Have you ever tried to declutter your home? It can be so hard without a 'declutter your home checklist?' It is so easy to find a reason to hang onto something. Are you a thrower or a keeper? I am a thrower, yet I still can get in the habit of keeping things that really have no value.
I keep things because of an abundance of excuses. Here are a few of the excuses that pop up frequently: it's too valuable, I'll fix it someday, or the famous, we'll use it someday. Yet are those things that pile up in our home of actual value, or is it just adding to the clutter and brain space that could be used by more important things?
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What is a Decluttering Checklist?
A decluttering checklist will give you a guide on where to start with decluttering your home. It is not an organization checklist, which comes after you declutter.
The checklist will be divided into three sections
- Things to throw away today.
- Things to donate
- Things to find a new place for.
Where do I Start with Decluttering my House?
As with many other things in life, you need to know where you want to end up before you can know the process.
What do you hope to gain by decluttering your home? More organization? Less stuff? Is there a specific room or area that is causing you angst?
Write those things down, or at least identify them in your head. They are going to become crucial as we move on.
To start you must know what you desire as an end result.
The Home Edit is another great resource in book format for decluttering your home.
Check list of 'Stuff' to Declutter
Creating a declutter your home checklist does not need to be hard! You can use this checklist to get you started, but remember, this is only the beginning. There are a lot of other things that can get decluttered. Usually, one space will lead to the next as you put away things that are useful and find another area that needs attention.
Important: As you are decluttering it is essential that you FREEZE your buying! Freeze it until you get a good handle on what you are getting rid of and what you need in order to organize your home more efficiently.
- Makeup drawers
- Kitchen drawers
- Laundry Room
- Kids closets
- Toy bins
- Old main
- Personal hygiene items
- Bathroom closets
- Medicine cabinet
- Cooking utensils that you don't use
- Expired pantry items
- Expired refrigerator items
- Winter clothes
- Kids clothes
- Broken dishes
- Electronic chords and accessories
- Anything that you have 2-3 of
What is the Fastest Way to Declutter and Clean a House?
I hope you don't hate me for saying this, but the fastest way to declutter your house is to start! I know it can seem overwhelming if you have lots of closets and areas that need it, but we are going to break down all the problem areas into manageable chunks. All you need to do is start!
One reason that many people start to declutter is that they are considering a move. If that is you, make sure that you head over to the Ultimate Moving Kit where there are ample resources for managing the most organized move you have ever had! You can use the Declutter your Home checklist to start the process of moving.
Declutter your Home Checklist
Whenever you are decluttering a space, here are the steps that you are going to want to take to ensure that you get through that section in a reasonable amount of time.
- Go through all the items and lay them out.
- Throw away things that are garbage or have no use.
- Organize the remaining things into a pile of things to be donated and things to have a home.
- Everything must have a place. If you are going to keep the item, it must have a place to life and be used. The only exception to this is if you are moving. In that case, manage things based on whether they have a place in your life, instead of a physical place in your home.
Throw Things Away
Throwing things away can be hard for some people. It can feel like you are not being a good steward of what you have been given. Although I am not an advocate for throwing away everything, there is a mind shift change that might need to take place.
Are you being a poor steward of your emotions, frustrations, and mental health by keeping the item? Or would be you be a better steward to keep the item?
You are the only one that can decide between those two questions.
Time yourself
It can sometimes be helpful to set a timer for a specific section of your house, so you don't spend your entire day on one tiny little drawer. Give yourself a reasonable amount of time and attempt to finish it in that allotted amount of time.
Donate Items
Donating items just take a trip to your local thrift store! If you have items that your children or you are done with and they are still excellent quality, make sure to bag or box them up for someone else. One easy trick for organizing your piles is to use labels! In the Declutter your Home Checklist download, you will get this printable PDF. You can print it out, cut around the labels, and then use them to identify your piles!
Enlist Help
Get your kids and spouse involved! They live there too, and they need to learn for their future how to declutter and their own homes.
Included in the "Declutter your Home Checklist" will be a PDF that has labels you can print and place on the things you decide belong in those three categories.
Things to Throw Away TODAY
As you work through your declutter your home checklist, there will be opportunities to throw things away. Here are some of the easy things that you can declutter fast as you start your decluttering journey.
- Old makeup
- Unmatched socks
- Old calendars
- Takeout menus
- Old towels
- Falling apart rags
- Old perfume
- Old nail polish
- Toys that are broken
- Broken dishes
- Scratched DVDs and CDs (or just toss them all if you are like me)
- Expired medications
- Worn purses you never use
- Old shopping bags
- Fridge magnets that you don't use
- Worn rugs
- Placemats
- Paper plates you are not using (or will use ever)
Now What? How do you keep your home Decluttered?
Using a declutter your home checklist is just the beginning. How you must maintain it! Here are two tips for continuing the decluttering magic!
- Continue to declutter at regular intervals
- Declutter as you go! Do you have a few minutes each night? Do a 10-minute declutter where you tackle one small area. 10 minutes add up quickly!
You will be amazed at how fast your home becomes decluttered! Just keep taking it step by step and you will do amazing!
