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I know I’ve only lived in this house for a few months now, but I’m starting to get the itch to clean out everything that we moved in.

I wanted to throw out a bunch of things before we moved, but with a 30-day close, there just wasn’t time. Now, I’m finding things I don’t need, and they’re everywhere.

And since fall is rapidly approaching (yayyyyy!!!), I know I’m going to need to make plenty of space for all of my pumpkins and things that make my heart sing. So, I’ve made my August goal to clear out all of the stuff that I really don’t need and is just taking up space. Here are a few ways I’m de-cluttering my home.

cleaning out my closet.

I don’t think there’s ever a better way to get rid of old clothes than to have a baby. After 9 months of having a larger-than-normal body, then spending a few months recovering and losing the weight, and then being attached to a grabby baby most of the time makes it clear what clothes I will and will not wear again. A friend of mine once told me to put all of my hangers backwards (hook open toward you), and after a year, whatever was still backward, toss, because you haven’t touched it in a year. It’s especially helpful to throw out old items as soon as they’re replaced. For me, it’s cardigans. I like to have one in each neutral color and when it gets old, pilled, or worn-out, I replace it and toss the old one right away.

evening cleanup.

Every night, one of us will clear off the counters, wipe them down, and put away any items that didn’t get put away yet. This not only sets us up for a successful morning with a clean kitchen, but also prevents any random junk from laying around for more than a day.

don’t bring junk mail inside.

I don’t even remember where I read this rule but I love it. Since I work from home, I like to take a break during the day and go out to get my mail. On the way back, I sort through and throw junk mail in our big trash can before I even come inside. This way, only important mail comes in the house and I can drop it right on my or Elliot’s desk where it can be addressed.

make the tough decisions.

One hard truth that I’ve had to come to terms with is that my new house is drastically different than my old house - size, layout, pretty much everything. Things are not going to work the same way they did in my old house. Furniture doesn’t fit the same way, and decor is completely different. Although I love my coffee table set, it just doesn’t work in my living room. I will be downsizing my furniture so that my living room is cozier, simpler, and has more space for my family. Same goes for decor - in the next few weeks, I’ll be pulling out my bins of fall decor, and I’ll have to decide which things will work in this house, and which ones won’t, even if I really like them.

throw out a few things every day.

Instead of dedicating a lot of time to cleaning out items, spend just a few minutes selecting a few items to get rid of each day. Over the last few days, I’ve pulled out 4-5 items each evening and posted them on my local Buy Nothing group. Most of them came from my closet, but hey, progress is progress.

buy nothing.

I know I’ve talked about it til I’m blue in the face, but I really do swear by Buy Nothing. It’s a local Facebook group (most towns have one), and you just post things you’re getting rid of and people will come pick it up from your step. I’ve gotten so many great things from Buy Nothing - most recently, half a big box of Pampers diapers! Find your local group here.

two for one.

This one I recently read in a book about making your home cozy. It’s very simple. Any time you bring a new item into your home, get rid of two. This not only helps with reducing clutter, but makes you think twice about the new purchase.

Do you really need it? Do you even want it if you have to give up two other things? Where will it live? What items will you give up to get this one?

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17