8 Ways To De-Clutter Your Home

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I found a sword in my basement.

An honest-to-goodness SWORD.

Why, you may ask? Because my husband is a huge nerd and owns not one, but THREE swords.

Let’s take it from the top.

A few months ago, we cleaned out our basement. It was quarantine and that’s what you did. You cleaned out a bunch of crap you don’t need anymore because, well, there wasn’t much else to do.

ANYWAY.

Elliot and I still have “his” and “mine” boxes down there from when we moved in together. We have childhood memories, yearbooks, collectibles, and the usual stuff that you keep for sentimental purposes. I gave away all my books from high school, because let’s be honest, I’m not going to read The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants a third time. Read it, loved it, don’t need it anymore. I consolidated all my collectibles and mementos into two large boxes, and that was that.

Elliot on the other hand, had 5 bins, and not a single one was organized into categories/types/anything. Let me tell you, I had no idea how many tubes of toothpaste my husband owns. And I definitely was not expecting two or three to show up in every single bin. For the love of all that is good, KEEP THEM TOGETHER.

In the corner, behind a large stack of said bins, was a nice little stash of lacrosse sticks and the like. I went to move them, and there they were, masquerading as sports equipment.

Naturally, since I’m such a kind, understanding and patient wife, I asked him precisely why they were hidden in my basement, and also why he requires such weapons.

“I don’t know, swords are cool!”

That answer didn’t exactly sit well with me. Couldn’t tell you why.

But what I can tell you is the conversation progressed with my thoughtful suggestion that “he should probably go through his crap and throw some stuff away”. To which, he instantly responded with..

“HEY! MY STUFF’S NOT CRAP. IT’S GOOD STUFF”.

…

For those of you wondering, yes, we still have the swords.

But there are a lot of things that we clearly don’t need to keep around our house, so I have started to de-clutter this month, and hope to have a lot of things cleaned out so there is room for fall decorations.

Yes, it’s all about the decor. I like my house to feel like a cozy little pumpkin spice haven, and by George, I am going to make it happen.

Here are my top 10 ways to De-Clutter Your Home.

Put unecessary items away.

I used to have a ladder shelf full of books and movies, but with Disney+ and Netflix, we rarely watch DVD’s. I made a rule that if I don’t touch it more than once every two weeks, it doesn’t need to be out for easy access. I removed all my movies from my shelf and tucked them safely away in a bin under the dresser in my downstairs guest room. It’s ten steps away from the living room, and I’ve freed up two whole shelves for decorating.

Baskets.
I’m obsessed with baskets. They are so cute and look so nice, and they hide your ugly stuff. These baskets are my favorite! They’re cute, soft, and have a lovely liner in them, plus they come in different sizes! We have a basket full of dog toys, which are not aesthetically pleasing in the slightest, and it sits nicely on our bottom shelf for easy access. Plus, the basket is still cute. It’s even cuter when Mollie picks out her own toys from her basket.

If it still has life, give it away.

I always struggle with throwing things out that still have life in them. Even though I won’t use or wear it anymore, I don’t want to waste it. Giving things to people who want or need them isn’t a waste!! Plus you’re helping someone else. Which brings me to my next point.

Buy Nothing.

I’m a member of my local Buy Nothing group, which is a free Facebook group of your neighbors, and you just post stuff you’re getting rid of. That’s it. Usually someone will ask for your stuff within a couple hours and then THEY PICK IT UP. No driving it to Salvation Army, no packing it up and donating it, and no yard sales. Sometimes people post stuff you want and you get it for FREE. It’s my fave and if that doesn’t inspire you to give away some old stuff, then you’re wrong.

Before you buy it, check and see if you already have it.

You see something online and think “That is SO cute I must have it!”. Pump your brakes for a sec. There are a lot of decorative items or accessories that I think I need, but then I look and I already have something just like it. I just spruce up the one I have and avoid bringing more clutter into my house. OR, you can check Buy Nothing and see if you can get it for free!

Less is more.

I tend to be a little more minimalistic in my decorating style, but I’ve found that less really is more. I like surfaces clean and clear. More room, more space, more freedom, and less cleaning, less nooks and crannies, and less stuff. When looking around your home, try to think twice about if you really need ALL of the things.

Make seasonal changes.

When I was a kid, we would always rotate out our winter/summer clothes every spring and fall. I don’t know why I ever stopped, but this year, we got these amazing Space Saver bags and they are the cats pajamas, let me tell you. Sweats take up a LOT of room in your dressers and closets, so we packed it all up in these jumbo vacuum bags and voila! They can be easily tucked away in your basement or attic until you need them again in the fall. That way you’re not shuffling through heavy clothes all summer long when they’re not needed for several months.

Will I come up with more ideas the more I clean up this house? Absolutely! But this is what I’ve got so far. If you have any tips of your own, please drop them in the comments below! I’d love to hear them!

“Wash and make yourselves clean. Take your evil deeds out of my sight; stop doing wrong.” Isaiah 1:16

“For if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how will he care for God's church?” 1 Timothy 3:5