Where do you start clearing out things in a house to make room?
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I would create somewhere to sort things. Maybe get some large bins and label some keep, donate and trash. Sort as you empty out the room, that way it is being sorted while you go, and you know what you are doing with everything.
I start with one room at a time. I don’t necessarily remove everything. You will need to move some items around to get to what you don’t need. If you haven’t use it in 6 months chances are you don’t need it. Give away, take to thrift store, or homeless shelter. Go luck.
If you have trouble on your own, hire a professional organizer. Even a half day with one will teach you enough for you to continue and tackle every room in your house. If you do not use it or wear it get rid of it - not by throwing away, but by selling on line, having a garage sale or donating to a local charity.
Check this out!
https://www.budgetdumpster.com/resources/how-to-declutter-your-home.php
I seriously start in a corner and work my way out ...
Start with one room, whichever one you think needs it the most. Start in one spot, a corner or just inside the door and work your way around the room. Make three piles, on for actual garbage, one for give away or donation and one to keep that you can divide later for what stays in the room and what belongs in another room (go through that pile when you are done sorting and ready to put away). Take care of the two piles before you start putting things away, then put the things for that room away and then take the others to the rooms they go into. Once you are done putting away and organizing that room, either go to another room if you have time to finish another room, or stop for the day and have a glass of wine or coffee to celebrate one room done. Even if you only do one room a day, you will be able to get the house done. You can do it!
I help clients declutter homes all the time, and have done hoarder homes too. Get 4 boxes, and label.... keep, donate, gift, recycle and a trash bag. I usually start with the visable surfaces like counters and furniture. Any paper items I throw in the recycle box and I break down any boxes to go into the recycle box. Sort through the stuff on each surface and put in one of the boxes saying to yourself..... have I used this in a year? do I really intend to use this? can I let this go to make room for something new in my life?
Each day at the end, I put the donate box in the car and next time I go out, I will go through the drive thru at one of the thrift stores. Keep the box.
Take the recycle box out to the trash area, and your recycle bin, take the trash out too. Then clean the surface you just removed all the items from, dusting and using the vac to remove dust, and if furniture, polish it. The keep box items will next have to find a permanent home.... this may lead to cleaning a drawer out or a closet to make room, some things will have to go to make room for the items in the box. This is also an opportunity to organize your things by having good storage boxes, grouping items in a box, and labeling so you can find them when needed. Dollar Tree is an excellent source of small containers and mini crates.
I find this to be an excellent time to ask an organized friend to help you.... they will keep you on track and get you to let go of items or hire a professional. Just get in the habit of spending an hour or two daily on the process of cleaning and organizing, and then going to the thrift store to donate. If you have a gift box, be sure to wrap it up and give to the person your gifting too or mail it to family. You might want to pick up some of those Priority boxes in various sizes at the post office if you plan to mail alot.
Read this article to understand clutter.... https://fengshuiforreallife.com/Detailed/252.html Good luck and enjoy the freedom of being clutter free. Open your life to new possibilities.
Commit to a certain amount each day, week, etc. Last year during Lent, I literally got rid of a box a day - 40 boxes - of old papers, junk mail, clothes, outdated toiletries, junky knick knacks, nice knick knacks I simply had no room for, etc. Not necessarily a huge box each day, but I brought home potato chip cartons from work. You could do grocery bags. THEN the next important step is to get those bags and boxes out of your possession. Drop them off at your local thrift store asap. I've had boxes in my car that I then had to put back in the house because I needed the room in the car - and then stuff gets piled on and mixed up and that's bad!
Well I am a person with a lot of things. I don't really worry about it as I like to think I am organized! LOL. The problem with us is that we live in a town where you can get lots of things for free. Like the other week I got a stack of soup bowls. I do not need them but I collect china and at the very least I want to research these. If I do decide to keep them they will go where I keep other china items in my cellar. I keep like with like. Our books are on book shelves. Our clothes are in closets. I discard all junk mail immediately. Look at things with fresh eyes. It is like turning on a light bulb in a dark room. You and only you know what is junk to you. Get rid of that first. If it is in order and is neat and not too much for you to clean, don't worry about it.
you get one room done and go to next one You will fell so good, at end of day. Get at it, ha.
The trick to starting is just that. Pick up an item and if you don't want to keep it put it in a box slated for the local thrift shop. It doesn't matter WHERE you start , the key is to stay focused on the task. DO NOT jump from area to area or room to room. Pick a point, any point and go left or right. When you have done a few items or as many as you care to stop and when you start again come back to the SAME SPOT and continue exactly where you left off. Don't hop skip and jump to another area or become distracted. Plan empty boxes or bags ahead of time and fill one then move to car trunk or by the door to go out. Seal it and move on. Do not reopen boxes. Let them go. Once you see a small area that you have cleared, cleaner or changed it will inspire you to continue.
Personally, I start with a closet in the room first, making two boxes, one for items friends or family members might want and one for charities. There are many charities that schedule pickup runs monthly.