Mixbook's Home Decor
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If you’ve struggled in the past to de clutter your closet, you’ll want to try these easy doable steps.
It doesn’t have to be hard. It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. And it wont take you all day.
I’ll walk you through 5 easy steps that will help you de clutter your wardrobe in as little as 15-20 minutes. Really!
Getting your home de cluttered is about consistent progress. It isn’t about perfection. Progress is not perfection.
The same thing applies to your wardrobe.
So don’t worry about completely overhauling your closet and creating the perfect capsule wardrobe right this minute. (unless you have the time, energy, and motivation to do just that).
5 steps. 15 minutes. You can do this!
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
How to de clutter your closet.
Before you get started, grab 3 large bags: One for donations and two for items you will remove from your closet for now. I like to use white trash bags that I can label with a permanent marker.
Don’t get hung up on difficult to get rid of pieces. If there are clothes that you never wear, but that you are not ready to get rid of, put them in a “maybe” bag for now. You can reconsider them down the road and de clutter your closet today.
work quickly.
1 Quickly remove everything youready to donate.
3-5 minutes
This can include: clothes that don’t fit, that you don’t like, and/or that you never wear anymore. Put these items in your donation bag.
Work quickly! This is your first pass through. Only pull out the things you definitely want to de clutter. We’ll get to the harder stuff in a few minutes.
2 Pull out clothes that don’t fit right now, even if you are not ready to part with them.
3-5 minutes
Try to keep only a small number of clothes that don’t fit, favorites only, especially if these clothes haven’t fit for a while.
Don’t get hung up here. If you are struggling to let something go, just keep it for now.
I know this isn’t advice you normally hear, but I want you to make progress quickly today.
Progress, not perfection, remember? When you look through this bag of clothes that don’t fit i n 3 or 6 months from now, you may be ready to get rid of more at this point.
Put these clothes that don’t fit, but you want to keep for now, in the second bag, label the bag.
There’s nothing more frustrating for a naturally disorganized person, then to implement a “perfect” system exactly as prescribed, only to have it fail.
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Believe me, I know.
Every time I failed at another tried and true organizing system, I had less hope of finding one that worked. I assumed I was hopeless at being organized. So what is the difference? Why do the same cute white baskets (or cute white bench) look amazing in one home and like a jumbled mess in another?
Because, people have different clutter thresholds.
Clutter thresholds are real. A clutter threshold is the point at which someone has more stuff then he/she can personally keep under control easily.
My clutter threshold is the point at which I have more stuff than I can handle. That is, than I can handle personally. If a space in my home has more stuff in it that I can handle, that space gets out of control.
The organizing system I use isn’t the determining factor in whether a space stays organized.
The factor that determines whether a space stays organized is the amount of stuff in that space combined with my own ability to handle that amount of stuff.
I’m the determining factor.
Some people can arrange huge amounts of stuff in buckets and baskets and rows. I can do that too.
But they pull out what they need with out completely undoing the system. I can’t do that.
When I’m focused on fining something (usually at or after the moment I need it), my brain doesn’t include straightening the basket as part of the task at hand. I go about doing what ever I needed the thing for, and the next day/week/month, I suddenly notice that my formerly organized space is a disaster again. Making an effort to notice what I’m doing (or not doing) and focusing on slowing down and completing tasks is helpful. I’ve improved at this over the years. But trying to do better isn’t a gaurunteed solution to the problem. Especially as someone who gets distracted easily. Life happens, I get into a project, and I lapse back into my dig out what I need right now and leave the re arranging for latter when I’m not in the middle of a project ways. You know what actually solves the problem of keeping a space organized? De cluttering the space until its under my clutter threshold. No organizing system will work in my home if I’m trying to keep more stuff then I can personally handle.
Because of how I function, I need there to be less stuff in a space so I can find and get to the one thing I need with out having to move six other things.
How do you find your clutter threshold?
De clutter. It’s the only way. If a space is consistently out of control, de clutter it. If it continues to get out of control de clutter some more.
One day you’ll realize the space that once over whelmed you has been staying under control with out angst. That’s when you know you’ve hit your personal clutter threshold. Just de clutter. Having only the amount of stuff they can personally keep under control is how organized people stay organized.
Shortly before Christmas, I sat looking into my closet. My goal was to get it organized in one day. It wasn’t a big project (my closet isn’t that big) I hadn’t bought anything for this project, as I was just going to tackle it as quickly as I could. I could think about purchasing products afterwards if I so decided.
In the middle of organizing, I realized I was out of good hangers to use. Instead of stopping, and running out to get more hangers, I just kept on going through the clothes. I found more hangers from clothes I was no longer keeping.
I have written other posts about organizing on a low income or while being on a budget. I thought this is the perfect time to talk about how you can organize with out having to buy a thing! You do not always have to purchase supplies, you can just use what you have on hand.
This site contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Clear out the closet.
Clearing out the entire closet is always the very first step I do. I do this because once you can actually see the pile of clothes you own, you are more likely to truely evaluate what you have. And I found, I have a much easier time to part with things because I see how much I actually have.
Take everything off of the shelves and make sure there is nothing left hanging in the closet. If you have room, I would even recommend taking all the other clutter out of the closet! That includes shoes, purses, belts, accessories.
Starting your organizing with a clean space can help you visualize how you want the space to look, how the space can work for you, and how you can best use the space. Because you are no longer limited to a system you currently were using.
Down the road, in the future, you may want to consider heading over to EasyClosets for easy affordable ways to help maximize your closet space.
Declutter all your clothes.
