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The coming of a new year is a great time to reprogram your personal space. But if you’re known to be a bit of a hoarder and have a hard time letting go of things you no longer need, it might be time to declutter before we head into 2019. Here’s some tips on how to do just that before the clock strikes 12 on New Year’s Eve:
1. Adopt the 1 Year Rule
If you haven’t used it in the last year, chances are you probably won’t use it again. Round up the gadgets in your home that haven’t been touched since last January and donate those unused items instead. If you find it hard to part with anything, put the “hard to part with” items in a separate bin and see if you find use for them over the next six months. If not, it’s time to let it go.
2. Use the “3 Bin” Method
The 3-bin method will help you find a place for every knick-knack item in your home. Label the bins; keep, toss and donate and then decide what item goes where. Stick to your gut and make quick decisions to easily scale your items down.
3. Declutter Your Mind
Decluttering doesn’t necessarily have to just mean purging physical items. It can also mean making small changes to rid your mind from negative thoughts and emotions that may have been holding you back all year long. Re-evaluate your mental space, friendships, relationships and even your daily activity and decide what might need a change, an upgrade or an elimination. Peace and positivity is the goal for all 2019!
4. Turn Clutter into Cash
Turn your old fashions into a profit by selling items on Ebay, Etsy or Craigslist. It’s a great way to get rid of things you no longer wear and bring in extra cash as you go into the new year.
5. Get Rid of Worn Out Bedding and Towels
Are you still holding on to sheets and towels from your teenage years? If so, it’s time to part ways no matter how many memories they might hold. Give them an “afterlife” by donating these items to an animal shelter or a vet’s office. Animals need towels and sheets to bathe in and sleep on and I’m sure they’ll find comfort in your donated items.
6. Toss the Unwanted Hangers
I’ll admit, I can be a bit of a hanger hoarder myself. But those unwanted hangers take up a TON of space in closets. If your closet is overflowing, consider giving those unused hangers to the dry cleaners as they might need them more than you do.
7. Take The 12-12 Challenge
Walk through your home every few months and locate 12 items to throw away and 12 items to donate. While this may seem brutal, it can actually be a fun and exciting way to quickly organize items in your home.
8. Fill Up One Trash Bag Every Few Months
If you’re having trouble purging a ton of household items before midnight, you can use this tactic throughout all of 2019 and slowly get rid of items you no longer need. Grab a large trash bag and see how quickly you can fill it with things you no longer use. Once you’ve filled your trash bag, decide which items are worth donating and which items need to be tossed altogether. Do this every few months and at the end of 2019, you’ll find yourself feeling a lot less cluttered.
9. Take One Room at A Time
Your entire house didn’t become cluttered overnight, so you don’t have to declutter in one full sweep. Take it one space at a time and get rid of unwanted items in one room before moving over to the next.
10. Remember, The Less Clutter, The Less Cleaning
This is a no brainer but it goes without saying that the more stuff you have, the more time you’ll spend cleaning. If you have a ton of clothes, that means the more time you’ll spend finding a place to keep everything, making less space available for those outfits you really care about. Paring down what you don’t need is a sure way to keep your space a lot cleaner.
No matter what decluttering method you choose, remember; there’s something freeing about getting rid of items that no longer serve you. Make it a mission to declutter your house (and mind) this holiday season and start fresh in 2019!
