4 Summer Decluttering Tips for Your Home
Springtime isn’t the only season for cleaning, which is why we want to share some of our best summer decluttering tips for your home. With the kids officially on summer break and the possibility of having friends and family over, having a sparkling home everyone can enjoy is a must. Take the stress out of clearing out your clutter with these tried and true suggestions.
Before You Start Decluttering
There’s one important step to do before you start summer cleaning and clearing out your extra belongings – have a plan. One of the biggest decluttering mistakes is starting the process without a plan. The last thing you want to do is get knee-deep in things without having a plan of what to do with them.
First, have an idea of what you want to do with the items you plan to keep. Whether you want to keep them out or put them in storage, you’ll need to have some sort of idea beforehand. Second, be prepared to work quickly and not spend too much time thinking about what you want to do with something.
In fact, this is where the Kon Marie method comes in handy. If you look at something and it doesn’t (1) bring you joy or (2) serve some purpose or function, get rid of it. This means you’ll need to have an idea of what to do with the things you plan to toss. This could be throwing it away, donating it to a local organization, or selling it.
Regardless, keep your end goal in mind – decluttering your home and getting it summer-ready.
4 Summer Decluttering Tips for Your Home
Start with one area or room at a time.
Depending on the size of the room you want to start with, you can tackle the entire room in one go or start with a section of the room. Starting with sections is ideal if you are decluttering intricate spaces such as bookshelves, desk areas, or closets. These areas tend to become clutter capital and may need a bit more attention and time.
Put away things that are “out of season.”
Most families get into the habit of keeping all things out year-round; however, this is the quickest way to clutter up a space. Instead of keeping clothes from every season in your closets and drawers, put away anything that is out of season. This also provides you with the opportunity to get rid of anything too small, too big, or things you no longer wear.
This is also true for shoes, coats, home decor, and the like. Go through each room and decide whether or not it is fit for the summer season, and if not, get rid of it or put it in storage.
Incorporate storage solutions.
This is another tip that depends on the space you have to work with. If you have a storage shed, attic space, room in the basement, or a dedicated storage closet, it can be a lot easier to put things away until next season.
Storage solutions that are perfect for decluttering are:
- Plastic bins (with tops)
- Baskets
- Airtight bags
- Under-the-bed storage containers
- Wire racks
These are all ideal for tight spaces and can be expanded and/or added to in order to accommodate the things you need to put away.
Label everything.
This is particularly handy when decluttering and organizing places like your pantry, storage closet, desk area, and craft room. It will be much easier to organize and keeps areas clean when you know what is stored where. Others will also be able to help keep areas clean because they’ll see the labels and know exactly where something goes.
Final Thoughts
Although few in number, these decluttering tips will help you clean your home quickly and effectively. They can also be turned into a system that you use season after season. Our last tip is to solicit the help of your family (or friends). Make this a family affair and put all hands on deck. This will ensure the tasks get done much quicker as well as keep everyone in the know of the summer cleaning that’s taking place.
What are you going to clean first? Let us know in the comments below!