Now comes the fun part…decluttering your wardrobe! I know, you think I’m crazy for thinking this is fun. But it really can be! Let me explain…
Start by sorting your clothing into categories, such as shirts, pants, dress, jackets, ect.
Once all the clothing is categorized, then you will be holding up each individual piece of clothing. Ask yourself, do I love how I feel when I wear this? If the answer is yes, out it in the keep pile. If the answer is no, put it in the donate pile. If the answer is well… or ummm…. or I guess…. then put it in the maybe pile.
After all the clothes have been put into piles, its time to go back to the maybe pile. Start by turning on some music and trying on each piece of clothing you have in the pile.
Be totally honest with yourself when you look in the mirror. Only keep clothes that you love to wear, because why would you want to keep something that doesn’t make you feel good.
Put away clothing by type.
Get piles of unwanted clothes out of your space. Put them in your garage or your car to donate and/or sell. Only keep the clothes that make you feel great in your space before you try to put those things away. It will give you a clear visual for what actually should go there.
If your closet is on the right side of the room when you are standing in the doorway, you should hang your clothes from left to right. If your closet is on the left hand side, hang your clothes right to left. I know it sounds funny, but think of it like this: you are hanging all your clothes so they face the door. The are some exceptions to that based on the type of closet you have. And set up of your closet, but for most closets, this system seems to be the most effective.
When hanging up your clothes, start by putting away all your pants. Try to use the bottom hanging space for your pants. I recommend going from dark to light. Then move to your dress pants.
Hang your tops by color, but sort by type of top with in each color. So an example would be to grab all your white tops. Then, hang your tank tops first. Then t-shirts, followed by quarter sleeves. Long sleeves are next, followed by jackets and sweaters. Continue this until you have gone through all colors of your clothing.
Dresses should be hung in the space where you have ample space for longer hanging clothes! And keep belts and scarves on hangers, preferably near where the dresses are hanging because there will be room for the length.
Use what you have.
While I love using beautiful organizing containers and bins from Dollar Tree. Sometimes, budgets, or space don’t allow for them. If that’s the case, I’m pretty sure you might have something around your house you could use.
Shoe boxes
I really love using shoe boxes to organize almost anything. All my kids drawers have their shoe boxes holding all their clothes. I will cut the shoe box lid to use as drawer dividers. If I need to make it sturdier, I will cover it with duct tape. And I love all the colored and decorative duct tape that you can find at Dollar Tree. So you can even spice up your space with some colorful tape.
Hangers
While I love using velvet hangers, sometimes the investment isn’t feasible for your entire wardrobe. That’s perfectly fine. Just use what you have. The biggest thing about organizing your closet is to make sure that you can see all your clothes, and that you feel good about every item you own. That’s how you will be able to keep and maintain an organized closet.
Organize your closet with you spending anything!
I have some super random tips. Some you might laugh at. But once you follow them, you will no longer laugh. So give some of these tips a try. And I promise, if you laugh at them, I wont be offended. I mean, I talked about how to set up your closet based on where it was in your room. If you weren’t laughing at that, well, that is pretty silly to think about at first.
The curve of the hanger should be facing you.
All your clothing should be going the same direction.
Make sure your clothes are not inside out before you hang them up.
Hang your pants with the butt facing towards the wall.
Set up your closet so that all your clothes are facing the doorway, unless you have a walk in closet with a U shape. Then all clothing should be in the same direction all the way around.
Make sure you can reach everything you hang up in your closet.
Try to keep seasonal clothing in your closet all year long. It gives you a better visual for what you have.
Store a bag for dry cleaning in your closet or near your laundry basket. This makes it easier for you to collect your dry cleaning with out it piling up on the floor.
Color coding
*Start with lighter colors then move to darker colors
*When color coding your closet follow this color system
white
pink
red
orange
yellow
green
blue
purple
brown
gray
black
Now it’s your turn to get your closet organized with out spending anything. Take everything out of your closet and declutter all of your clothes. Put things back in your closet by category and color code your closet.. Use what you have to help organize your space, and don’t forget to follow my random tips for keeping your closet organized.
I love the idea of minimalist living. I strive towards it, in fact. (At a snails pace, yes, but still – I’m striving).
Those who are naturally minimally inclined don’t quite understand the emotional turmoil that some of us feel when we try to take on the task of de cluttering so this post is for all you emotionally attached clutter bugs out there. The ones who want to live in a clutter free space, but struggle because you feel controlled by your stuff.
I get it. I’m high anxiety, seriously over sensitive, and easily over whelmed. Or at least I can be. I work every day to bring my sane self to the surface (that’s what I like to call that little voice of reason that allows me to function – when I choose to listen to her – and I do that more and more these days).
SuperAreaRugs.com Now that I’m able to see my floor… they have the most amazing rugs, and ALL affordable!
This post contains affiliate links. I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my link.
I’ve learned 4 little tricks to make de – cluttering easier.
De – cluttering is something I have worked on alot in the past couple of years. And man do I love how it feels to live in a home with less stuff. It hasn’t been easy.
If any one can benefit from these tricks I’ve learned to make it easier – well that’d be the icing on the cake. So let me walk you through a typical (for me) decluttering session.
First I tell myself that I will do it no matter how hard it is, because I can do hard things.
Dollar Tree has so many affordable, and pretty things to help with organization. Its one of my go to places if I find I need anything.
#1 Get permission
The first drawer goes ok.
I get the unused ,broken, don’t even know what this is into a box and I feel pretty proud of myself. Then I pick up something that I know needs to go… but it can’t because… (insert ridiculous reason here).
