12 Tips to Free Your Home of Unnecessary Junk
Are you exhausted from tripping over piles of clothes or stacks of books every time you walk into your home?
If so, it might be the right time to start clearing out the clutter and restore peace and order to your living space.
But before you start dragging everything out to the curb, take a few minutes to think about what you can donate, recycle, or sell. Here are twelve tips to help get you started!
1. Start With a Plan
Before you start randomly throwing things out, it's essential to have a plan.
Start by making three piles: one for trash, one for donations, and one for items you want to keep. Then, go through each room in your house and put everything into one of the three piles.
If you realize you're having trouble deciding what to keep and get rid of, ask yourself a few key questions:
Do I use this item regularly?
Is this item in good condition?
Do I have more than one of these items?
Does this item bring me joy?
If you answer NO to any of these questions, it's probably time to let go of the item.
2. Get Rid of the Trash
Once you've gone through your entire house and sorted everything into piles, it's time to get rid of the unwanted stuff. If you have a lot of trash, your best bet is to rent a dumpster.
That way, you can get rid of everything at once and won't have to make multiple trips to the dump. If you don't have a lot of trash, you can probably just put it in your regular garbage can.
However, if you have large items that won't fit in your garbage can, you'll need to call your local waste management company to schedule a pickup. Otherwise, you can contact a professional rubbish removalist like 1300 Rubbish to have these items removed for you.
3. Put Away Toys Your Children No Longer Play With
If you have children, chances are they have a lot of toys. And as they grow up, they'll start to outgrow some of those toys.
To keep your home decluttered, put away any toys your children no longer play with. This can be anything from baby toys to toddler toys to kids' games and puzzles.
You can donate these items to charity or sell them at a garage sale. Just make sure that you're not hanging on to them for sentimental reasons.
4. Donate What You Don’t Need
If you have items in good condition, but you no longer need or want them, you might consider donating them to a local thrift store or charity.
This will declutter your home, but it will also help someone in need.
Before you donate anything, though, check with the organization to see what items they accept.
Some organizations only accept certain items, and others might not accept any items at all.
5. Sell What You Don't Need
If you have items in good working order but you no longer need or want them, consider selling them.
There are different options, including online platforms like Craigslist and eBay, consignment shops, and garage sales.
Before you sell anything, though, do your research to find out how much it's worth.
You don't want to sell something for less than it's worth to get rid of it.
6. Recycle What You Can
There are a few things you should keep in mind when recycling. First, not all recycling centers accept all types of recyclables.
Second, even if a recycling center does accept a specific type of recyclable, there might be restrictions on how that item can be recycled.
For example, some recycling centers might only accept certain types of plastic.
Before you recycle anything, be sure to check with your local recycling center to find out what items they accept and how those items need to be prepared.
7. Put Away Seasonal Items
Seasonal items can take up a lot of space, so it's essential to put them away when they're not needed.
This can be anything from holiday decorations and Christmas trees to winter clothes. The key is to find a place for these items that are out of the way but still easily accessible.
For example, you might want to put holiday decorations in a storage closet or attic.
As for winter clothes, you can either put them in storage or simply pack them away in suitcases, boxes, or dressers. Just make sure that you label everything to know where to find it when you need it.
8. Label Everything
Once you've decluttered your home and found a place for everything, it's important to label everything.
This will help you stay organized and know exactly where everything is.
You can use labels, tags, or even Sharpie markers to label boxes, bins, and containers.
Whatever you do, just make sure the labels are clear and easy to read.
9. Create a Storage Plan
Even if you declutter your home and get rid of a lot of stuff, there will still be some items you need to keep but don't necessarily want to display.
To solve this problem, create a storage plan. This can involve renting a storage unit to building a shed in your backyard.
The crucial thing is that you have a place to store the things you don't need daily but can't bear to get rid of.
10. Get the Whole Family Involved
Getting the whole family involved is important if you want to declutter your home. This is especially true if you have children.
Kids can be notoriously cluttered, so it's important to teach them the importance of decluttering and organizing their belongings.
One way to do this is to set up a "decluttering day" where everyone goes through their belongings and gets rid of anything they don't need.
You can also make a game out of it by seeing who can declutter the most in a certain amount of time.
Whatever you do, make sure that everyone is on board with the plan.
11. Hire a Professional Disposal and Recycling Company
When it comes to disposing of large items, it's best to hire a professional disposal and recycling company.
These companies will not only take care of the disposal for you, but they will also recycle anything that can be recycled. They can help you with anything from mattress disposal to appliance recycling.
This is a great option to get rid of large items without worrying about how to dispose of them properly.
12. Set Up a Maintenance Schedule
The best and most well-known way to keep your home clean and organized is to set up a maintenance schedule.
This means setting aside some time each week, month, or year to go through your belongings and get rid of anything you no longer need or want.
You'll never have to worry about your home getting cluttered again if you do this regularly.
Wrapping Up
While it may be challenging to let go of some of our belongings, especially if we have strong emotional attachments, following these tips should help make it easier.
And remember, you don't have to do it all at once! You can start with one or two small changes and then gradually work your way up.
Soon enough, you'll be able to look around your house and see only the things you truly need and love.
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