My whole college career consisted of going to work and going to school which left me with a bunch of papers and clothes. I just accumulated a lot of STUFF and it kept on growing through the years. In efforts of making my apartment the home I want, today being the Day of No Clutter and spring right around the corner, here are three ways I’ve started the process of decluttering.
Throwing things Away
Class notes, irrelevant books, unnecessary paperwork, and clothes that I’ve been holding on to that are clearly damaged. These things were just taking up space for no reason. For clothes I’ve used the ‘if I haven’t used it in a year, toss it’ rule. I’ve also eliminated excess paper by getting electronic statements, automating payments and monitoring them regularly. If papers hold important information like addresses or account information, make sure they’re shredded.
Selling and Donating
For items that were pretty much new, I began to resell online. The process sometimes took entirely too long so giving away was the next best thing. I donated tons of dresses to prom projects and gave clothes to teenagers I was connected to. There were also options to donate to churches, homeless shelters, community centers and services like the Salvation Army.
Use Storage Bins
Storage bins are a gift and a curse. On one side they help with organizing, but sometimes items sit there for months and years for no reason. Try going through them at least once or twice a year to make sure you’re not repeating the same problem. These beginner steps have helped with getting rid of hair products, clothes, shoes, accessories and things I just don’t need. It has also made me more intentional about what to buy. Now to go through these electronics…
What are some other simple ways to start decluttering?
