office to collect things throughout the month. I don’t get rid of an item every single day but it’s a simple reminder to look for unused items in our home.
Plus, it keeps items we are no longer using together in one area until we can get them out of the house.
So simple, yet so amazing!
The Pick-Up Method
This is by far one of the best decluttering tips you could ever utilize in your home, and yet it’s probably the most simple as well.
While this is a great method to practice at the start of a new year, it is also a wonderful habit to keep practicing all year long!
This is one habit I formed in my teen years and it is something I’ve practiced ever since.
With that said, it’s not something that comes naturally to my husband or my children.
This is why I always utilize the entire month of January to remind them to work on growing this important habit as much as possible.
Let me just say, that teaching my messy-by-nature kiddos to pick up after themselves is hard stuff, you guys!
I recently started implementing this into our homeschool chore routine and it’s definitely still a work in progress.
All that said, this decluttering tip is a must!
Every time you enter or exit a room, simply pick up or put away 1 thing that is out of place.
For example, the last time I passed through my living room I quickly grabbed a jacket that my kids tossed on the back of the couch and hung it up in the entryway on my way to the bathroom.
This took very little effort and time.
However, if I had chosen to skip putting away that jacket as well as other out of place items throughout my day, then I would have had a time-consuming chaos on my hands come nightfall — definitely not my idea of fun!
Putting items away as you enter and exit rooms can greatly cut down on your cleaning time for later.
Not only does it take a minimal amount of effort in the present, but it also makes overwhelming and time-consuming projects feel like less work which can be incredibly satisfying.
These little steps make all the difference when it comes to cutting clutter, you guys!
Tips for Picking Up
While this method is great for keeping the clutter at bay after a purge, it can definitely feel overwhelming or time-consuming when the clutter is everywhere!
Try these simple decluttering tips for getting started on your journey by using the pickup method.
- Focus on one area at a time
If your home is consumed by clutter, focusing on decluttering one area at a time can help defeat that overwhelming instinct to give up altogether.
Start by making a list of which areas you want to declutter first.
I definitely suggest putting the more difficult tasks such as your catch-all areas near the top.
For example, we have 2 catch-all areas in our home.
One is on the desk in our home office and the other one is located on the bookshelf in our stairwell.
To do this variation of the pick-up method, simply choose 1 area to focus on.
Then, put away 1-2 items from that location every single time you pass it.
Don’t worry about the managing the rest of the house just yet.
Next, when that area is at a more manageable level (or completely decluttered, your choice) move on to your second area.
Finally, once each area has been decluttered, simply adapt the full pick-up method by putting away items each time you enter or exit a room!
If done properly, this method should only take a few weeks at most to declutter your entire home!
The best part? It was done in easy bite-size chunks leaving you with a cleaner home and a brand new habit that will help you keep the clutter at bay.
More Decluttering Tips
When it comes time to declutter and minimize, don’t forget to tackle these areas in your home!
- Craft Areas
Throw out old craft supplies, broken pencils, and dried-up markers or glue at least once a year!
I typically do this over the summer months while preparing for our homeschool year.
- Homeschool/Homework Areas
While you can wait till the end of the year for this one, I actually suggest tackling it on a more regular basis to keep the clutter at pay
As a homeschooler, I go through our paperwork every few weeks, and then do a much larger purge after each semester, only saving papers I intend to use for our homeschool portfolios.
Sell curriculum that didn’t work out or old curriculum aides that are no longer needed
- Home Office/Mail
This is hands down the biggest clutter struggle in our home!
My husband typically handles our bills, renewals, and taxes — which means he’s also the keeper of the mail.
He’s also not the tidiest by nature.
This combination turns our home office into a disaster zone, you guys!
With that said, tackling your home office area (and mail) is actually a pretty simple task if you work on it every single day.
While my husband’s desk tends to stay quite messy (I’m still working on him, you guys) my desk is always tidy because I spend just a few quick minutes tidying it up at the end of every workday.
Seriously, take 5 minutes out of your day to sort the mail and tidy your desk, it totally works — you can thank me later.
- Junk Drawers
I’ve been told every house has at least one of these and I know in our home it’s in the kitchen by the sink.
That being said, this clutter zone is out of sight — meaning it’s probably the most neglected.
Going through your junk drawer monthly or at the start of each new season is ideal for keeping this area tidy and clutter-free.
- Dressers/Closets
I do this every single season and I’m always amazed at how much I get rid of, you guys!
Go through dressers and closets, donating worn-out, too-small, and unworn clothing and shoes.
- Toy Boxes
I don’t do this nearly as often as I should, but going through children’s toy boxes after birthdays and holidays is a great way to keep the clutter down in your playroom or in children’s bedrooms.
Get rid of broken items, games & puzzles with missing pieces, and outgrown toys.
- Bookcases
If you have kiddos who are avid readers, as I do, you probably know all too well how quickly a bookshelf can become overstuffed!
Sort through your bookcases at least once a year to get rid of torn-up books and books your children no longer read.
- Cabinets
From the kitchen to the bathroom, your cabinets are likely filled with stuff you simply no longer use.
Do this at least 3 times each year or to keep it simple, clean them out at the start of each new season.
Donate cups and gadgets you no longer use and toss everything that’s expired!
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