In the past I would have become discouraged, given up and probably drank some wine. But, now I do this…
Getting rid of the thing trick #1 I call someone who I know values a tidy house and understands the burden that excess stuff can be, and I explain that I need permission to get rid of the thing.
I’m no psychologist and I can’t tell you why this works, but having someone else’s permission and support to get rid of the thing helps immensely.
Until I pick up something that some one gave me. (this totally derails my decluttering train).
I want to get rid of it (oh the guilt)
But I can deal with it because I’ve learned:
Getting rid of the thing trick #2 I imagine that I was the one who had given this thing to someone else and I know that if the thing I gave them was causing the this much stress, I would feel terrible! I would want them to get rid of the thing.
I never gave it to them to burden them. So chances are good that who ever gave me this thing wouldn’t want me burdened with it either. They would want me to get rid of it. Plus it helps to remember that I am emotionally attached to stuff, and other people are not. There is also a good chance that the gifter doesn’t even remember giving me this thing, and just sees it as a thing.
#3 Ask for help
Then, I get to the thing I can not get rid of.
There’s no way. I sort of want to, but my resolve is going and I need this thing for absolutely no reason. I can’t.
Getting rid of the thing trick #3 I get someone else to get rid of it for me. I have to say, I don’t do this very often, and I do it less as I get better at allowing my sane self to be heard.
#4 Get rid of the thing now.
I’m done for the day, so I set the box of stuff on the spare bed. I’ll donate it next time I go to town. I feel ok right now about the things I’m getting rid of and even if some of it was difficult to imagine parting with, at least I get it in the box so I can start coming to terms with the fact that its gone.
Oops…
I’ve noticed that 89% of the time I never even thing of the thing again after its out of the house.
I’ve also noticed, that if the box stays on the spare bed, the stuff will get out of the box.
Hofdeco Has beautiful pillows and other decor to help your home look pretty after you have finished your decluttering projects.
Getting rid of the thing trick #4 Get rid of the thing! Now, while you feel determined, while you have permission, while you understand why it needs to go.
Drive that box right to the thrift store, to the donation bin, to the dump if its stuff no one else will use. Do not let all your hard work go to waste.
You can do this! You can conquer the clutter your stuff does not have to control you.
Also, consider addressing the disorganization in your home – for good. Some times just deluttering isn’t enough.
Addressing the disorganization in my home took me a long way towards keeping the clutter at bay.
But I din’t know where to start, with getting organized and I actually needed someone to teach me how to do it.
Taking a good hard look at the clutter in your home can be overwhelming, and is usually the first hurdle you have to jump across before you can actually work out how to declutter and organize your home.
But, what if you knew there was an easy way to get clear of clutter and organize your home?
I have a simple decluttering hack that makes decluttering easy and fast. And all in 5 simple steps.
Why de clutter?
De cluttering is the very fist step you should take when you start to organize your home. After all, there is not much point in organizing a mess, right?
There are also other reasons why you should de clutter.
Less clutter means less stress. You may be constantly worried about the mess in your home with out even realizing it. Not to mention the stress when you are trying to find an item!
A cluttered home makes you tired. Having constant clutter around you makes it hard to focus and organize your thoughts. You may also be using up more energy then you think on worrying about your homes clutter.
You will have more space. Not only physically, but mentally too! When you stop have to worry about tripping over a mess or moving things around to create space you will be surprised by how much lighter you feel mentally as well as having more room to breathe in your home.
Cleaning is easier. How to make cleaning your home easier? Have less to tidy up! You have more space to clean which makes the chore much easier.
Your home is healthier. If you have lots of clutter, chances are you clean less. Or if you have cluttering habits like not washing up straight away, your home is breeding germs! And don’t forget the actual physical danger of a lot of clutter like tripping on clothes thrown on the floor.
You can save money… And even make it by de cluttering. When you get into the habit of having less in your home you will stop buying unnecessary items. You will also be more organized which means you stop buying replacements for items you can’t find… and in the process of decluttering you can sell all those unwanted items for cash.
You can learn self awareness. Learning to decide what is important to you is a fantastic life skill. You might start by learning with items and nic nacs, but this skill will flow into all other areas of your life too.
You might stop being late. All those minutes trying to find keys, shoes, and your phone all really add up. Watch your time management skills improve as you declutter.
You might make different decisions. How does clutter affect your decision? Well, take for example moving house. Maybe the thought of having to move everything is enough to keep you from making the change. It could be stopping you from having your home in the style you love, if it doesn’t go well with all those items you have been hoarding for 10 years!
How to organize your home.
How to get rid of clutter-Easy steps to de clutter.
So, now you know why getting rid of clutter is important. But, what are the 5 magic steps to decluttering?
A Pact
As you know a pact is a formal agreement… so make one with yourself and the clutter in your home. Use it as a tool to help you remember the easy steps to decluttering. The best part is that you can use this tool for large spaces like whole rooms and also for the tiniest areas like an office drawer.
But, what does a pact mean?
The first step to decluttering.
A Ask
Before moving or sorting anything ask yourself some questions.
How do you want to use this room?
What is the reason you want it organized?
How do you declutter your room?
You wont really declutter unless you dig deep with these questions. It’s no good answering that you want the house tidy. Being really specific will give you a solid goal and help you stay motivated.
For example, say you want to organize the piles of paperwork in your home office. Ask yourself why do I want to organize this space?
Maybe it’s because last time you needed an important document it took you half an hour of sifting through the pile, or maybe you missed paying your insurance because the bill disappeared into the pile.
