Even though the idea of home cleansing is often associated with spring, fall decluttering is the new trend to follow if you feel the need to get rid of unnecessary items before the chilly weather kicks in. Just like the trees know how to drop their leaves every year, you should turn your attention to your home and learn to let go of what no longer serves you. Whether you want to adopt the minimalist approach, or you just feel the need to re-organize your stuff, keep these tips in mind for the best sense of accomplishment:
1. Make a Plan
You can easily find yourself intimidated by the idea of getting your home together, so you must find the right ways to get started and to transform a seemingly overwhelming chore into an enjoyable activity. Before you do anything else, make a list of what you want to achieve by the end of the cleansing session.
Write down everything you want to do and what areas of your home need decluttering. This way, you can figure out what the clutter hot spots are and what you need to work on. Apart from setting up the goals, create a system that fits your plans – choose where you want to start and what you want to go through every day. This doesn’t have to be a one-day-chore, it may need multiple days, maybe even weeks to be done neatly and thoroughly. Once you have it all planned, it will be much easier, and you will notice the results in no time.
2. Start Small but Think Big
Regardless of the size of your home, chances are you’re surrounding yourself with more things than you can manage. This happens especially after a couple of dynamic summer months, when you’re too high on sunshine to notice all the mess gathering around you.
Before you commit to an entire area, start with a few small projects to give yourself a sense of success once they’re done. For instance, don’t challenge yourself to do the whole wardrobe at once, but go through the drawers individually and see them as independent assignments. Once you see it doesn’t take that long to tackle all the spaces on your list, one by one, you’ll be more and more excited to finally get a clutter-free home.
3. Pack Away Seasonal Items
Whether it’s pool floats or bug sprays, you have to find a way to separate from your favorite summer necessities Once the air becomes crisp and you can smell the pumpkins, it’s time to pack away everything summer related and make room for fall essentials.
When the seasons change, your wardrobe changes radically, and you need to swap your summery clothing for light jackets and comfy sweaters. Moreover, the gardening equipment that made your outdoor space shine during summer must now be put into sleep mode. This means that you should take some time to go through all the stuff you won’t be using for the next couple of months and free up your space for upcoming Halloween decorations.
4. Recycle & Donate
I know it’s easier said than done, but once you create a functioning system, it is much easier to control and reduce the clutter.
First of all, we should all prioritize taking care of our environment. Don’t carelessly toss the things you can’t use away but ensure proper disposal by recycling as much as possible.
If you have things that someone else might find useful, donation is the best choice. There are charity shops on almost every corner and it’s easy to drop off items that are in good conditions, starting with clothes, shoes and accessories to books, furniture, toys and even kitchen goods such as cookware and utensils. Take into consideration the shelters for homeless people, domestic abuse or recovery programs that will gladly accept donations as well.
5. Practice the Art of Letting Go
Dramatic as it sounds, sometimes there is an emotional attachment between you and your belongings, which makes it more difficult to let go. But by keeping the space around you clean and organized, you will gain clarity and focus. As long as you don’t allow yourself to get overwhelmed by the process and commit to small steps, you’ll be surprised at how fast the energy of your home starts to feel more positive. Don’t be afraid to let go of material things that you never use and learn to cherish only the things that are really important to you.
Take advantage of the delightful fall weather and transform a tiring decluttering session into an invigorating activity. For the extra stuff you want to store until you’re ready to use it again, browse through the listings on STORAGECafé and find your ideal storage space.
