Declutter Your Entire House

Last year, I talked about the items I use to keep my closet organized and last week, I mentioned that I am doing a major purge of everything I possibly can. I feel as though I've amassed too much stuff over the years and I am ready to declutter and start fresh!

It's great to do this every year because it's amazing what you can collect over just 365 days! An entire house/apartment/condo/etc. purge can sound daunting. So much space and so much storage to go through. But, it really doesn't have to be miserable or time-consuming... getting started is the hardest part! 

So, I figured I would share with you my process. It's pretty thorough and easy, but there are a million and one ways to do it! 

Start with a list

If you ever studied writing, you know you always want to start with a good outline. This 'list' is going to be the outline of your purge. In my case, I write down the rooms first. Then, all of the spaces in that room that need to be cleaned out. So for example: my bedroom closet, under bed storage, kitchen cabinets, coat closet, etc. 

Once you craft your list, you'll prioritize. Maybe you want to start with the smallest project first and work your way to the biggest project or vice versa. I personally do it that way. A small bit of accomplishment fuels me to tackle the bigger projects! 

Gather Supplies

Once you have your plan of attack set, gather your supplies. So, for example, if you are doing your coat closet, order a set of extra hangers (these are space saving and inexpensive). If you are cleaning out your bathroom closet, maybe you want to grab a few acrylic bins for extra storage/organization. I find having the supplies already on hand helps me to follow through with completely finishing the project. If I'm mid-purge and don't have a supply I need, I make a list of what I need and then get the supplies in the next few days so the job is sure to be finished. 

Create 'Buckets'

Whenever I am purging, I label garbage bags. My categories are 'toss, sell, donate, friends'. I usually let my friends/family pick through whatever I am getting rid of first, then the rest goes to be donated. I rarely sell anything, but it's good to keep that as an option, too. Then a garbage pile and a donate pile. 

Remove everything from the space you are purging

Seriously take everything out of the space. Then, it will force you to go through absolutely everything and you'll be able to decide what to do with each item. As you work through that, you'll be putting things away in the most organized manner, too. You'll have purged and completely organized the space in one step. 

Clean the empty space

For example, if you are doing your refrigerator, disinfect and wipe down the insides before you start putting things back or if you are cleaning your closet, vacuum and dust first! 

Get Rid of It!

I am not one to hang on to things. I enjoy getting rid of stuff, but at the same time, I live in a very small space. So in reality, there is actually not that much stuff in my apartment. Choosing to get rid of what I do have is hard! I totally get it if you can't seem to part with things. But, you need to be ruthless. Especially with clothes because chances are you only wear a small percentage of what is in your closet. If you are sentimental and want to keep things, are there other ways you can store the items? Ex. does your building have a storage unit or do you want to consider renting a storage unit? 

I have the hardest time in my kitchen. I have very little storage space and yet I love tableware and glassware. I want to collect so many beautiful pieces. But, I just can't because I physically don't have the storage space. What you can do, though, is take the money you would have spent on what you want to buy and set it aside. That way, when you live in a place with more storage room or choose to get rid of something, you'll have saved up for something new! I think that's motivation enough to get rid of things!