Once you’ve answered the question, then move on to step 2.
Decluttering action steps.
P Pile
This decluttering step is just like it sounds. Start to pile “like” items together.
Be as specific as you can.
In the pantry, pile spices together. In your closet, pile all your shirts together. And do another pile for your socks.
With your paperwork, pile all 401k paperwork together. Pile phone bills in another ect, ect.
Declutter with purpose.
A Analyze
Now it’s time to sort through your piles. Take each pile and break it down into two piles. One “treasure ” and one “Trash”.
By only having two piles you will start to learn to make those quick and sometimes tough decisions. Don’t detour from these two piles or you will end up with a third “not sure” pile that will just end up as clutter.
This step will get easier the more you declutter. And don’t feel that just because it is in the trash pile it means it’s going to the garbage. Rather it means it will no longer be in your home.
Next…
Making money from decluttering.
C Cash
Now you are going to go through your trash pile and break this down into more manageable piles. Donate, sell, or garbage.
Once you have these piles, make sure you take action steps straight away.
Put your donate pile in the car so you can drop it off nest time you drive somewhere. Take photos of the items you are going to sell and put them up on face book or other great selling website.
The final step is where you get organized.
Last step to decluttering.
T Tidy up
Take your treasure pile and start organizing. You will find that organizing your home is so much easier now you have got down to just those items you really want or need.
Place items where they belong, put new organization systems in place and keep those like items together.
Some other home organization ideas are to make all your storage systems super simple and easy. And to organize items depending on how often you use them. Be sure to have items you use more frequently with in reach.
So now you know the simple steps to have A Pact with your clutter.
A great place to shop for organizational items is the Dollar Tree. They have it all from labels to bins. You may also want to look into Easy closet.com click here to go to their website!
Have you ever been so over whelmed by clutter and mess, that you just didn’t know where to start? Well just following this one strategy will help you create a home you love.
This site contains affiliate links. I can make money if you click on one of my links and make a purchase.
Some people enjoy cleaning, but the vast majority of us hate to clean. Its a never ending chore. Its hard to get motivated to clean when you are over whelmed by the mess.
Many people struggle with keeping their homes tidy. Don’t let pintrest perfect homes fool you. Everyone‘s house gets messy from time to time.
How to get motivated to clean when your over whelmed by the mess.
We have a large family so laundry and dirty dishes is a constant in my home. The daily chores weren’t really the problem. The problem was the mounds of clutter in all the rooms.
Clutter had taken over my home. I was so over whelmed by the mess! My home was such a source of stress and cringed when people stopped by unexpected.
Honestly, I didn’t know where to begin, but I knew I was wasting so much time constantly cleaning my home. For it to never truely look tidy.
Then I realized that what I spent most of my time doing was constantly moving the clutter around.
Over whelmed by clutter
For years, I cleaned my home daily for it to never look truely tidy. My daily chores went a little like this: I picked up, swept the floors, picked up, did the dishes, picked up, did laundry, picked up, wiped the counters,…and no matter what I did my house always looked like a tornado had swept through it.
Then one day it hit me, I wasn’t a homemaking failure, we just had way too much clutter. Picked up and moved stuff from room to room daily. Honestly, I spent hours every single day just moving the clutter around in my home. That wasn’t cleaning it, that was just delaying what needed to be done.
How do I start clearing the clutter?
Realizing that clutter was the main culprit to why my house wasn’t tidy was such a huge turn around for me. I was over whelmed with my messy house! I knew that if I wanted a clean home, I had to get rid of all the stuff that was cluttering it up.
Are you guilty of keeping “someday” things? I am! We had a whole room of things that we thought we might need someday: old clothes, way too many blankets, parts to appliances, books, unwanted toys, cds, dvds, (even though we didn’t own players any more) And that’s just some of the someday stuff!
Motivation to clear the clutter
Then I let go of the shame, took a big breath, and decided then and there it was time. If I wanted my home not to be a source of stress, then I had to get rid of the clutter! I had to change my clutter keeper mind set.
That day was a true epiphany for me. We had held on to so many things and it was time to let them go. Yes, it cost us money, but having a tranquil home was worth so much more to me. Having a home to relax in and not feel like I needed to constantly be cleaning was such a inspiration to stay motivated to clear the clutter.
The one strategy that made the whole difference for me was changing my mind set. Being able to let things go. I didn’t realize that filling up a trash bag with all that stuff would feel so good.
That was all the motivation I needed, but I understand that sometimes you need a little more guidance. I do know many people have read Marie kondos book “The life changing magic of tidying up.” And it really inspired them to declutter their whole house. I didn’t read it before I started my extreme decluttering journey, but I have read it since then and I agree that it’s one of the top motivational books to get your house in order.
Extreme de cluttering.
My home didn’t become clutter free overnight, but, it did happen very soon. The trick was to include everyone, including the children. They were given a box and a trash bag. The box was for stuff that was good enough to donate and the bag of course was for trash. They had to fill each up. While they worked on their rooms, I tackled one room at a time. At first, it took some time, but I got good at decluttering fast.
The fastest way to clean up clutter.
1. Do a house walk and access the clutter. Visualize a clutter free home and the tranquility that it will bring you.
2. Get into the decluttering mind set.
3. Put on some good jams.
4. Have everyone in your home pitch in. Give them a box and a bag. The box is for donate, the bag is for trash.
5. Minimize your belongings. You don’t need 20 plastic lids or 20 old t-shirts.
6. Get RID of it. Whether you are donating it or just throwing it away, get it out of your house. You really wont need it “some day” Trust me!
