“Often It Is What We Hold Onto That Holds Us Back” – Cheryl Richardson
Whether you are making a move or just tired of clutter, today you will get some great tips on how to declutter your house!
Isn’t any season a great time to consider doing a little declutter action in your home and life…but where to begin? I have a knack for clearing the clutter quickly in my house and I love executing this quickly!
Taking one day to declutter is in my DNA and something I personally like to do and get done…thus waving at my mess and donations in the rear-view mirror!
Declutter Guide
I have put together a one page easy to follow room by room declutter your home checklist for y’all by the way so you are not on your own!
You can do this in a day or you can tackle one room per day for an hour and be done in 7 days!
As I mentioned I am a declutterer and tidier by nature in my own life, home, car and real estate business so when Marie Kondo started popping up on my Twitter feed I had to see what all the buzz was about and I am so glad that I did!
PS…if you are thinking of selling your home any time soon once you de-clutter, use what you have left to stage your home! Check out this video for some great tips on that! Get Your Home Value Today!
“Does it spark joy?”
This is the question that Marie Kondo, decluttering sensation and author of the No. 1 New York Times best-selling book, “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up”, poses to her followers. She is the founder of KonMari Media, Inc. and has a show on Netflix called “Tidying Up With Marie Kondo”.
This is a great new binge to watch and learn from. You will be enhanced, charmed and pulled into her philosophy of organization and decluttering for a happier and more simplified life.
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The Home Edit
This Netflix sensation is fantastic if you need ideas on how to organized and declutter your house.
Think organizing with a dash of design and style and you have some beautiful inspiration to make your home amazing with pops of color and function!
From freezer organization to holiday decor you will love checking out their blog for tips and ideas!
Getting Started
Less is more. Period. A few years ago when we had to store household items in a portable storage unit we ended up giving away, selling or throwing out over 60 percent of it. Out of sight, out of mind is what happened. Who knew we were already KonMarieing!
I find starting with small spaces like my master bathroom is a great place to begin. I recently went through my drawers and under that sink and threw out tons of stuff, picked up some organizing drawers and got rid of old makeup (ladies you know what I am talking about…samples, expired items, yucky eyeliner and icky makeup sticks).
At the end of the day the simplest way to clear the clutter and bring good energy into your living space includes, as Kondo suggests, to “take an inventory of what you have” dump it all in one room and then see what “sparks joy” and remove the rest.
In other words as she implies, “We should be choosing what we want to keep, not what we want to get rid of.” Brilliant!
Don’t Forget These Places
- Bedside Tables – Those drawers are full of stuff, organize and put only what you will use there. Think face wipes, emory board, notepad, pen, or any sort of things that are essential to you.
2. Under Your Bed – They say putting things under your bed is not Feng Shui and frankly it collects dust. Get rid of the crap!
3. In Those Storage Benches – Nice try! If it truly is a great use of space (which it is in our home) then use them, if not, you know what to do!
4. Sheds – I have never met a shed yet that is not a cluttered mess. Go through that and keep what you need and toss or donate the rest.
5. Bathtub/Shower – Just sayin’. You know who you are.
I Never Thought About These
Branded items in your home like liquid soap and shampoo bottles create “visual clutter” in our lives. How can you fix this? Simple…decant what you have into clear pump bottles and containers. Kondo says, “By eliminating excess visual information that doesn’t spark joy, you can make your space much more peaceful and comfortable.”
Everything should have a place. Meaning if you cannot put it away easily you probably need to make some changes.
Living in an event heavy community like Boca Raton and Palm Beach County means “swag bags”. My goal is to appreciate the bag but not bring it home. Thanks to “thinking like Marie Kondo” I only take what I need from my bag and I leave it behind for the organization to reuse again.
Lack of Space? Get Creative
I think everyone has a pain point in their home or apartment and mine is a lack of closet space or a fabulous walk-in closet. Couple that with no basement (South Florida probs) and only a garage for additional storage and the need to declutter is real.
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I am always looking for creative ways to store items I truly need without cluttering up my actual living space. From shoe organizers, decorative boxes, under the bed storage, racks and benches that can store seasonal items like sweaters I have found there are great ideas on Pinterest and YouTube that can help you find some smart storage suggestions.
Alternative Decluttering Methods
Lastly, another method of decluttering I have used is the four-box method. Super simple in that I get four boxes and use one box for donations, one for what you are going to keep, one for trash, and one for storage.
If the direction you are heading may be exploring minimalism, which is a cool mindset by the way, then check out The Minimalist Home.
Organizing and Decluttering Resources:
The Container Store
California Closets
Local Thrift and Resale Shops (to donate to and to find storage bins)
National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO)
I would love to hear about your organizing and decluttering successes! Once you start if you are like me you will be on a mission to clear that clutter and simplify your life! PS…Don’t forget to get your declutter checklist!
Tune in weekly to the #SoooBoca Stories Podcast!
About Michele Bellisari
Michele is a South Florida Realtor, based in Boca Raton, Florida, serving surrounding cities, and the founder of #Soooboca Lifestyle and Media.
If you are thinking of buying or selling real estate in Boca Raton and any of the surrounding cities let her help you out!
Michele blogs, vlogs, posts and shares all things Boca Raton, South Florida & Beyond from events, people, food, travel, home decor, fashion, beauty and real estate! You can find more at www.soooboca.com and on all the socials.
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