Making a resolution to clean out your home is easier said than done, but the week between Christmas and New Year is the perfect time to declutter your home of all unwanted items. The kids will be distracted by new toys, so you can likely do this with less distraction and resistance. Hopefully, you will feel energised for at least one full day as you would be amazed at what can be achieved in 24 hours.
Starting the new year organised and clear is great for your mental health. No doubt your house has been messy with Christmas and has been a stressful time. But it’s the best time to start afresh and clear the mind. You will need to tidy up the festive stuff anyway, so it’s good to combine this with a clear out to get that minimalist lifestyle. So don’t be overwhelmed, take one room at a time and let go of those hoarder tendencies.
Begin your day by making a list of everything you want to get rid of, and this will likely be influenced by all those new Christmas presents. You may want to include family members at this point, but let’s not get into that.
Then, divide the items on your list into categories: clothing, books, dishes, items that need repairs, etc. Now that you have a rough idea of what to do with each category, decide if you want to keep, sell, donate or put them in storage.
If you have piles of unwanted clothes, they can be donated at a local charity shop or sold on eBay or other marketplaces. Books can be donated at a local library or sold on Amazon. Items that need repairs can be taken care of or given away depending on their condition and value to you. While we’d always love the idea of reducing landfill, sometimes there is no option but to take some things to the local tip.
Also, in terms of charities, there are plenty worthy of your donations. Refuge for example home a lot of women and children fleeing domestic abuse situations with nothing but the clothes they are wearing. And of course, winter is not a great time to be sleeping rough on the streets so homeless shelters are always in need of warm clothes.
So here are some ways to declutter your home in one day and start 2022 fresh!
Make a list of what you want to declutter
1. Get out a pen and paper and create a list of what you want to declutter.
2. Consider how much space you’re willing to dedicate to sorting your items, then plan accordingly with your list.
3. Make sure to include clothing, books, dishes, electronics, furniture, small appliances, etc.
4. Divide the items on your list into categories (clothing, books, dishes)
5. Decide if you want to keep or donate each category (clothing can be donated or sold; books can be donated or sold; dishes can be donated or given away).
Divide your stuff into categories
Before you start the decluttering process, you might want to go through your home and divide all of your belongings into categories. This will make it easier for you to tackle the job at hand.
In general, there are six things you can do with those items: Keep, donate, sell, repair, recycle, or throw away.
Items that are still in good condition offer an opportunity for some extra cash.
Clothing
Clothes that are too worn, stained, or damaged to be used should be donated or recycled. Other clothes can be sold, and it’s usually better if unworn and the labels are still attached.
Toys
Watching your kids faces when opening presents on Christmas Day is most peoples highlight, and who doesn’t love a new toy. The issue is they have to be put somewhere, and there is a high chance older toys are now no longer age appropriate and just taking up space. Unless you have hand-me-downs in waiting, it’s time to get rid.
Items that need repairs
This is a really common category for most people. For those items that need repairs, but have sentimental value, consider if you want to fix them yourself or give them away.
If the item is worth more than it costs to repair, in value or sentimentality, then it’s probably worth getting quotes. It may take some time and effort on your part but it will be worth it in the end.
For items that are broken beyond repair and have no sentimental value, it’s time to go to the dump or recycling centre.
Put bulky items in storage
If you’re decluttering your home for the first time, it may seem like a daunting task if there is a high volume of clutter. But there are ways to make it easier! One of the best ways to declutter your home is by renting out storage space to take any excess and bulky items. The issue with decluttering in New Year is you are probably a month too late to sell a lot of items. But they can be stored until a better time.
You can rent out space on an hourly basis or for extended periods of time. You can then use this space to keep all your bulky items that you don’t want in your home like clothes, books, appliances, furniture, etc.
Storage units also help you clear out clutter by helping you remove items from sight to give clarity and help you get organized. They’re also perfect for storing things like holiday decorations and winter coats so that they’re not cluttering up your living room or taking up valuable closet space.
Books
Books are one of the most common items that people hold onto because there is a chance they will be read or used later. The problem is, they rarely do.
If you’re not sure if you want to keep it or donate it, try finishing the first chapter. If after that first page you’re still interested, then you should probably keep the book for now. If not, place it in your donation pile. Just make sure to put all your books in order so they are easy to find when you need them again.
Kitchen
Take a good look at your kitchen. If you have any appliances that are older than 10 years, chances are they will break down soon. If you have any dishes, cups, and glasses that are mismatched or old-fashioned, time to consider their future based on usage over the last year.
Next, clean out the cabinets and drawers. Throw out any expired or mouldy food. Finally, go through all your spices and condiments as ideally anything older than 6 months needs binning.
So there you go, it may seem a daunting task to organize your home, but it is easily possible in one day.