Clutter free life hacks
Basket organization system. Implement baskets in every room to catch the clutter before it starts. Have a small basket on your kitchen counter and larger baskets in the family and living rooms.
Use cleaver storage hacks. To keep things tidy, everything needs to have a place. Use clever clutter free storage ideas to keep everything put away. Utilize those unused storage spaces like behind the door and under the bed.
Have a cleaning routine. Once I got rid of all the clutter in my home, I set up a cleaning schedule. By actually have a schedule to follow, I actually have more time because I’m no longer cleaning my home all day long and getting nothing done. The biggest bonus is that my home is always guest ready.
Remember not to be so hard on your self, it took years to accumulate all that stuff. So it can take time to get rid of it. It is especially hard to let go of sentimental items, but sometimes we must realize that the memory will stay with us forever in our heart.
Don’t do it all on your own. Get your family and maybe even your friends involved. De cluttering your home will lift a huge weight off of your shoulders. I promise!
If there’s something I’ve enjoyed doing a lot lately, it is organizing. It seems as though this is my year to get down with my bad self in the organizing department. The kids may think I’m crazy, but, it really is a good thing to get organized! One area that I got tired of looking at in my house is my desk. It’s so full of clutter. So, you can guess that this week, this is what I tackled.
Note: I’ve linked some helpful resources. These links are affiliate links and I can make money if you make a purchase after clicking on one of my links.
Are you like me and need help organizing your desk? Do you work at home? Or maybe your a student and use your desk for studying. What ever your routine, an organized desk will help you stay focused on your to-do list. Stop letting yourself get distracted by the mess! Here’s where you can get started.
How to organize a desk
Ditch the paper stacks. On my desk, you will find tons of paper stacks. Sometimes they aren’t even stacks- they’re just lots and lots of papers that never get thrown away. Between the kids, mail, and my paper work you really never know what you’ll find. For this reason alone, I’ve been trying to make everything as paperless as I can. Makes more sense and its less work for me in the long run.
Invest in a few desk top organizers. One of my favorite things about an organized desk is having room for real desk top organizers. They can be found super cheap. Dollar Tree has an amazing selection, especially right now, with all the back to school items. And… you can even find drawer organizers there as well.
Make your desk functional.Sometimes I put way too much stuff on my desk and it really makes no sense at all. This week I focused on making my desk more functional. I removed anything that I was no longer using and put things away that don’t go on top of my desk. You would be surprised at the amount of stuff I found that didn’t even belong there.
Ditch the junk drawer. I probably have a junk drawer in every room of my home. I ditched my desk junk drawer this week. There were so many random items in there. It’s a really good feeling to get rid of things we don’t use and obviously don’t need. Plus the sooner I get rid of those items, the less likely they will end up back on my desk.
Easy closets.com has amazing ways to help keep your organized! I love the clean look. And its all made the way you want it!
A place for everything. One of my biggest challenges has always been not knowing where to put all of my “things” I collected through the course of a day-week-month. When I don’t know where to put something, it usually ends up in a drawer where it’s forgotten. My greatest long term organizing successes come when I create a place to put each item Note: That “place” is more then often NOT in or on my desk.
While organizing my home hasn’t been the easiest task, I realized that I just need to take it one step at a time… And this week it was to organize the desk. Gone are the days where I let “things” and “stuff” overwhelm me. Are you ready to jump on the organizing train?
This site does contain affiliate links. I may make money when you click on one of my links and make a purchase.
How to De clutter on a low income when you don’t want to get rid of your things.
Have you ever wondered how your supposed to de clutter when you can’t go out and buy new stuff? Why would you get rid of something that is perfectly usable just because it doesn’t bring you joy, when you can’t afford to buy things that do bring you joy?
If your curious: The life changing magic of Tidying up: The Japanese art of de cluttering and Organizing. Is the most popular book to read right now. Its listed on Amazon for about $10.00
Almost every de cluttering post, article and book you’ll read will tell you how to de clutter your things in a way that sounds so simple it’d be crazy not to do it. But… They all have one thing in common. –
Most de cluttering posts, books and articles are all written from a place of excess stuff.
The reason why its so easy for these people to get rid of their stuff is because they have more than what they need, and they have the funds to go out and buy what ever they may need if they don’t already have it.
But no one is writing about how to declutter when your starting from a place with less stuff. No one is talking about how to declutter on a low income when you don’t even have the money to go out and buy the things you need, never mind things you want.
De cluttering on a low income means leaning how to make do what you have when you don’t have the money to buy what you need.
Here’s the deal:
De cluttering on a low income is possible, and in this post we’re going to go over the exact steps you can take to learn how to declutter on a low income- because it is different.
Why de cluttering on a low income is different.
De cluttering on a low income is different then de cluttering when you have money to buy things you need because when you have a low income you naturally want to hold on to everything and anything you can get your hands on, just in case you’ll need it one day.
It’s a lot easier for someone to get rid of things when they know they have the money to go out and buy it back if they were to ever need it again in the future than it is for someone who doesn’t even have the money to pay all their bills for the month.
But, just because its harder, doesn’t mean it impossible.
Now!
Living on a low income often means that you are doing your best to live life as frugally as possible, and sometimes de cluttering can feel like the very opposite of frugal living.
And sometimes it is.
If you declutter everything in your house- every duplicate, every single item that doesn’t bring you joy- your likely to wind up needing it someday but not having the money to buy it again.
But if you declutter a bit differently (which we’re going to talk about below) you can de clutter and live frugally.
