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As some of you may know, my ultimate goal for the beginning of the year is to completely declutter my home. We did a pretty good job when we first moved, but things kind of went sideways as we planned our wedding and other life events came up. We ended up with just as many paper piles as we started with and found ourselves feeling a little strained in our small studio loft apartment.
When I declutter, I like to focus on one thing (or items of a similar category or location) at a time. If I think about everything all at once I feel overwhelmed and I get sidetracked, leaving projects unfinished. I know that I am not the only one. The end goal is to make sure that I only keep items that I truly love, enjoy, and use. In the end, every item must have its own place and “home” to keep from adding to our clutter problem.
I created this check list for my own use, however, after starting to use it the other weekend, I realized just how handy it was in keeping my mind organized as I started to clean house.
If you enjoy the Marie Kondo method of tidying, you might appreciate this extra step. Marie tells people to work in categories; starting with clothes and then moving on to books, paper, komono (everything else), and sentimental items last (after you’ve built up your momentum). It is a great method. But if you’re like me, going through one category may be too much at once. Breaking up each category into a sub-category (like focusing on just shirts or just pants while working on clothing) can help you see what you have, and even see what you have extra of. If you’re going through clothing and you pick up a sweater, then a pair of pants, then a dress, you might not realize right away when you have kept duplicates or too many of the same items. A striped shirt might spark joy, but do I really need three of them?
Starting with clothing, break down your piles into these categories:
- T-shirts
- Sweaters and hoodies
- Pants
- Your sock drawer
- Underwear
- Bras
- Winter outerwear
- Light jackets
- Pajamas
- Skirts
- Shorts
- Dresses/suits
- Winter gear: scarves, mittens, hats, etc.
- Belts & Accessories (for men, this would include ties)
- Leggings and tights
- Swimwear
- Glasses/ sunglasses
- Jewelry
- Shoes
For Books you might separate it into fiction or non-fiction, but it you have a very extensive collection, perhaps you might want to break it down into even smaller categories:
- Text books
- Cook books
- Art/Photography/Crafts
- Reference and hobbies
- Coffee table books
- Poetry
- Romance
- Travel
- Magazines
- Children’s books
- Young Adult
- Vintage and historical books
- Non-Fiction
- Fiction
Paper clutter:
- Receipts
- Taxes and important documents
- Medical documents
- Contracts
- Business
- Notebooks
- Sketchbooks
- Calendars
- Letters and personal cards
- Drawings and artwork
- Junk mail
- Warranties
- Photographs
- Notes/lists
- Stationary
Kitchen Gadgets and food. You will want to check expiration dates on everything and double check for unnecessary duplicates. If you haven’t used the item in the past six months or year, chances are, you might never use it at all. Throw away and recycle containers for all expired items and don’t feel like you have to keep food that you hate. Not a fan of chicken noodle soup, but have six cans that are still good? Consider donating them to a local pantry.
- Your pantry food
- Spices
- Fridge
- Freezer
- Coffee/tea/cocoa
- Alcohol
- Baking goods
- Napkins
- Clips and containers
- Aprons
- Table linens and dish towels
- Utensils
- Pots and pans
- Mugs and tea cups
- Jars
- Baking dishes
- Storage
- Under your sink
- Junk drawer
- picnic gear
- Reusable cups and travel mugs
- Dishes
- Drinking glasses
- Electronics: blenders, toasters, mixers, etc.
- Holiday and seasonal kitchen gadgets and decor
Cleaning Supplies:
- Brooms and mops
- Dusters
- Soaps
- Cleaning chemicals
- Cleaning rags
- Sponges
- Vacuums
Bathroom:
- Towels: hand towels, bathing towels, beach towels
- Hair styling supplies and gadgets
- Razors and shaving supplies
- Brushes
- Hygiene products
- Each drawer and under cabinet space
General Items:
- DVDs
- CDs
- Vinyl records
- Video games
- Art supplies
- Baskets
- Tote bags
- Old electronics: game counsels, DVD players, radios, etc.
- Old cell phones
- Chords and wires
- Board games and cards
- Pet supplies
- Photography equipment
- Hobby supplies
- Sports gear: basketballs, snowshoes, skis, tennis rackets, etc.
- Coins
- Picture frames
- Instruments
- Business supplies
- Office supplies
- Wall art
- House plants
- Jewelry boxes
- Boxes
- Vaces and decorations
- Mirrors
- Throw pillows
- Blankets and sheet sets
- Pillows
- Area rugs
- Furniture: extra chairs, side tables, etc.
- Pens and writing supplies
- Medicine cabinet
- Old school supplies
- Holiday decorations
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If this checklist was helpful for you, please share this post on Pinterest or Facebook. What items did you have the most difficulty decluttering and what tips helped you get through it?
