Ways to Declutter, Simplify, & Purge Your Home Today
If I’ve learned anything over the past 35 years as a mother and homemaker, it’s that clutter can weigh me down and hold me back. It overwhelms my mind and bogs me down. It’s like a noose around my neck.
I know that might sound a little dramatic, but it’s true. I wonder if you feel the same way. Perhaps you feel the same, but can’t figure out how to pull yourself out of that feeling.
I’ve never been a hoarder or holder of all things; however, stuff seems to accumulate in our home, and I find it necessary to declutter, simplify, and purge at least once a year. This is that time.
This post will help you declutter, purge, and simplify your home so that you and your home can function more efficiently. Not only that, but it will bring you more peace, energy, and motivation.
An uncluttered home forges the way for an uncluttered mind. When your mind is uncluttered, it can help you think more clearly, be more productive, and even be more creative.
Let’s declutter your mind, unburden your shoulders, and give you more breathing room by decluttering your home today.
Let’s Begin
Where do you begin when you are considering decluttering your home? I’ll let you pick that place, but think about your home right now and where is it that you feel most overwhelmed.
It could be your kitchen. Are your counters cluttered by unused appliances? Is there a drop zone that is unorganized and cluttered? Is your refrigerator so full that you can’t ever find what you are looking for?
Perhaps it’s your mud room or laundry room? Is there laundry everywhere? Are there shoes, hats, gloves, and coats that are overtaking the room? Do you really need the 6 coats you have hanging in your mudroom?
How about your bathroom or bedroom? Honestly, this is the space that, if I let it go, can make me crazy. I want to challenge you to begin by evaluating what is needed and what is clutter.
I have a question that I seriously want you to consider right now. Do you need 20 towels in your closet? Do you need 10 extra sets of sheets? Do you need all that extra makeup you have been collecting for years?
This is where it gets hard. I want to challenge you to think about what you REALLY need. And then I want you to do something that is really hard….begin the PURGE.
So let’s go through a list of all the items in your home right now that you might be able to purge today.
Purge The Kitchen
I’m gonna guess that there are many items in your kitchen causing clutter that you can get rid of.
Expired Food
Let’s start with expired food. This is easy because it’s objective. Go through your refrigerator and pantry and get rid of ALL expired foods. It’s a no-brainer! January is a great time to do this.
Don’t forget the stale spices taking up space in your cabinets.
Dishes & Glasses
I recently tackled all of my cabinets and the hutch in my kitchen. There was a whole set of old white dishes that I haven’t used and am likely never gonna use.
I bought new white dishes last year. Why in the world was I holding onto these? I needed that space to store some other kitchen items I wanted to keep!
The dishes I purged were old and had scratches and I found myself wondering why I had held onto them.
Now go through your glasses. We seem to collect plastic cups in our home. I don’t care for plastic cups by the way, but hubby uses them at times. They take up space, are not attractive, and are never something I would use for guests. If possible, toss them.
Under The Kitchen Sink
This can be a dumping ground for old bottles, mostly empty cleaning supplies, old rags, and things you are never going to use again. I saw this hack on Instagram and I thought it was genius!
Utensils
We have a huge utensil drawer, and the utensils just get thrown in there, and somehow they grow. It’s time to go through the utensils and see if you can thin them out. There are usually duplicates, and you likely don’t need them all.
I might suggest adding a crock to your counter where you can place your most used and valued utensils. It also adds a bit of practical decor and warmth to your kitchen.
Coffee Cups & Mugs
This is a tough one for me because I am obsessed with coffee mugs. A few years ago, I began to change them out seasonally. I have a spot in my basement where I store the ones that aren’t in season.
Mugs can become dust collectors, and no one really needs 15 mugs in their kitchen. Go through your mugs today and rid yourself of the ones you never gravitate to. You have your favorites (speaking from experience). I know you do. Just keep your favorites and send the rest to storage or to Goodwill!
Pots & Pans
Pots and pans, and cookie sheets start to pile up in the kitchen. If there is a pan you don’t use or is old, move it to storage, give it to Goodwill, or throw it out. If you haven’t used it in the past year, the likelihood of you using it again is slim.
Medicines & First Aid
I recently went through my medical bins and, wow, did I purge. I had more than 1000 Band-Aids. It’s just my hubby and me at home now, so there is absolutely no need for that many Band-Aids.