How I declutter on a low income.
A couple years back when I finally decided it was time to do something about all the clutter in our house my boyfriend and I were living on one low income and I really struggled to get ride of anything at all.
I felt like everything we had in our house was an asset.
Even the 3 coffee makers… they were all assets. I kept them around just in case one broke. And in case the next one broke.
There was a part of me that knew we needed to get rid of the clutter in our house. -Even though I didn’t see it as clutter. But, I struggled so much with the idea of getting rid of stuff just in case we ended up needing it one day – because we certainly couldn’t afford to just go out and buy it again.
We had two options.
Either we could continue to keep everything we had in our house because we couldn’t afford to go buy new stuff.
Or, we could get rid of the clutter we weren’t holding onto and learn to make do without this stuff and, in return, live happier and less stressed by emptying our house of all the unnecessary stuff.
It was a long process, but eventually we started to learn how to get rid of the clutter in our house, and we started learning how to stop the clutter before it even had a chance to endter the house.
Living a clutter free life on a low income is possible.
Here’s the thing.
De cluttering on a low income teaches you how to make do with what you have until you can afford to buy what you need.
And most of the time, when you finally have enough money to afford the things you need, at that point you realize that the things you thought you needed weren’t really necessities at all, and you can continue to live with out them.
7 ways to de clutter on a low income.
1 Separate the necessities from the luxuries.
I realize that when your living on a low income everything you own can start to feel like a necessity.
When you don’t have enough money to even pay the bill every month, it can feel like you need everything you own – and you’d be foolish to get rid of any of it.
When I decided to start decluttering I walked through out house with a couple of bags in hand. Then I went though it again and again.
I had my decluttering tools, but I was getting nothing done.
I had heard that you should walk through your house with a couple of bags or baskets and go though each item and put them into the appropriate bins (donate, keep, sell)
I went though each room, but everything we owned felt like a necessity.
I couldn’t bring myself to get rid of any of it.
I was scared that as soon as I got rid of it we would end up needing it the very next day.
The first step to getting started de cluttering on a low income is to separate the things you need from the things you want.
Really think about each item you own. Do you truely use it on a regular basis? Or do you keep it around for convenience? Does it make your life easier? Or is it just taking up space? After you do this, then move to step 2.
2 Stop comparing yourself.
I once heard a spectacular quote, and it has been one of the biggest things that has helped me not only declutter, but also live contently on a low income.
Comparison is the thief of joy
It’s true. When you compare yourself, your life or your home to someone else’s, you’ll always wind up feeling unsatisfied.
Every single person has something different going on in their life then the next person, and comparing yourself to someone else is never a good idea- you will end up feeling like a failure.
Instead, focus on where you are at right now.
Quit comparing and start doing!
Stop wasting your time comaping your house with someone else’s, and start doing something about your situation, Keep yourself moving forward.
3 Keep some duplicates.
I’m sure you’ve heard many people tell you, “get rid of all the duplicates” But when your on a low income, keeping some duplicates is a good idea.
For example, your probably don’t need 30 hand towels, but you might need a few extra mugs. Keep duplicates that make sense, and only in moderation.
If you have good thrift stores with affordable stuff around where you live you could get rid of most of your duplicates knowing you can replace them for very cheap if they do break. This way you don’t have to worry about where to store them.
4 Learn how to make do with what you have.
The thought of getting rid of things is terrifying when you know you don’t have the money to go buy new things. But it doesn’t have to be such a terrifying thought.
You can learn to make do,
For example, your kettle breaks, you don’t have to buy a new one. You can start boiling water on the stove in a pot.
Most things in life are luxuries that can be necessities.
5 Take your time.
Its ok if it takes you 2 weeks to complete. De cluttering isn’t a race. It’s something that you can- and should- take your time with.
They don’t know what you have.
You know you’r house. And de cluttering you might discover you have alot more then you realized you had! Instead of focusing on getting it done fast, focus on getting it done right.
Work as hard as you can until its finished. And if you go past the date you set, keep working and don’t stop until you are completely done.
6 Use the hanger method to declutter clothes.
I used to hate parting with my clothes until I realized I was barely wearing a quarter of them.
Hang all your clothes on hangers, then turn them backwards in your closet. Each time you wear a certain article of clothes turn the hanger around. After a year, any hanger still backwards can go.
7 Organizing everything that’s left.
The fact of the matter is, no matter how much stuff you got rid of, your going to need to keep some behind. And your going to need to organize all that your keep.
Many people want their homes to look pintrest worthy or just like that magazine, but when you do that, it will be expensive.
You can do this!
It can be stressful, but remember all the benefits and the amazing feel of satisfaction.
I’m going to be honest with your, my bathroom closet has always been a mess. Its a very small bathroom, and a closet that has shelves so deep it’s hard to reach anything.
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Not only is it a “catch all” location for medicine, linens, toiletries, ect. I have no doors on mine. So that means its always visible. But if you have doors, you may feel it is out of sight, and no need to organize.
But, I recently decided I needed a change, and began to organize, and well, it was over due.
In todays post I want to share with you the simple process I went through for our bathroom closet organization and at the same time, give you some easy bathroom storage ideas to implement in your own home.
I hope this basic tutorial gives you some small bathroom closet organizational ideas that are easy to implement.
How to organize a bathroom closet.
In six simple steps!
Before we jump into it, lets take a look at how our closet looked before the process… (see above.)
Like I said, a dumping ground for what ever needed storing.
Ready to make it look amazing? I’ll show you!
