5 Places to Start Decluttering Today!
If you’re feeling a malaise or general blah-ness at home, there’s nothing like clearing away the clutter to refresh your space. Maybe it’s that stack of faded magazines by your window, or the sky-high pile of skinny jeans sitting at the bottom of your closet. Or perhaps you thought you lost your passport for good, but it’s secretly hiding wayyy in the back of your desk drawer.
Let’s roll up our sleeves and grab some bags. Here’s where I recommend we start:
The desk. Decluttering your desk is the perfect way to reenergize your space and get excited about work again. You’re quite literally starting with a clean slate. Let’s toss the crumpled receipts lurking in the desk drawers, recycle the Hallmark greeting cards, and say goodbye to the ink-less pens and sharpies. If you want to prevent future desk drawer chaos, line them with a few drawer organizers.
The pantry. If a can of chickpeas falls out of your cabinet every time you open it, it’s time to declutter. Whatever hasn’t expired (that you’re not going to eat in the future), consider passing off to a friend or donating to a soup kitchen. Toss the expired stuff (responsibly), and recycle empty containers accordingly. Bonus points: give those shelves a good wipe down with all-purpose cleaner and a paper towel before restocking. I don’t go wild for pantry organizers, but I *do* find value in these three-tier organizers for cans and spices.
The fridge. Much like the pantry, decluttering your fridge is a great way to inspire creativity and action in the kitchen. A clean fridge full of your favorite condiments, fresh produce and properly contained leftovers is always better than one full of sticky syrups and crusty ketchups. Dispose of expired condiments (responsibly), and remove any sticky residue from the condiment jars you’re keeping. Pro tip: if you’re a condiment fiend, consider storing them on a Lazy Susan for easier access.
The kitchen sink cabinet. The kitchen sink cabinet is often an abyss of cleaning products, full of stainless steel cleaners and crumbling Brillo pads from 1985. Pass on extra cleaning products to family or friends, or donate to a homeless shelter. Expired products can be poured down the drain, except drain cleaner, bleach, silver polish and oven cleaners (check label for proper disposal!). And when you’ve decluttered everything but the kitchen sink, grab a cleaning caddy. What’s in mine: all-purpose cleaner, disinfectant, baking soda, mirror/glass cleaner, scrub brush, a handful of microfiber cleaning cloths and rags, the end.
The medicine cabinet. Medicine cabinet at capacity? Let’s take a look! Those B vitamins from five years ago can go (not dangerous to have on hand, just not as effective). Same with the ashwaganda powder you used in a tea tonic exactly once. Time to tackle skincare. If products haven’t expired but they’re not your cup of tea, consider passing them off to family or friends. The whole goal here is to streamline your morning and nighttime routines. My favorite bathroom organization tip: line up products in the order you use them so nothing gets lost in the shuffle.