An easy way to gain momentum when decluttering is to focus on things that dont’t take a lot of thought. In this post, I will cover 5 things to declutter quickly. If you are a beginner at decluttering your home, this post is for you. If you are a person that declutters their home once or twice a year, this post is for you.
No matter what stage you’re in, I hope this gives you a jumpstart to motivate you to go further as a beginner or inspires you to do a quick refresh as a seasoned pro.
What you need to get started
Before you get started, you’ll need to gather some garbage bags and boxes. It will make the process more efficient and you’ll only have to touch something once.
The Five Categories
The five categories that will be covered in this post are big and broad. They categories are Consumable Products, Clothing, Kitchenware, Hobby Supplies, and Paper. It gives you the potential to really get rid of a lot. These five categories are a great baseline for decluttering whether it is the first time you’ve decluttered or if you’ve decluttered your home several times before. I personally make sure I cover these five categories once or twice a year. It has made a huge difference in taking care of our home and because I make it a regular thing to do it doesn’t take a lot of time.
Consumable Products
Consumable products are things that we eat, use on our bodies or in our homes. Below I will list all the items to cover when decluttering. Anything expired or no longer being used can easily and quickly be tossed. Anything unopenned, that you haven’t used and don’t plan to start using, can be donated to places like a rescue shelter.
- personal hygiene items
- makeup
- medicines/suppliments
- cleaning supplies
- pantry items
- freezer food
Clothing
Clothing can be one of the hardest things to part with. We like to hold on to clothes in hopes of being able to fit into them again one day. So, keep in mind this doesn’t have to be done in one declutter of your closet. It has taken me a couple of years to get my closet down to a place where I am happy with it. Even now, I have a few things that I’m still unsure about. The goal for right now is to just get rid of the stained and worn pieces. Focus on the things that are a no brainer so it’s an easy and quick process.
Kitchenware
Kitchenware is where it gets a little more challenging, but you can do it! This will cover small appliances, dishes, utensils, and kitchen gadgets. Take it one drawer, cupboard, or space at a time. Take everything out and ask yourself how often do I use this item? Have I used it at all in the last 6-12 months. Did you remember you even had it? Do you have the space for it and if not can you live with out it? If you really are not sure on some items, you can set it aside in a seperate box or bin. Put a time limit on it. If you don’t use it within the designated time then it is safe for you to donate the items.
Hobby Supplies
Hobby Supplies might just be the hardest category of them all. For a lot of us, we have things saved in hopes of some day. We have great intentions to do them, but we just never have the time. When we do have the time, it’s usually the furthest thought from our minds. Maybe it was something you enjoyed years ago, but now you are in a different season of life. It’s ok to let those things go and let some one else enjoy them. If it’s a hobby or project you work on from time to time, maybe you just need to get rid of the things that you keep passing over and never use.
Paper
Paper clutter is the most dreaded category for me. This one takes brain power. It can very easily get over whelming, but the goal here is to do this quickly, right? So, let’s just go through and find the things that we don’t have to read over to see if it’s a keep or discard. You’ll be surprised what you find that can be discarded with out reading over documents at length. Don’t forget about receipts, magazines, and even books. Magazines can be donated to doctors offices and books can be taken to a thrift store.
The After Effect
After decluttering quickly through the five categories, your home should start to feel different and run more smoothly. Imagine what your home could feel like if you take in another step further. When I did this for the first time several years ago, I didn’t want to stop here. It gave me the ambition to go beyond just a quick declutter. I felt like I was only scatching the surface and wanted to go deeper. So, my journey continued and still continues on today.
For more decluttering inspiration and tips, click here.