How to Declutter Your Home in 30 Days
When was the last time you tried to declutter your home? It can be an overwhelming task. Right? Some of us give up just by thinking about it. We give up because we are either too busy or we just can’t decide what to throw away and what to keep. The end result? A pile of junk that you can’t get rid of and a lot less space.
Organizing your home doesn’t have to be a tedious task. Just like you have divided your home into different sections, try dividing your organizing efforts into different tasks. Dedicate about an hour every day for 30 days, and you’ve got yourself a 30-day decluttering challenge.
The professional organizers here at OrderUp Design have come up with a 5-week decluttering schedule and tips for you to follow.
Golden Rule
Just like you have a personal golden rule, professional organizers have their own golden rule: Get rid of the trash first. Before starting your decluttering process, pick up a trash bag and throw away anything that qualifies to you as trash or donations and remove them from the area.
Now that you have taken out the trash let’s get the ball rolling!
Week One Decluttering Challenge: The Kitchen
Day One: Decluttering Your Junk Drawer
Well, the name says it all. But instead of thinking of it as a junk drawer, let’s call it the “command center”. Even our very own professional organizers have them. However, the name lets people slide with having the drawer be complete chaos; when in reality, we have it for quick grab of items we use often. Follow the steps below to make your junk-drawer a functional command center.
1. Remove all the items from the drawer.
2. Clean the drawer using an all-purpose cleaner.
3. Sort and group the remaining items into piles of similar items.
4. Use containers to arrange and separate the contents of your new command center.
Product Tip:
Budget Friendly Drawer Organizers
*each style above comes in various sizes
Day Two: Decluttering Your Kitchen Cabinets
Kitchen cabinets are used continuously and collect dirt, grease, and dust easily. While organizing, take the time to deep clean your cabinets when they are empty!.
1. Remove every item in the kitchen cabinet.
2. Use your preferred cleaner (depending on the material of the cabinet) and a cloth to clean the cabinet’s outside.
3. Sort the items by similarity and most used to least used and make sure to donate the items you no longer need (Hint: you most likely do not need 2+ can openers or multiples of most items).
4. Place items back with items you rarely use at the top.
TIP: Consider installing cabinet liners, they make it easier to clean kitchen cabinets. You can even add two layers so when one gets dirty you can just peel it off and have a spotless surface.
Product Tips:
Day Three: Decluttering Your Pantry
Pantries are one of the more overwhelming spaces for many clients. They are typically chaotic and lacking in any organization, but, this means there is room for so much improvement! We know it’s going to feel overwhelming, but we also promise it will be worth it!
1. You are going to end up removing all the items in your pantry, while you are taking out the items, check expiration dates and get rid of any items that are expired.
2. Clean the shelves with an all-purpose cleaner and cloth.
3. Sort and group the items you previously removed into categories. Some people like to group items by meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks) and other people prefer to categorize by type of food (grains, proteins, canned items, etc.) There is no right way, we suggest thinking about what will work best for your family.
4. If you choose to decant and repack items that can be stored in containers, we suggest air tight containers that easily stack! Many people choose the oxo brand, however, we find they lose their ability to seal and therefore suggest the Better Home and Gardens brand
5. Lastly, utilize organizing bins to help keep food categorized. Organizing bins help to reduce the amount of food that gets “lost” in the back, meaning you will probably waste less. We also suggest labeling the bins. Our organizers can create custom labels for anyone, just contact us!
Product Tips:
Lazy Susans are great for condiments, oils, etc.
3 tiered racks are great for spices, cans, etc.
Day Four: Decluttering Your Refrigerator
When was the last time you really cleaned your refrigerator out? Can’t remember? Thanks okay! Now is your time!
1. Go through the contents in your fridge and get rid of all expired items, and combine duplicates
2. One shelf at a time, take out the items and give the shelf a deep clean. Most shelves are removable and can be taken out while cleaned to ensure your food stays cold.
3. Categorize similar items and think about the layout you want for your categories.
4. Put items back in the refrigerator with similar categories together.
Tip: Consider using refrigerator storage containers to keep similar items together.
Final Word:
One week down, and you will start to notice the difference in your home organization. Keep this up, and in 30 days, your home will look better than ever before, and you will have more space. Stay tuned for week two’s July Decluttering Challenge!
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