Step 1 : Empty it out.
The first step to organizing anything is to empty the space you’re trying to organize.
This means you need to start by removing all the items from your closet. And yes, I mean everything!
Step 2: Clean
Next, wipe out your empty closet really well. I typically use basic cleaning wipes or all purpose cleaner with a rag.
Now you’ve got a blank canvas for organizing. One thing I like to do at this point is to measure the dimensions of your closet or cupboard. You’ll eventually be shopping for bins or baskets to fit in here, so it’s easiest to measure when it’s clean and empty. My favorite place to shop for this type of thing is Dollar Tree.
Step 3: Purge.
After you’ve prepped your closet, it’s time to go through your items and get rid of the stuff you don’t need.
I chose to dispose of anything we had too many of. (thing hotel shampoo and conditioner, floss, ect.) and items that were expired.
The other part of this step is moving items that don’t belong in this particular closet or cupboard to their appropriate homes.
We had quite a few items that had ended up in the back of our closet shelves but belonged in other rooms. So I put those away in their correct spot rather than back into this closet.
Step 4: Group like items.
After you’ve put items away that don’t belong in this bathroom closet or disposed of items you don’t need, its time to group like items.
Start by thinking through the categories of items you have in your closet. For us, we ended up grouping them in the following categories:
Now that you’ve identified what groups of items your going to be storing in this closet, take time to restock the items your low on.
I always like to have all my first aid stocked in case of an accident and all of the large and small toiletries stocked in case guests need them.
One item I always make sure to have extra of is body wash. You can stock up in an inexpensive way by visiting Dollar Tree They have name brands for cheap! Dollar Tree is the best place to restock just about anything you need!
Step 6: Plan and assemble
Now that you have groups established and stocked, you can put into place a bathroom closet organization system.
Do this by evaluating how much stuff is in each group and getting baskets or bins that maximize the space in your closet as well as the space needed to store your like items. We actually drew out our full cabinet with dimensions and then drew in what we wanted where and what size of basket or bin we needed for each spot.
For example, I knew we wanted to store just toilet paper on the bottom shelf of our cabinet. So I took the dimensions of our shelf to the store with me and purchased a basket that filled as much of that shelf as possible.
There is a wide variety of color, size and shape baskets at Dollar Tree Don’t forget you can also order on line.
Using baskets or bins is a great way to take advantage of deep shelves. Try getting a large basket that’s full depth and then placing smaller bins inside to keep your like items separate.
If your storing towels in your closet, be sure to fold them efficiently so you can use the other half of shelf for a bin or basket or back stock items.
And that’s it! With just a few simple steps, you can have a bathroom closet that is pretty, stores just about anything and makes finding things super easy.
Now, lets review some of the key take away’s from this tutorial:
How do you organize a deep bathroom closet?
Use deep baskets with smaller bins inside!
A basket is perfect for maximizing the entire depth because it can easily be pulled out to access items stored all the ways in the back. Small bins inside can be helpful for keeping groups of like items separated.
How do you organize bathroom toiletries?
For ours, we chose to put larger toiletries (like tissue, cotton swabs and body soap) on the shelf and then store smaller toiletries (like tooth paste and cotton balls) in a basket.
The key to organizing bathroom toiletries is to downsize. Don’t keep too many things. Only stock up on things you’ll need and use, and even then, only keep a few back stock items.
How do I organize my bathroom linen closet?
Empty out the closet
clean the closet thoroughly
purge all your unneeded items
group like items
stock up on things you need
use a diagram of your space and groups of items to maximize the storage using baskets and bins.
I hope these 6 simple steps for how to organize a bathroom closet help you take your bathroom linen closet organization to the next level.
keeping ahome comfortable and organized is really, really difficult. Not only do you have to figure out how you want to decorate but you also have to learn how to do so in a way that is comfortable and functional. The way you organize your things makes a big difference – this includes lighting, furniture arrangements, mirrors, carpets, and more.
Of course, part of keeping a home comfortable involves keeping it organized. That can be just as overwhelming! Its amazing how fast you can accumulate clutter. If your a Marie Kondo fan, you probably know that one of the best ways to keep things clean is, well – to have fewer things! But that’s not always possible for everyone. So how do you make the best of the situation that you have?
There are actually a lot of things you can do! Some are design tips. Some are organizational methods, and some are just good old fashioned cleaning techniques. With a little bit of creativity and some elbow grease, you’ll have your home tidy and comfortable in no time. These tips will help you do more than just make your home clean. They’ll help you keep it that way.
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1 Piling things on surfaces.- There’s a big difference between staying organized and just keeping things off the floor. When your piling stuff onto every surface, your home will start to feel crowded – fast. So, what ever your do, don’t throw junk on top of every clean counter top and table.
2 Not having enough on counters.- Believe it or not, it’s actually possible to go the other extreme too. Having too little on your counters also feels awkward and odd. The happy medium is to find the proper place for appliances on your counter tops, such as toasters and coffee makers.
3 Having clutter on the front of your fridge.- One of the main focal points of your kitchen is your fridge, so it’s noticeable when covered with clutter! Its easy to let junk accumulate on the front of your fridge. Make sure you regularly clear away old Christmas cards, invitations, and notes.
4 Neglecting your shelving.- The way you organize your shelving can make a huge difference in how your kitchen looks and feels. If your shelves are organized and you use them to keep your appliances neat and tidy, you’ll notice a big difference in the functionality and comfort of the space.
5 Over stuffing your cabinets.- Even worse than disorganized cabinets are cluttered cabinets. Not only do they look bad but it also becomes impossible to find the things you need. Take time to organize things in their proper place.