I had multiple expired cold medications and creams. I freed up a lot of space, and now when I reach for medical supplies, they are easier to locate.
The Infamous Kitchen Junk Drawer
In my home, I have to do this a couple of times a year. If you haven’t organized your drunk drawer in a while, now is the time. This is a great place to start your purging.
You will feel so much better. Rid that drawer of anything you haven’t used in the past year. You will be surprised at how many things you throw out. Old keys, tacks, pins, glue, Chapstick, phone chargers, etc.
Cords & Chargers
Speaking of old phone chargers, toss them right now. If you haven’t used them and don’t need them, just get rid of them. I’m not sure why, but we tend to hold onto these items.
Old & Worn Dish Towels
Old tea towels, as we used to call them, tend to pile up in our kitchens. If they stop soaking up water or look old and dingy, ditch them!
Purge The Bedrooms & Bathrooms
The bedrooms, more than anything else, collect clutter and unused items. The bedroom is a great place to start your purging journey.
Clothing
I am the worst at holding onto unused clothing! My weight tends to go up and down by 10 to 15 pounds. I hold onto clothes in case…LOL.
That being said, I’ve come to realize that our bodies change as we age, and so just because it fit me before doesn’t mean it’s ever going to fit me the same again.
Those skinny jeans you’ve been holding onto just in case they come back in style…free yourself of them. I had four pairs of skinny jeans in my closet that I kept holding onto.
The crazy part is that I don’t like skinny jeans anymore…if I’m honest, I never really liked them. Give them away, donate them, or send them to the garbage.
Socks & Shoes
That drawer of missing socks you’ve been holding onto needs to be liberated. The match isn’t coming back. The socks that are too tight around your ankle or the itchy ones that you “think” you may wear someday, get rid of them.
What about those holey gym socks or worn, dingy, old tennis shoes? It’s time to liberate your closet and make space! Keep only what you wear and purge what you don’t.
Makeup & Hair Accessories
Go through your makeup and toss anything you aren’t using anymore. Do the same for hair accessories. It’s all clutter and taking up valuable space in your drawers and mind.
Linens & Towels
You really don’t need more than two sets of sheets for every bed in your home. Free yourself of the rest. Toss the old pillowcases that you’re holding onto in case…
Take your old towels and cut them up into cleaning rags. Towels lose their ability to dry after a while. Throw them out and slowly buy one or two towels every couple of months.
Purge The Toys
Now is the perfect time to rid your home of old toys. Give them away to someone with younger children or box them up, tuck them away, and bring them out in waves.
This way, your children play with the toys that are out and get excited when the ones you’ve put away reappear. The toys can be the worst culprit of clutter in your home.
Reduce The Overwhelm & Purge
When we have too much stuff in our homes, a couple of things occur. One, we can’t make decisions quickly because there is too much to choose from. It can become overwhelming and feel like a burden rather than a pleasure.
This happens with dishes, clothes, shoes, makeup, linens, and so much more. Keep what you need, but purge what you don’t. Life becomes simpler with fewer decisions to make and less clutter to live with.
There is a book called Eat That Frog. 21 Great Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Done in Less Time. If you are struggling with where to begin, start with the hardest task to declutter. Eat that frog and get ‘er done!
Decluttering and purging are freeing, and you will feel a weight and burden lifted off your shoulders. I also recommend that you remember what you purged when you go shopping.
Ask yourself these questions:
- Do I need this?
- Will it help me function better, or will it weigh me down?
- How would I feel if I didn’t buy it? Will I be sad and disappointed?
- Is this what I want to spend my money on?
Asking yourself these questions will prevent you from bringing more clutter into your home. A good rule of thumb is if you buy something new, get rid of something old.
Other Items to consider purging:
- Old Books & Magazines
- Serving Dishes
- Decorative Pillows – I have started buying pillow covers instead of new pillows. It saves space and is much more cost-effective.
- Old or Outdated Home Decor
- Duplicate or Unused Tools
- Craft supplies you’ve been holding onto for years.
- Anything on the kitchen counter that is not necessary.
In Conclusion
Now is the perfect time to declutter, simplify, and purge your home. You’ve got this! Start today, and you will be on your way to freedom. I promise it will unburden you, help you make decisions easier, and give you peace!
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