Spring Cleaning: How to Declutter Your Space

Spring Cleaning: How to Declutter Your Space

Maybe it’s my recent obsession with Marie Kondo’s ‘Tidying Up’, or it may be the grey, dreary weather that has me stuck inside on a decluttering binge. Whatever it may be, spring cleaning is in the air and I’m all about it!

While Spring cleaning may not be on the top of your priority list, purging your space of clutter, getting organized, and freshening up your home can be extremely beneficial for your mental, emotional, and physical health. With that in mind, I have put together three simple steps for attacking spring cleaning this season!

Decluttering

We’re nearing that awkward time of year where the hype of winter sports may be dwindling but the snow boots and heavy jackets are still crowding the closets. Time to pack those babies away for the season!

Unless you plan to get back out to the mountains on a regular basis - sort out your unnecessary winter clothing and accessories and pack them away into bins, boxes or storage units. Did little Tommy grow out of his snow boots three seasons ago but for some reason they are still sitting in his bedroom? Donate those bad boys to charity!

What about quality? Are you holding onto your favorite sweaters even though they are stained and full of holes? Throw them away, recycle them, or donate them. They aren’t doing you any good sitting in your closet! If you’re close to an H&M, they have a fantastic recycling program where they are taken and divided to determine if they will rewear, reuse, recycle. For every bag brought in (I do believe the limit is 2 bags per trip) you get a 15% off coupon for your next shopping trip. More details can be found here: https://bit.ly/2Oi8Qv9

Focus on one room in your house at a time and get rid of anything that may not be important to you anymore, or as marie Kondo would say, rid of things that don’t ‘bring you joy!’ I’ve been working my way through my house and trying this method. Personally, I have a hard time with gifts or things that I know I spent money on that haven’t gotten as much use/wear as possible. It sometimes feels like money down the train. But once I finally got over the hump of recognizing what I truly want to keep in my wardrobe, it has been easier and less stressful to pick out outfits since I know I’m grabbing from a selection of items that I love.

Organizing

It’s amazing what a few extra bins can do for a crowded closet or what a few small boxes can do for a messy drawer!

Get organized! Do you have pens and markers thrown about your desk? Get a cup, mason jar, or a cute decorative pen holder from @Target and pull all of those writing tools into one place! While you’re at it, test them out and see which ones don’t work… there’s not use in crowding your space if it doesn’t serve a purpose of function. These are some of my favorites:

This is a good catch all solutions for the little things that seem to always end up all over the place. https://bit.ly/2t60dGT

Are your kitchen utensils tossed in random drawers in every direction? Get a few boxes or containers that fit into your drawers and organize the utensils according to use or size.

The same goes for closet spaces, bathroom counters, home offices, cleaning supplies, and more! Do you have a favorite Christmas comforter that only makes an appearance for the Holiday season? Vacuum bags are my go to for storing bulkier items for the months they aren’t in use: https://amzn.to/2GcXSTe

Spend a day determining where you could use some organization in your home and get to work. You will be surprised how much it can help to make a space feel more organized and put-together.

Freshening

After the decluttering and organizing comes my favorite part! Decorating!

It doesn’t take much to add a fresh dose of spring into your home. Find a few brightly colored pillows, a new rug, a fun canvas, or a centerpiece for your coffee table accented with fresh tones and colors.

Once your space has been decluttered, adding (or even just changing up) a few decorative pieces of each room can give your home a fresh, springy feel, just in time for the coming months.

A clean, fresh, updated space can help you focus, can decrease stress and anxiety, and can help you relax more when you are at home. Spring cleaning may seem like a daunting task, but if you slowly start chipping away with just one room at a time, it will be done before you know it! Happy tidying!