Arts &Crafts, How-To's, Upcycling & Repurposing

We all have to do it. I keep telling myself that. For myself, it’s hard to declutter because I tend want to keep a lot. The good ol “I can reuse that for something.”

Someone asked me the other day how I start the process of decluttering. Here are a few tips for those of you that are having a hard time or can do it, but don’t know where to start.

Tip # 1 –

• Start with one room at a time. Do not go back and forth room to room. It makes it harder to focus on the task. If you start decluttering one room, and then move to the next it’ll go quicker and more efficiently.
• Make piles- * Keep. * Donate. * Garbage * Goes in a different room/does not belong there. * Shred pile
• If you have extra baskets or bins use those.
• For myself, I add a pile for “repurposing”. The things I tend to save like jars, picture frames, etc.

We can only do so much. I can physically only tackle one room per day.

Yesterday was the sunroom. Today I started in my craft area.

• Kitchen– start with the spice cabinet then move on to the dreaded Tupperware cabinet. Then move to under the kitchen sink if that is a problem area for you.

• Bathroom – start with the cabinets. Throw out used things you no longer use or donate the ones unopened. Next go to the closet. Now I know we all can’t go out on a whim and buy new towels. If you see one that’s seen better days then bring it to the garage to use as a rag.
• Bedroom – for myself starting with the drawers is the easiest. I get a big trash bag and put the donate clothes in there. I don’t rotate my shirts, so I start pulling out what doesn’t fit me or I no longer wear. Next is the closet – Rule of thumb…. What I do not wear but want to keep for a “just in case”, I turn the hangers around and hang the hanger backwards.

If you have not touched that item of clothing in 1 year, donate.

Tip # 2 –

• Bring a box or small bin with you to each room. When you find something that does not belong there, but let’s say belongs in the bedroom. Then as soon as you’re done , bring the things in that bin to their proper location before moving on to the next room. When you start a new room, that bin will be empty. This makes it a little easier to clean up as you go.

Tip # 3 –

• Do not overwhelm yourself. Unnecessary stress is not needed.
• If you can accomplish 1 room a day for let’s say a week, then you’ve accomplished a lot, be proud of yourself!

Tip # 4 –

• Have a separate pile or box for your families things. For myself, if I put their belongings in separate piles on the table, then they are forced to put them away. If I put their things in a box…. It’s out of sight out of mind and the things in that box will sit there.

Decluttering is by far not an easy task! I hope these tips help you.

~ Mel