Sometimes you can look around your house and think “Wow, how did everything get so crazy and cluttered?!”.
The wardrobes are bursting with clothes which are never worn, children’s toys are everywhere, the kitchen is a state with cupboards full of expired jars and packets of food and the bathroom cupboards are full of old, unused bottles of toiletries.
This is a very normal situation for most people but the sheer scale of the situation is overwhelming and often just easier to ignore.
By tackling this problem over a 30 day period each job is manageable and can be managed over a short space of time each day.
- Day 1 Breakfast/Dining table
Sort through items and distribute into correct rooms or storage areas.
- Day 2 Kitchen sides
Sort through items, distribute to correct rooms/areas. Identify items which are no longer needed. - Day 3 Kitchen drawers
Make sure work top is clear. Empty drawers are put into KEEP, DONATE, THROW. Clean draw and put the keep items back in.
- Day 4 Kitchen drawers As above
- Day 5 Kitchen cupboards – take all contents out onto work top. Clean cupboards then make each item earn its place back in the cupboard. Use the KEEP, DONATE, THROW catagories. Make sure duplicates are not added.
- Day 6 Kitchen cupboards
As above - Day 7 Fridge
Throw away any food passed use by date or obvious perishing. Organise shelves: Top and middle shelf. Ready-to-eat foods, such as dairy products, ready meals and packaged foods, leftovers, cooked meats and prepared salads.
Bottom shelf. Raw meat, poultry and fish in sealed containers to stop them touching or dripping onto other foods.
Salad drawer – keep fruit and veg seperate.
- Day 8 Cleaning supplies
Organise and throw away products which are old/empty Laundry area – organise laundry supplies. - Day 9 Living room tables and sides
Sort through items. Again use KEEP, DONATE, THROW catagories. Take kept items to correct room/place.
- Day 10 Entertainment – DVDs, CDs etc
Pass on any you no longer want, throw away any which no longer work - Day 11 Books
- Pass on any you no longer want.
- Day 12 Desk and computer
Clear desk from unnessary clutter.
Use storage items to organise desk and the items needed.
Declutter computer by going through email and deleting old and unnecessary ones, empty bin, delete any old and unneeded folders. For other digital detox ideas look at this article – https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/30/13-step-digital-declutter-clean-up-online
- Day 13 Sofa and chairs – sort through items. Again use KEEP, DONATE, THROW catagories.
Take kept items to correct room/place. - Day 14 Make up
Throw away any older than 2 years. Organise. - Day 15 Bathroom
Sort through bathroom objects. initially weed out items whhich are no longer wanted or are past use by dates.
Then find products which you want but are already started/opened. Use these products first.
Keep unopened products, which are wanted, in a basket. These products can be used last.
- Day 16 Wardrobe
Take all items out onto a clear bed. look at each item and decide whether it fits, if you want it anymore. Donate all undamaged, unwanted items. - Day 17 Drawers
As above.
- Day 18 Bedding
Fold and store sets. Only need 3 sets for each bed Donate any unwanted. - Day 19 Kids toys and books
Childrens toys are a very difficult one to purge! I have always treated this kind of deluttering with the mantra of “never try and sort their toys when they are around”! Children who are older may like to be involved in the process but I have found that this has been the most effective way: Keep an eye on what they play with regularly. For toys which are no longer played with take these away and store for a month in the loft (or wherever else). If the children make no mention of this toy over this time then it is clear to be sold or passed on. It’s not the quickest process but seems to be the happiest process. After decluttering toys then go on to storing them in an organised way. - Day 20 Kids wardrobe
Look through all items and take out any items which no longer fit or are ever worn. These items can then either be passed on to younger siblings or sold/passed on. Be aware that if the child hasn’t worn an item of clothing in the last month it is probably unecessary. Of course items such as seasonal wear and party clothes many come into this group and should be kept but when it comes to every day clothes my general rule is 5 tops, 5 bottoms, 3 jumpers, 2 dresses then 5 sets on underwear, 3 sets of PJs.
- Day 21 Kids drawers
Same as above
- Day 22 Bedside cabinets
Declutter and put back items such as book, tissues and notepad and pen.
- Day 23 Hallway and coats
Pass on coats which are unwanted/too small - Day 24 Shoe cupboard
Pass on shoes which do not fit or are no longer wanted - Day 25 Mail and paperwork
Have a mail try in hallway/where approriate.
With paperwork, sort into groups and put into folders or files. These should go into office or appropriate cabinet. - Day 26 Purse/Wallet and handbag
Throw away rubbish and any contents old/unwanted - Day 27 Car
Clean out throw away rubbish and put other items into correct room and storage area. Give car a vacuum if able. - Day 28 Outdoors – front door and patio
Put away any clutter, clean door handle and letter box. Weed patio if needed and if you’re able to power wash patio too.
The Kids, Me and MS 