We all know the feeling. You look around your home and see piles of stuff everywhere. Some of it you use, some of it you don’t, but it’s all taking up space and making life feel a little bit chaotic. The thought of decluttering can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. In fact, there are likely several decluttering tasks you’re ignoring that could make a big difference.
In this post, we’ll go through 16 of them, providing tips and advice to help you reclaim your space and your peace of mind.
1. Decluttering Your Garage
Garages are often a dumping ground for all sorts of items, from tools and gardening equipment to old furniture and sports gear.
Start by removing everything from your garage. Then, sort through each item. If you haven’t used it in the past year, consider selling it, donating it, or throwing it away. Next, organize your garage. Consider using wall-mounted storage, shelving units, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
2. Decluttering Your Digital Life
You might not realize it, but your digital life can become just as cluttered as your physical one. Inboxes filled with unread emails, desktops littered with unused icons, and smartphones overloaded with apps all contribute to a sense of digital disarray.
Start by sorting through your emails. Unsubscribe from newsletters you no longer read and delete old messages. Organize important emails into folders. Next, take a look at your desktop. Delete shortcuts you don’t use and organize the rest into folders. Finally, go through your smartphone. Delete apps you don’t use and organize the rest into folders or categories.
3. Decluttering Your Wardrobe
Your wardrobe is another area that can quickly become cluttered. Over time, we accumulate clothes that we no longer wear, but we hold onto them for various reasons.
Start by removing all your clothes from your wardrobe. Yes, all of them. This might seem overwhelming, but it’s the best way to see exactly what you have. Next, sort through each item. If you haven’t worn it in the past year, consider donating it or selling it. If it’s damaged or worn out, recycle it or throw it away. Once you’ve sorted through everything, organise your clothes in a way that makes sense to you. This could be by season, by type, by colour, or any other system that works for you.
4. Decluttering Your Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are notorious for being cluttered. Between mismatched Tupperware, random utensils, and expired food, it’s easy for things to get out of hand.
Start by removing everything from your cabinets. Then, sort through each item. If you haven’t used it in the past year, consider donating it or selling it. If it’s expired or damaged, throw it away. Next, organize your cabinets. Consider using shelf dividers, drawer organizers, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
5. Decluttering Your Bathroom
Bathrooms can also become cluttered, with expired products, old makeup, and half-used bottles of shampoo taking up valuable space.
Start by removing everything from your bathroom cabinets and drawers. Then, sort through each item. If it’s expired or you haven’t used it in the past year, throw it away. Next, organize your bathroom storage. Consider using drawer dividers, clear containers, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
6. Decluttering Your Car
Cars can quickly become cluttered with random items, from receipts and wrappers to spare change and miscellaneous items.
Start by removing everything from your car. Then, sort through each item. If you haven’t used it in the past month, consider throwing it away or finding a proper home for it. Next, organize your car. Consider using car organizers, glove box organizers, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
7. Decluttering Your Workspace
A cluttered workspace can lead to decreased productivity and increased stress. It’s important to keep your workspace tidy and organized.
Start by removing everything from your workspace. Then, sort through each item. If you haven’t used it in the past month, consider throwing it away or finding a proper home for it. Next, organize your workspace. Consider using desk organizers, file holders, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
8. Decluttering Your Social Media
Social media can also become cluttered, with a never-ending stream of posts, pictures, and videos. It’s important to manage your social media consumption and ensure it’s adding value to your life, not detracting from it.
Start by going through your social media accounts. Unfollow accounts that don’t inspire you or make you feel good. Then, manage your notifications. Consider turning off non-essential notifications to reduce the number of interruptions in your day.
9. Decluttering Your Bookshelves
Bookshelves can easily become cluttered, with books you’ve already read or don’t plan to read taking up space.
Start by removing all books from your shelves. Then, sort through each one. If you’ve read it and don’t plan to read it again, consider donating it or selling it. If you haven’t read it and don’t plan to, do the same. Next, organize your books. You could do this by author, by genre, by color, or any other system that makes sense to you.
10. Decluttering Your Jewelry
Jewelry can easily become tangled and cluttered, making it difficult to find what you’re looking for.
Start by removing all jewelry from your jewelry box or where you keep it. Then, sort through each piece. If you haven’t worn it in the past year, consider donating it or selling it. If it’s broken, consider having it repaired or throwing it away. Next, organize your jewelry. Consider using a jewelry box, jewelry organizer, or other storage solution to keep things in order.
11. Decluttering Your Makeup and Beauty Products
Makeup and beauty products can quickly accumulate and become cluttered, with expired products and items you no longer use taking up space.
Start by removing all makeup and beauty products from their storage. Then, sort through each item. If it’s expired or you haven’t used it in the past year, throw it away. Next, organize your makeup and beauty products. Consider using makeup organizers, clear containers, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
12. Decluttering Your Shoe Collection
Shoes can easily pile up and become cluttered, with pairs you no longer wear or that are worn out taking up space.
Start by removing all shoes from their storage. Then, sort through each pair. If you haven’t worn them in the past year or they’re worn out, consider donating them or throwing them away. Next, organize your shoes. Consider using a shoe rack, shoe organizer, or other storage solution to keep things in order.
13. Decluttering Your Storage Spaces
Storage spaces can easily become cluttered, with items you no longer use or need taking up space.
Start by removing everything from your storage spaces. Then, sort through each item. If you haven’t used it in the past year or it’s broken, consider donating it, selling it, or throwing it away. Next, organize your storage spaces. Consider using shelving units, clear bins, or other storage solutions to keep things in order.
14. Decluttering Your Handbag or Wallet
Your handbag or wallet can easily become cluttered, with old receipts, unused cards, and random items taking up space.
Start by removing everything from your handbag or wallet. Then, sort through each item. If you don’t need it or haven’t used it in the past month, consider throwing it away or finding a proper home for it. Next, organize your handbag or wallet. Consider using a purse organizer, wallet organizer, or other storage solution to keep things in order.
15. Decluttering Your Photos
Photos can easily pile up and become cluttered, with duplicates, bad shots, and photos you no longer want taking up space.
Start by going through your photos. Delete duplicates, bad shots, and photos you no longer want. Then, organize your photos. Consider using a photo organizing software or app to help you sort and categorize your photos.
16. Decluttering Your To-Do List
Your to-do list can also become cluttered, with non-essential tasks taking up valuable space and causing unnecessary stress.
Start by going through your to-do list. Remove non-essential tasks and prioritize the rest based on importance and urgency. Then, consider using a to-do list app or planner to keep your tasks organized and manageable.
Remember, decluttering is an ongoing process. It’s not something you do once and then forget about. It’s a habit you develop and maintain. So, don’t be discouraged if you don’t get through all these tasks at once. Start small, pick one area to focus on, and go from there. You’ll be surprised at how much of a difference it can make.
