Seven “How To” Useful Ideas for Decluttering Your Home

Ready to declutter your home? Here are 7 ideas and tips on how to get your clean-up project going. Some are fun and some are practical.

Tip 1: Start Small

Decluttering an entire home in one day can be daunting. Pick a small area and get to work. Plan to work 1/2-hour per day for several days or weekends. Set yourself up for accomplishment, from the beginning!

Tip 2: Shred, Shred, Shred

Buy your own shredder or watch for shredding opportunities in your city. Look through your filing cabinets and boxes for old utilities bills, expired tax returns, and other papers you no longer need. Shredded paper can be recycled, so it doesn’t take up space in the landfills either.

Tip 3: Mailbox to Recycle Bin

Don’t let flyers, bulk mail, and unwanted ads accumulate in your home! Take them directly from your gate, front door, or mailbox to your recycle bin. Solicitations containing prefilled signup forms can go directly to the shredder or the "to be shredded" pile.

Video: Seven How To Useful Ideas for Decluttering Your Home

Tip 4: Get Off Solicitation Lists

The best way to unclutter your home is to not let it get cluttered in the first place. When you receive offers in the mail, call them and ask to be removed from their mailing list, or, write “Remove From List” on their form and mail it back in the envelope they provided. Some offers even include prepaid postage!

Remember to put a big "X" across the actual form, so they clearly see that you are Not signing up for their product or service.

Tip 5: Turn on the Music and Dance!

Turn on your favorite music and do the cleaning dance! Select one room of your home. Pick up items and place them into 4 piles (trash, recycle, shred, and give away) dancing as you go. At the end of 15-20 minutes, take the trash and the recycle out to the appropriate bins. Then, sit next to your shredder and shred away while you rest and sing along with the music. Shredded paper goes into a paper bag and then into the recycle bin. Give away items go into bags or boxes. If your charity is still open, take them over, otherwise leave them near the front door and plan a quick trip for the next day.

Tip 6: Let Go of Old Clothes

If your socks have holes in them, mend them or trash them. If you’re holding on to the sweater you wore during your last big breakup, donate it to charity. Clothes that are too big or too small can go to friends or sold at a garage sale. Ditto for shoes.

Tip 7: Rent a Storage Unit

Storage units are a good place to storage items that are used seasonally or occasionally. We have articles on "The 5 Most Important Things to Know About Your Self-Storage Facility" and "How to Organize Your Self-Storage Unit," to help you get started.

View our self-storage locations in Fountain Valley, California and Riverside, California.

We hope this helps you getting going on your decluttering project! Rememer, an uncluttered home goes a long way in creating a happy home.