6Letting your entry way become cluttered.- The first thing that people see when they walk through the door is, well, the floor. It’s easy to let your entry way get cluttered with shoes, jackets, and bags. Make it a priority to keep the entry way organized. Provide a place to put things as you come inside.
7 Letting your closets get messy.- Shove everything into the closet and your done with cleaning right? Not exactly. Having a messy closet actually makes everything worse. Whats more, it makes it difficult to find things when your need them. Try Get 5% Off Your Order at EasyClosets with Code: CLOSETS165 for help.
8 Not labeling your storage.-It’s a pain to try to find things lost in storage. To keep things organized and easy to locate, get out a marker and neatly label everything. That way you can find items again. Even if its years down the line. Check Dollar Tree for sticker labels also.
9 Over decorating.- One easy way to make things in your house look cluttered is crowding ways. Its easy to over-decorate with family photos, knick knacks, and collectables, but keep it simple. Minimalism can be much more pleasing to the eye. I tend to go overboard with throw pillows and blankets. Hofdeco has some beautiful pillows to choose from!
10 Having too many toys.- Every parent knows that it’s easy for toys to get out of hand. Birthdays, Christmas, and grandparents all mean an overflowing toys box. But your home will be much more comfortable with fewer play things. By the way, studies show children play better and focus more when they have fewer toys.You may want to refer to my post https://uncommomspaces.com/10-tips-for-controlling-clutter-in-kids-bedrooms/
11 Having a tangle of cords on the floor.- Having cords around the house in a simple part of life in 2019. With phones, laptops, tvs, and other technology, its hard to avoid having them in a pile on the floor. But this isn’t just a tripping hazard, it looks terrible.
12 Letting collections get out of hand.- Its all well and good to have a collection of postcards, vases, or figurines, but too many can quickly lead to clutter. Try to curb your collections by only putting a few of your favorite on display. My weakness has always been candles. Like these from Premium soy candles with hidden jewels valued $20-$7500 at JewelScent
13 Having too many books on display.- Every person who’s an avid reader probably has too many books on their shelves. Unfortunately, it can make your living space feel extremely cluttered. Try not to over stuff your book shelves.
14 Letting laundry sit around.- They say that laundry is the one chore that never ends, and they’re right. It can be really hard to keep up with, but try to stay on top of your laundry. Having piles of clean or dirty clothes can take up alot of space.click hereto go to Easy closets.com. They have tons of storage solutions.
15 Using too much furniture.- Finding furniture that you love is great. But placing too many pieces in a room quickly turns it from comfortable to claustrophobic. Make sure to leave open spaces that you can enjoy.
16 Hoarding too much stuff.- Everyone know some one who verges on the brink of being a hoarder. Marie Kondo had one thing right: If you don’t use or like something, get rid of it. Someone else will enjoy it, and you’ll be able to breathe again.
17 Putting things in the wrong place.- Having too much stuff can make a room feel crowed, but so can putting things in the wrong place. Play with open spaces around the room and make sure you have enough of them to feel comfortable.
18 Holding on to things you’ll never use.- This goes hand in hand with hoarding. That tennis racket you think you might pick up one day? Let it go! It’s better to buy another one then to have an unusedracket gathering dust and taking up space in your storage room.
19 Over crowding coat racks.- Coat racks are usually right at the entryway of homes. That means they’re one of the first things that people see when entering. When they get overfilled, it’s a quick way to make a room look cluttered. Keep your coat racks as clear as possible.
20 Not having a place for shoes.- Kids and adults alike are guilty of walking into a house and kicking their shoes off at the door. This makes a mess that can cause tripping hazard’s. It also makes getting out the door difficult. Putting in a shoe rack is a great way to avoid these problems.
21 Having too much open shelving.- Open shelving is a popular style these days but it actually can look more cluttered. Even worse, it means appliances gather dust faster and more conspicuously.
22 Having a too large table.- Trying to cram an overly large table onto a corner means losing lots of valuable space. Not only that, but tables are magnets for clutter. So, keeping your table small will only help you.
23 Choosing carpet over hard flooring. While our parents and grandparents loved their carpeting, it’s actually not a great choice for homes. For one thing, it makes rooms feel more confined. It also makes rooms more difficult to clean. Having hard floors gives you the opportunity to break up space with eye catching rugs.
24 Matching your decor too closely.- You might think that matching decor is a good idea but there’s a line. Not having enough variety in your decoration means not having a focal point in a room, which can make it feel cramped and uncomfortable.
25 Keeping your room too dark.- Sometimes, all you need to make a room feel better is a little bit of light. If your home is too dark, consider installing more light fixtures. Or using brighter light bulbs. It can make a huge difference in how a room looks and feels.
26 Pushing furniture against the wall.- Do you think pushing the furniture against the wall will open up a room? Well, it will technically. But that doesn’t mean it will feel more comfortable. Spacing your furniture in a way that alternates open and closed spaces will help a room look less cluttered.
27 Nat having a focal point.- A room needs a good focal point to center it and make it feel great. That might be a table, a television, a window, or a great picture on the wall. Centering attention to one place will create a feeling or organization.
28 Not having a color scheme.- There’s a bit of technique that goes into making a room comfortable and attractive. You’ll need to decide on a color scheme before diving in for some variation, this should be several colors, not just one.
29 Not dividing spaces.- Arranging furniture is a game of dividing spaces. Don’t just push everything up against the wall. Instead, play with negative space to see what feels the best to you.
