Who said that you can only start cleaning in the spring?
If we had to guess, it was someone who didn’t feel like doing it in the winter.
With the start of a new year almost upon us, you may look around your home and decide that not everything from 2020 needs to follow you into the next 12 months.
We’re talking about all that clutter. Chances are, you’ve had your mind on other things than tidying up your home. But now is as good a time as any to get started on that project.
The question is: where do you begin?
To help guide your junk removal journey, here are five tips that can help you take control of your belongings:
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Create an action plan.
Figure out what you want to accomplish before you dive in. When you set a concrete goal, it will help you focus.
Do you want to go through your whole home, or just a couple of rooms that need cleaning? Give yourself a deadline to get things done and hold yourself to it. This way, you can take the process one task at a time. Dedicate 30-60 minutes each day (and maybe more on the weekends) to organizing your belongings.
Before you know it, everything will be in its rightful place.
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Clean out your clothes.
Are your drawers overflowing with pants, shirts, and socks? Don’t make laundry day something to dread—by trimming down your wardrobe, you’ll have an easier time figuring out what to wear each day.
It’s a good time to cut down on clothes to free up some space in your home. Pull out all your drawers and lay out everything. You can sort each item by season or by type if you’d like. Ask yourself these questions when deciding if you should keep it, pass it along, or throw it away: Will I wear this again? Could I give this to someone else? Does it belong in the trash? These qualifiers will help you get rid of what you no longer need.
When you sort through your clothing, be sure to donate anything that no longer fits. Someone else will get more use out of that too-baggy shirt than you will. Better yet, you’ll be helping out those in need.
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Tackle the countertops.
From your kitchen counters to your dining room table, you might have unnecessary items scattered around your home. It can be stressful when there’s no open space on any surfaces to place your food or even kick your feet up. This small step makes a world of a difference in your daily life.
Imagine how much less stressful your home will be without clutter in every corner. When junk isn’t in the way, you’ll have an easier time when you need to clean the high-touch points in your home. Clearing off the countertops and tables is a quick and easy way to make a difference in your home’s clutter.
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Call a junk removal company.
A junk removal service can declutter your home in a hurry. It might be more expensive than doing it on your own, but it’s faster and more convenient. The time you save might be worth the fee. Better yet, you’ll have the energy to start working on your next project.
If you try to haul away heavy items on your own, like couches or mattresses, you could injure yourself. Hire the professionals to take care of work like this and your back will thank you for it.
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Sell your old items.
After you’ve gone through every drawer, surface, and crevice in your home, you’ll want to wipe your hands and be done with it.
But what if you could make a few dollars before parting with some of your old belongings?
You might be tempted to recycle that old computer from the early 2000s, but you may want to reconsider. As the saying goes, one person’s junk is another person’s treasure. Check online to see the value of different items that you are disposing of. You’d be surprised at the prices many retro items fetch these days. List a few of your things online and see if any buyers are interested before getting rid of everything.
Whether you’re moving out, having guests over, or planning a remodeling project, removing junk will help things run more smoothly in your home. You’ll notice an instant relief of stress when your home isn’t full of clutter.