De-Cluttering: How to Get Rid of Things You Don’t Need

We’ve all got it; the hidden closet or cupboard filled with trinkets and chachkies we’ve accumulated over the years but just can’t seem to get rid of. Well, it’s time. Today, eco18 is going to be taking you through our favorite methods of ridding your home of any aimless and unnecessary items that may be cluttering up your house and your mind.

So whip out the gloves and HAZMAT suit and get ready to get cleaning.

1. Prevent Your Closet from Going Retro: One of the biggest challenges I face when it comes to decluttering, is my own mind trying to convince me “Oh, I don’t wear this often but I’ll definitely start!” Fast-forward 3 years later to me being in the same exact position, questioning whether or not I should keep an article of clothing that I’ve never touched. Well, I’ve got a few tips and tricks that have really helped me out in this situation. My first tip involves strategic laundry. Yes, laundry can be strategic- seriously! What I do when putting away my clean clothes, is put the hangers backwards in my closet. Then, whenever I wear something and put it back in my closet, I hang it the right way around to signify that it’s been worn. At the end of the month (or however much time you want to give yourself) just look at your closet and see which pieces are still hanging backwards. That way, you can confidently know which items aren’t getting as much love as they should be, and can be cleaned out.

2. Recognize What Isn’t Being Used: My next lifestyle tip for a tidy home is to keep a “Maybe Box.” At the beginning of each month, gather any and all items of clutter around your house that you aren’t sure you want to keep. Put them in a box, stick it away in a non-visible location, and get your mind off of it. Then, if you find yourself looking for or needing something you had put in the box, you’ll know that it’s something to keep. Meanwhile, when you reopen the box at the beginning of the next month and see items that you haven’t needed or wanted over the past four weeks, you’ll know it’s OK to give away.

3. Never Go Empty Handed: Yes, yes, I know this sounds counterintuitive. I mean, we’re supposed to be ridding our hands of excess stuff right? Yes, but in some cases that “excess stuff” isn’t even excess—it’s just in the wrong location, causing your home to look unkempt and untidy. So, my last tip is to never go empty handed. I mean this in the sense that, when moving from one room to another (from the living room to the kitchen for instance), take a quick scan to see if there’s anything misplaced that you can drop off on your way to your next location. So if you’re lazing around on the couch and are in need of a quick snack from the kitchen, before getting up and getting out, quickly glance around the room to see if there are any dishes or garbage that can be taken and put away on the way! And vice-versa- never leave a room empty handed. And if you do, then make sure that means that your job is done and your house is mess free!