Do you yearn for an organized homestead? What if I told you that 4 weeks from now you could have less clutter? Even better – you can in your 4 weeks to less clutter, you won’t have to ignore the rest of your life to accomplish it. Crazy, right?
I don’t know many people that can say they have no clutter in their house. Most of my friends, homesteaders included, regularly complain about cleaning, organizing and de-cluttering their homes and lives in general. But the biggest hurdle is an easy plan to accomplish the task. I have one! Anytime I see that the “stuff” is overtaking our lives I use this simple plan and BOOM, less clutter.
4 Weeks to Less Clutter
You are going to need 4 weeks to get ‘er done folks. But better to start today than next week. Let’s make a plan. Each week we are going to purge certain items from our mess. You can do this! I’m a pack rat by nature; if I can do it, anyone can.
Week 1 to Less Clutter
Office Items – go through your desk and rid yourself of pens that don’t work, supplies you have 3 of and anything you haven’t used consistently for the last 3 months.
Magazines – If you really need an article try scanning it into the computer or even taking a cell phone shot of it. Then take your stack of magazines and sort them into donate or recycle. If they are in good shape the library, doctor’s office or dentist may take a few of your magazines in donation. Then you can recycle the rest. From this point on, purge last’s months edition when the new one comes in; if you haven’t read it in the last 4 weeks you probably won’t anyway.
Week 2 to Less Clutter
Cleaning Supplies – I use Norwex to clean the house and that freed up a TON of space under the sinks and in closets. You don’t need doubles and triples of every item. Whether you’re using alternative cleaners, homemade or store-bought, make one cleaning station box that you can carry from room to room. Better yet, find items that do more than one job and you’ll need less around!
Kitchen Utensils – I’ll admit, I’m a gadget girl. Whether you love to cook or not, we all seem to collect kitchen tools that never leave the drawer. How many basters do you really need? How many wooden spoons? Purge your duplicates and keep only the gadgets you use regularly. If you’re feeling really motivated hit those containers and lids – you know you don’t have a container for every lid in your cabinet!
Week 3 to Less Clutter
Linens – is your linen closet a labyrinth of towels, sheets and table cloths? Start by purging your icky items with holes and stains. Then evaluate what you and your family need to use on a regular basis. How many towels does each person really need? Your collection for 40 wash clothes might be excessive….maybe. If you have linens you really don’t use, but are in good condition, consider donating them to a shelter near you or a thrift store that supports a good cause.
Health & Beauty – Make-up, old bottles of vitamins, nail polish gone south…it is time to clean-out your health and beauty products. Ladies, let me address you first; make-up doesn’t last forever even if there is some left in the container. Check out Beauty Expiration Dates! I am not a big make-up wearer so I have a small bag of the items I use regularly. Make sure you look through your supplements, medications and even body products for expiration dates and general usefulness. And don’t replace what you toss – you don’t really need it!
Week 4 to Less Clutter
Toys – Ask each of your kids to donate 5, 10 or even 20 items that they don’t play with anymore. Bribery is not off the table my friends. I can now admit I’ve used money or activities, as a dangling carrot, to get a bag or box filled up with toys. Again donate to a worthy charity. You can keep them for a yard sale if it is happening in less than 2 weeks – otherwise they’ll find a way back in the house!
Books – Don’t throw any at me! I’m an avid reader and a homeschooler so I know all about the love of books. But they take up a HUGE amount of space. Considering only keeping books you refer to regularly and are not easily accessible at the library. Take your books to a used book store for a little mad money…just don’t bring home more books! In the future only purchase a book if it is impossible to find it at the library. If your budget allows, consider a Kindle; you can keep thousands of books on one little device.
Look at you – 4 weeks later and you’ve purged some serious clutter from your house. The key is not to replace it and that does take forming some new habits.
If you are ready for more tossing and donating consider looking at these items as well. Get rid of anything you have doubles of, don’t use regularly or can borrow/rent as needed:
- Crafts
- Sewing Supplies
- Dishes, glassware, storage containers
- Holiday decor
- Hair care items (including barrettes, scrunchies, head bands)
- Hangers (if you have a ton without clothes on them, donate them)
- Extra clothing items (shoes, jackets, hats or anything you don’t wear often or have outgrown)
- Garden tools – how many spades and shovels do you really need?
Happy purging!