Are you ready to adopt a calmer, more sustainable way of living? A “less is more mindset” is one of the best ways to achieve inner peace while also doing your part to help the planet. But the first step toward achieving this is easier said than done — decluttering your home.
If you’re not sure where to start decluttering, we’re here to lend a hand! Read on to learn what you should keep, what you should get rid of, and what you should replace in this step-by-step guide for how to declutter your house for good.
5 Steps to Declutter Your Home in a Snap
The changing seasons often indicate it’s time for us to make a change, as well — but you may not feel confident about how to get started with your prospective spring cleaning. Luckily, the CORT Furniture Outlet team has come up with five simple and practical steps to reduce what you own and embark on the lifestyle of your dreams!
1. Create categories for sorting
Your declutter checklist should start with creating categories to sort everything you own. Designate five containers (these could be baskets, boxes, bins, etc.) that will each collect a different variety of goods:
- Reorganize: Items in this box are those you want to keep but may have simply lost their way (i.e., stray clothing and kitchenware that need to be returned to their rightful homes).
- Recycle: This category is meant for goods like paper, plastic, and cardboard that can be deposited in your personal bin or neighborhood recycling center.
- Repair: This box is for those belongings you want to hang onto, but they may need some extra love and attention (i.e., repairing, mending) before you use them again.
- Toss: You’ll need at least one box (maybe more) for goods that have already served their purpose and/or reached their expiration date that you need to throw away.
- Donate: Your last box is reserved for things you no longer want but are still in good condition. All donation items should be something another person may actually use.
2. Tackle your bathroom clutter
As you begin your cleanout, you’ll need to see what’s been lurking inside your bathroom cabinets and drawers. This requires you to take everything out — your prescription bottles, hygiene products, skincare tools, and more. Look for items that have dried up, exceeded their expiration, become discolored, or are generally no longer usable.
Place everything you’re keeping back in its proper place, and sort items that no longer have a home into their respective categories. For example, empty plastics should be recycled, whereas expired medications should be discarded at your local pharmacy.
3. Get your bedroom in order
Start decluttering your bedroom by removing excess items from your nightstand or dresser. Used coffee cups, empty tissue boxes, old mail, and magazines tend to collect in these spots, so be sure to recycle or throw things away as needed.
Once these surfaces have reappeared, you can carefully go through your dresser drawers. Pull out anything you haven’t looked at in the last year (or forgot you even own). Keep your donation box close by, and neatly fold and store what you still wear.
To minimize your closet mess, sort everything by clothing type (denim, dresses, etc.) — it’s much easier to know whether you *need* a pair of jeans when you’re looking at your entire collection. After you finish sorting, you can hang up what you’re keeping, put items in need of mending or tailoring into their designated space, and fill up your bin for donations and consignment pieces.
4. Clear out some kitchen space
Decluttering your kitchen can feel incredibly challenging since it seems like you’re continually cooking or socializing in that space. To help you focus, hone in on one zone at a time: upper cabinets, lower cabinets, pantry, drawers, and countertops. Begin by completely emptying each area and assessing individual items to see if they fit into your simplistic aesthetic.
Reduce what you own by considering whether you really need seven cutting boards or if it might be time to part with that broken blender. Place essential items back where they belong, and move extra appliances or accessories off your countertops and into concealed storage spaces. Leave what you use daily out on the counter for a cleaner overall look!
5. Lighten up your living room
When cleaning the living room, start with your bookcases, side tables, and TV console, and then move on to the coffee table and entertainment center. Empty all of these doors and drawers, and determine which books, magazines, and movies you’re ready to part with; enjoying what you do have involves recognizing what you need versus what has already served its purpose.
From there, take a look at your electronics, like remotes, chargers, and gaming equipment. Are you using these items frequently enough to merit keeping them, or is it possible to cut back on what you own? Try to find permanent storage solutions that’ll help your space stay organized and relatively easy to tidy up for the things you keep.
Reducing Wastefulness Everyday
If you’re looking for ways to pursue a minimalist, natural lifestyle beyond decluttering your home, start by considering your furniture choices. CORT Furniture Outlet has tons of eco-friendly and sustainable furniture options.
Gently-used, high-quality furniture is inherently sustainable — and that’s precisely what CORT Outlet specializes in. Visit your local furniture outlet to find previously-rented essentials that you can take home today.
