This was originally posted February 23, 2010. With the upcoming 31 Days to Clean: Spring Cleaning Challenge, it seemed timely to share it again! Whether or not you've decided whether to accept the spring cleaning challenge, read through this post to understand the process of decluttering, which is a huge part of an organizational project.
I've watched a fair share of organizational shows in my day. It always fascinates me how a team of experts can help a complete stranger transform a room from a dumping ground to a beautiful, functional space all within a 30 minute time slot.
The organization shows that I've seen all have a series of easy steps that they use to declutter a space and purge bags and boxes full of STUFF. I'm not claiming to have created this process, but I think it's important to know how to get started decluttering your home without feeling overwhelmed.
Step 1: Set a Date
Before you even get started, clear your calendar for a couple of hours (realize that it could take all afternoon, depending on how bad it is!) and solicit help from your family. Your spouse can either roll up his sleeves to dig in with you or keep the younger kids occupied so you can focus without distraction. If you have older kids, put them to work. The more people who participate, the more committed everyone will be to keeping the space neat and clean.
If no one else is on board with you, it is
absolutely possible to do this alone. When I did my spring cleaning last May, I worked as quickly as possible during the kids' naptime and completed one room per day over a 10 day period, working through my whole house. Now turn on some music and get to work!
Step 2: Empty the Space
Although it might seem counterproductive, emptying the space you're going to declutter helps give you a clean slate. Empty the contents of the cabinet, closet or room and start from scratch. If the space you're decluttering is packed and you're worried that you might get overwhelmed and quit halfway through, start with one specific section and work your way around the room. For example, if you're working with your bedroom closet, focus on the top shelves or one hanging section. If it's your garage, section off an area to begin. Regardless of where you're decluttering, don't let the task overwhelm you.
Step 3: Clean the Empty Area
Sweep, remove dust bunnies and wipe everything down. Whether it's your fridge or your child's toy closet, truly
clean the space. Don't obsess about making it perfect; move quickly and do a "good enough" job or you might get stuck here and lose steam.
Step 4: Sort
There are three core categories when it comes to sorting: keep, donate and trash. If I could add some subcategories, my complete list would be: keep in this space, move to a different place, sell, donate, recycle, trash. I added "move to a different place in the house" because you want to create a pile of things to put away
later; don't get side tracked moving things to other rooms during your purge. If you stay in one place and keep focused, the task will get done quicker. I added "sell" because you might have enough items to have a garage sale to make some extra money. Then you can put that cash toward something to help the space be more functional, like shelves or bins to containerize like items. I added "recycle" because, well, it's the responsible thing to do.
Grab some boxes and large garbage bags and label them. Then get started! If it takes you more than a split second to make a decision about whether to keep or sell something, ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I use it? If you haven't used it, worn it, or appreciated it in six months to a year, get rid of it. Don't save things "just in case." By the time you fit back into that cute outfit, the styles will have changed...trust me!
2. Do I love it? If something has sentimental value, give it a place of honor in your home. Display it on a shelf or frame it for your wall. Everyone should have a box of childhood memorabilia in their garage, but you don't need to keep every little thing. Keep it contained to
one box and if it gets too full, sort through and decide what needs to go to fit something new into that one allotted box.
Step 5: Put it Back
If you're trying to be more organized with this space, think of logical categories when you replace your items. Gather like items in piles and, if necessary, find a container, basket or bin to keep them together. Predetermine what will go where in your mind's eye and don't be afraid to rearrange things a couple of times before you settle on what works best. For a kitchen pantry, you might sort breakfast items on one shelf, cans on another, baking items on another. In a bedroom closet, you could have clothes grouped by either season or size. (for those of us whose weight fluctuates) In a utility closet, spare batteries together, extra ligthbulbs together, etc.
Step 6: Maintain
Be realistic in creating a system to keep this space decluttered. Add a recycle bin in the office, dirty clothes hampers in the kids' rooms, a covered basket in the family room to collect stray toys, a garbage bag for donations at the bottom of your closet...think of ways to catch clutter before it accumulates.
One thing I like to do is to take before and after pictures. Not only to show on my blog (though that was my original reason for pulling out my camera) but also to see my progress. To see how
bad the "before" really was and to remind me of what the "after" should look like if I choose to maintain organization in that space.
My last tip is this: for those who are not naturally organized, don't beat yourself up if once you get organized you don't stay organized for long. Being organized isn't something that you master; it's an ongoing process. Just like cleaning your house. You don't just clean the toilet once and it's good forever. You need to continue cleaning it regularly. HOW regularly is up to you and how clean you like your bathroom looking (and smelling).
It's the same with organization. Once you get organized, you need a plan to STAY organized so it doesn't get out of control again. Figure out a maintenance schedule that works for you, just like cleaning your house. Some people clean weekly, bi-weekly or even monthly. Decide to do a quick scan of your organized space every day, week or month to see what can be purged and decluttered. Then your annual spring cleaning tasks won't take long at all!
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