For many of us, the New Year comes with an itch. It’s an opportunity to take an “in with the new, out with the old” approach to cleaning your home (especially since you can’t go outside!). As you put your holiday gifts away and feel the itch to reorganize and de-clutter, use these tips for a clutter-free, organized home for the whole New Year.
Clean out cramped spaces.
It’s never too late to start sifting through areas of your home that have become packed with items or dysfunctional because there is just too much stuff. Identify problem areas in your home and a time when you can deal with clean-up duties.
Get rid of those duplicates.
As you start to go through your home, keep an eye out for items that you have more than one of. Don’t keep back-ups of items that you know you won’t use, such as kitchen implements (how many spatulas do you need?) or clothing (we promise, you don’t need 20+ Packer shirts).
Sort through the piles.
Be efficient with your organizing. As you pull items out of a closet, attic, or basement, designate a use for the items and put them piles. Find a common use for your items, such as sports items, craft supplies, or collectibles, and put them in a pile so you can put them in a box or another organizational container.
Make a charity run.
Don’t feel like you need to keep all the piles in your home. Make piles for items that you want to give away to family members or another local charity. If you do take the items to a local charity shop, keep an itemized list of items for your taxes.
Revamp your organization.
If your closet has become a chaotic mess, don’t just put items back into the closet. Instead, invest in shelving or boxes that can organize the space. In mudrooms, invest in shelves, bins, and hooks that can help you easily organize your cold and warm weather gear.
Be creative.
Don’t be afraid to think out-of-the-box about your boxes. Shoe organizers can be a great way to sort out gloves and mittens. Over-the-door hanging racks can be a godsend when you’re trying to sort through all your bathroom and hair products.
Deep clean the space after it’s clean.
Before you organize your space, add the space to your cleaning to-do list. If you don’t have time, hire a professional cleaner to clean out your basement or attic and tackle all the other items on your deep cleaning checklist.
