6 Tips to Declutter Before the New Year

Your home should be your haven - the one place you can walk into and relax after a long day. Having your safe place cluttered could be the reason why you can’t seem to shake the feeling of stress.

It’s time to free yourself from that feeling before the new year strikes. Follow these tips to help you along the way.

1. No More “I’ll Use This Someday”

We tend to hold onto items that we hold close to our hearts, but we also sometimes hold onto things that we never use - it could be the sweater that you never wear or a gift from a friend that's simply collecting dust in the back of your closet. Whatever it may be, if you don't have a use for it, get rid of it.

2. Ask for Help

You don’t have to do it alone. Confide in your friends and family to help you get the task done. Friends don’t have the same attachment you may have to items, so they may have a better insight on whether or not you should toss something or keep it. Asking for help can also speed up the process.

3. Take a Break

Make sure you don’t overwhelm yourself. If you burn yourself out, you won’t be able to finish the task at hand. Decluttering your home may take a while to finish, from a few days to a couple of weeks.

The process is going to be exhausting so take some time off, whether it's a few minutes, hours, or a whole day, to just relax.

4. Donate

If you find something that's just not for you but could be for someone else, donate it. Not only does it help you stay organized, but it also helps someone else.

Often times you can find churches or local charities that help donate to those in need. You can even donate to some thrift stores.

5. Storage

As you try to declutter, you're bound to find things that could be of use to you. Not everything you find has to be thrown out. Found a basket in the back of your closet? Store your newly found trinkets in it to help stay organized.

6. Wardrobe Change

It's easy to hoard clothes because you just keep accumulating new pieces of clothing as the weather changes or new needs arise. Old clothes can often end up lost behind all the new ones.

Declutter your closet by going through all your clothes and picking out the ones that you never wear or have only ever worn once. Donate them or upcycle them into things you'll actually wear.

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Let me know what topics you're interested in, and I'll do my best to include them in future blogs! Email me at mark@outbackoil.com