So...are you feeling the pressure of your clutter in your home caving in on you & you are also thinking of selling your home?
Don't you worry about a thing...(Stevie Wonder always knows what to say!) because we are going to take you through a weekly challenge...so for the next 30 days, your home will be de-cluttered, packed to move & staged like a pro!
QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF WHEN YOU DECLUTTER:
It is essential to know what to keep and what to donate or throw away, so these questions will help you understand where to begin.
Is this item something I regularly use?
If not, is this something that I love and sparks joy?
Could someone else use it more than me?
Can I get away without having this in my life?
When was the last time I used this?
Am I keeping this out of obligation or expectation?
Am I holding onto this because I think I should love it?
Am I saving this just in case? for that “SOMEDAY?”
Do I have multiples of the same thing?
Could something else I own do the same job?
Am I holding onto a broken item to fix “someday?”
Is this item worth the time I spend cleaning/storing it?
Could I use this space for something else?
What’s the worst that could happen if I get rid of it?
When getting rid of excess clutter, we have to make a choice (or decision) of where that item will go. When you’re learning the process of how to declutter your home, it is essential to set yourself up for success. This challenge, when appropriately used, will encourage you to take on the tasks to declutter your home. If you’ve wondered how to organize your home, this challenge will help you in making decisions and finish with positive steps taken, without looking like a tornado just went through your house.
DECLUTTER TIPS
When decluttering, it is important to sort your items and then decide if you need to donate or toss them. Take a look at the following six categories of where each object could go.
Save
Grab a few boxes or trash bags so you may dispose of clutter accordingly and without hesitation.
Do each day’s task reasonably quickly, so it doesn’t become a job that you dread.
Have some clean dishtowels, paper towels and all-purpose cleaner handy to clean up the area that you declutter.
Put things back in an organized manner.
Here's the part where I give you the tools that you need to accomplish all of this, but I'm only going to give you tasks that you can complete in 1 week....then once you are ready for the next wee's challenge, you can come back for further instructions...sound easy enough? Let's dig in....literally!
Gather your materials to get this done right the first time:
Boxes for moving (try to get ones with labels for rooms on the outside)
Sharpie...yep, you need to label everything
Big Trash Bags
A designated area for staging to move, to trash, to donate!
Be ready to part with EVERYTHING!!
When I say be ready to part with everything...I'm talking about you really need to take the time to think of each item and if you use it...keep it. If it's in good condition, but you don't use it...donate it. If it's broken...toss it!
We are only going to do ONE thing each day...don't overwhelm yourself!
LET"S DO THIS!!!
Breakfast/Dining Table
This is not your office or your children's collection of bags and toys...you eat there! You want your table to reflect your clean side...a nice runner with a small plant/flowers in the center...no table mats! Remove your table mats and clean up after every meal...this will become a habit for you and the kids! No shoes on the table!! Bad luck!! Remember, if your child comes home with wonderful drawings from school, begin a file box for each grade that they are in, file it there...not on refrigerator for now!
Kitchen Island & Hutch
Keep the island completely clean...that means no items on it! You want to create as much open space as possible to yourself and the new buyer, so...Salt and pepper goes in the spice area (if you don't have one of those, it's a good time to start on!)...napkins, utensils, coffee maker is okay, but anything else try to organize in a cupboard or pantry! If you have a hutch, this can become the storage for everything that you may not have used in years...so go through each item. Check expiration dates. Toss out anything that you have not used in the last 2 months...or donate box! Organize it so it''s neat and you can see what is actually in there..if it not used for the kitchen...it does not belong in the hutch...relocate anything to it's correct spot!
Mail & Paperwork
Everyone, including myself, has a hard time with this one! When was the last time you read that magazine subscription you just had to have? Do you keep all of your mailed coupons together, but then never use them? Let me guess...you have a file for "TO BE FILED" and it never gets filed! You are not alone! This is probably the hardest task for me, but can be the most liberating! Pull out all of your papers that have filled the home and put them into a pile. Go through each paper...one by one! If you don't need it, toss it, if if has personal info on it and you still don't need it...shred it! Are you keeping receipts for write off's at tax time, great...they get their own file! Once the pile has been broken down to Four: (1) File (2) Pay (3) Toss (4) Shred...then Just do it!
Start with the easy file...toss it! Then shred away the pile for shredding! Pay pile is a must, so do that before you file, because typically filing requires a little more cleaning to do! Once you are down to the file pile...shred anything that was from anything prior to this year (unless it's absolutely needed)like power bills, phone bills, etc. Shred them...be done and feel the weight lifted!!
Front Entry Coat Closet
This is the perfect time of year to really dig in and do something good with the stuff you are not wearing in the winter...pull out that donate box and get ready to dive right in! Do you find yourself searching for gloves, hats, umbrellas? This is the perfect opportunity to get 3 little bins and label them in just that way...then you aren't always in search of what you need! If you collect coats/jackets...ask yourself: Do they fit? Could Someone benefit from this more than me? I cannot live without it...then toss into the donate pile! By the way, this is a COAT closet for a reason, so if it's not a coat...then it doesn't go there!!
Purse & Bookbags
How many times have you grabbed your purse or briefcase and it weighs more than your child? Well...dump an clean. Exam exactly what you use and what you don't. If you have makeup everywhere, get a little ziplock bag and place what you need in there! Are you carrying files that are not needed...take them out, organize your business cards in a card file carrier, take only what you use!! Through away papers, file receipts, get it done! Now, the kids..their bookbags are always full of crap...dump it out and see how many notes from the teacher you have missed!! Give them a binder to keep all of their papers in, make a tab just for the teacher and teach your kids to place it there! Lunch boxes need to be just that, in a lunch box! Yuck..I hate gold fish at the bottom of my bags and collect whatever was sticky at the bottom...maybe jelly? Through it in the washer and clean it!
Cleaning Supplies
Okay, this is a touchy subject...since your home needs to stay clean for showings, but remember, they are going to be looking under your sinks and in your cabinets! This is where a cleaning caddy can really come in handy...keep one under every sink filled with the necessary cleaning supplies for that area...here's what is in mine:
1. Comet
2. Rubber Gloves
3. Clorox Wipes
4. Windex
5. Paper Towels
6. Scrub Brush
Keep it simple...then stack 3-4 rolls of toilet paper, feminine products put in a colored bag or jar, extra Kleenex, and if you use them...cleaning wipes for yourself!
Medicine Cabinet
I bet you thought I was going to tell you that on the 7th day you rest...fat chance, you have a house to sell!! Okay, so here is the hard one. Since we all have medications with personal info on them...you need to go through each bottle and remove every label! You can keep the bottles to use for other things like bobby pins, paper clips, hair ties..whatever, but remove those labels. Next, if it prescribed medication...you need to put all of those pills in a bag to take the pharmacy to dispose of correctly! Don't flush the...it can pollute the water and pipes...NO, NO, NO! This is so important to help with our drugs that are everywhere that we never want falling into the wrong hands...if there are hard narcotics in your home...consider buying a lockbox to keep them in and away from little hands! Check all over the counter meds for expiration dates and get rid of them...the only things that really don't expire are aspirin and ibuprofen! Toss the rest, but seal the bag!
Now you can rest...until tomorrow!!
Check Back Next Tuesday for your next List!
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801-478-4545 info@ranlife.com