Declutter for spring…and for you…

Are you like me and hate losing that hour when we set our clocks forward here in the USA this week? Grrr…daylight savings time.

The good news is we suddenly have longer days!

And as the days warm up, it’s so good to open the windows and let that fresh air inside…AND start freshening up our homes in other ways…

So this is a perfect opportunity to start talking about Spring Cleaning.

One way to kickstart this process is to do some quick decluttering.

By clearing out any unnecessary items that have accumulated over the past year, you'll create more space and see your home in a new way. 

Then you’ll be ready to jump into some actual cleaning.

To make your Spring Cleaning easier and more manageable, let’s break it down into three simple and achievable tasks…

#1: GET RID OF THE JUNK 

The junk drawer, that is! You know, that chaotic mishmash of random batteries, expired coupons, paper clips, rubber bands, envelopes you’ve scribbled grocery lists on, and maybe even an odd Lego or two? 

This is a great place to begin because it's in a room you’re in every day, so let’s start off by putting an end to this hotspot right now—once and for all. 

Use the “Like With Like” step of my Organizational Triangle^® to group like things together. While you’re sorting, let go of everything in there that you either don’t know what it is or it no longer works. 

When you’re finished with that, you’ll have a few things that will go back in the drawer because you actually use those things IN the kitchen.

For everything else you find, decide on one—and only one—home for them and either put them with their “siblings” in another part of your home OR create a home for these things in the room where you will actually use them.

Make sure you don’t just leave them on the kitchen counter for “later” and go put them away now!

Once you’re finished, you may have a brand new drawer ready for things you desperately needed more room for. AND you’ll never spend time scrambling through that mess in search of missing items again.

#2: MAKE MORE ROOM

Clear out your spaces and make more room for the things that matter by donating, selling or recycling unwanted items. A few things may end up in the trash. If that makes you feel bad, give yourself a pass and then promise to not bring those kinds of things home again…that is the best way to avoid those icky feelings!

Here’s a list of things you can declutter right now:

In your files/paperwork:

• Junk mail
• Owner’s manuals for items you no longer own
• Receipts for any nondeductible expense, particularly for personal care and personal food items

In your kitchen:

• Expired items in your pantry/cabinets
• Expired items in your fridge
• Broken or damaged dishes and cups

In your bathroom:

• Old or expired cosmetics (anything you purchased a year ago or more)
• Towels and washcloths with holes
• Anything you don’t currently use

In your bedroom:

• Clothes that haven’t fit in more than two years
• Clothes with stains or holes
• Any junk mail or old magazines hiding on your nightstand or dresser

Not sure where you can donate or sell your unwanted items? 

Check out my blog post on the 72 places you can sell or donate items.

#3: CREATE YOUR WHOLE-HOUSE PLAN

Once you've tackled your junk drawer and removed some of the obvious “don’t need it” items, the next step is to make a simple plan to tackle the other areas of your home. 

Whether it's your closets, bathroom, or living room, breaking down the decluttering and cleaning process into smaller tasks will make it less overwhelming and more achievable.

If you’re looking for help with how to make a plan to declutter your house—or even just the junk drawer!—join me for the upcoming De-Stress Your Mess Challenge starting on March 20.

During this 5-day LIVE Challenge, I’ll be giving you my best tips on how to work on each of your main clutter hotspots… and you’ll even have a chance to win some amazing bonuses! 

Register today and save your spot for the De-Stress Your Mess Challenge >

By taking your Spring decluttering one step at a time, you'll be more likely to achieve your goals and complete the project—so you’ll end up with a clean and tidy home AND get more free time to spend with your family and friends IN your home!

Here’s to more love and less stuff! 

Andrew

P.S. If this is your year to actually get your clutter under control and make the most of Spring Cleaning, I invite you to join the De-Stress Your Mess Challenge. After your first day, you will already begin to feel lighter, less stressed and hopeful—for the first time in a long time. Your family will definitely see the shift in you, too. Clutter just won’t be the problem it’s always been.

‍AND it’s also the most fun you’ll ever have decluttering—that’s a promise!

Learn more and sign up today and join us LIVE on March 20, 2023, at 8:00 PM Eastern.

Can’t make the live sessions? You’ll get recordings of each day’s training!