Spring cleaning your life is something that will help you set up for the rest of the year. These tips for decluttering your mind and living space will help you set up for success and create a white canvas where you can work on.
We don’t know about you, but having a cluttered space and mind stops from moving forward and achieving our goals.
Does this happen to you?
- You open your closet and everything falls out while you think “I have nothing to wear”.
- You have so many bottles in your shower that they start colonizing the place.
- You have a whole orphanage of Tupperware lids that will never see the light of the day again.
- Your computer is running at half capacity because of all the ancient and unnecessary files you have.
Then… you are in the right place!
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Over the years we realized this was us too, so we created systems that help us save money and cut down the clutter in most aspects of our life. From our closet and kitchen to our brain and emotions, we came up with these tips for decluttering so you can work on goals and move forward!
First, we want to give you tips for cleaning and decluttering your physical space, then we created a 13-day spring cleaning challenge for you, and finally, we have an emotional decluttering guide to help you clear out your mind and guide you through the process.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, meaning we earn a small percentage of sales made via those links, but it doesn’t cost you anything extra!
TIPS FOR DECLUTTERING YOUR PHYSICAL SPACE
The first time you approach your closet for a cleanout you probably think “what should I get rid of?”, “where do I start?” or “I like all my things, I don’t want to get rid of them”.
But fear not, these steps will guide you so you can start spring cleaning your life one item of clothing at a time.
So, let’s get to it!
Before you begin it is important to be intentional about it, don’t just do it for the sake of cleaning and making more space, keep your daily routine and your rituals in mind. It also helps if you do it with a friend so you can ask them for advice. Plus, it will make it more fun!
1: MAKE A PLAN AND SET TIME FOR DECLUTTERING
We love planning our calendars to the minute, so we always make sure to add “decluttering time” for when we want to do this task. This way we make sure not to spend hours on end buried in clothes and give ourselves a time limit.
Also, if you approach the task with a plan it might seem less overwhelming and frustrating. For example, you can say that one day you will go through all your shirts and tops, the next you will go through the pants and so on. You can also do it one space at a time or decide on a specific goal like “I want to take out of my closet at least 10 things”.
That is why we created the 13-day Declutter challenge: minimalism for beginners, a checklist that can help you and will guide you through the process of clearing out your space! It is a fun way to declutter your life without feeling overwhelmed!
Join now and share your results with us on Instagram!
2: CREATE PILES
We are all familiar with this technique and how it helps to visualize what you actually have. Create 4 piles: keep – donate – sell – throw.
With your daily activities in mind start sorting things out. For example, if you go to the gym every day then it might be a good idea to have at least one outfit for each day, or if your job requires you to dress a certain way then keep the pieces that you might need.
One of the reasons we love spring cleaning is because you can make money by selling all the things (in good condition) you no longer use!
3: 3-6 MONTH RULE
If you haven’t used it in more than 6 months you probably don’t need it or like it anymore. Of course, this doesn’t apply to fancy or special pieces that you only use on certain occasions. We are talking about the normal pieces that are just piling up and cluttering your closet.
Ask yourself: Would I buy this today? / Does it fit me? / Does it fit my lifestyle? / When was the last time I wore it?
We like clearing out our closets together, that way we can ask each other, talk, and make it a bit more fun (decluttering your closet by yourself is not super fun TBH).
4: ORGANIZE AND FOLD THINGS NEATLY
Sometimes there is no need to get rid of things or buy new ones. Maybe all your closet and drawers need is to be organized. You might find things you forgot you have, resurface a forgotten outfit, or even find things you haven’t even worn yet!
When things are neatly folded, they take up less space and it’s easier to find/see. This will automatically give your closet a facelift and give you a better idea of what you have.
5: ORGANIZE FOR SEASONS
If you live in a place where there are seasons, chances are you have at least two wardrobes: one for cold weather and one for hot weather. In that case, your clothes are just sitting there for a few months taking up space while they are offseason. Our tip for decluttering is to put away things you won’t need for the moment, in summer put away all your winter coats, and in winter put away your sandals and summer dresses.
You can use baskets, space bags (these are our favorite ones), or even suitcases that take up space so might as well fill them up!
6: ORGANIZE ACCORDING TO YOUR ROUTINE
If you have a specific routine for your days-weeks, then organize your closet and drawers based on that. Don’t put your swimsuits in front if you only go to the pool once a year. Instead, put your gym clothes in a place where you can easily access them (if you go often to the gym), or put your work pants in a place where they won’t wrinkle so they are ready to go.
As a tip: put the things you use more often in front and use baskets/closet organizers to compartmentalize the space. That way you can see everything and know exactly where it goes.
7: FORCE YOURSELF TO WEAR THE MAYBES
After creating your piles and seeing what you actually have most likely you will end up with a “maybe pile”. In that case, our tip is to wear those pieces for the next few days to see if you still like them and if they still fit.
Sometimes we do this and it helps to not feel bad about letting it go. You gave it a second chance but it’s time for it to find a new owner.
You might also come up with a new outfit and decide to keep it!
OTHER THINGS YOU CAN ALSO DECLUTTER
There are other things you can also declutter around your home. People usually think about their closet, but you can also clear out your desktop, kitchen, or even your phone! That is why we made a list with our tips for decluttering and a challenge. You can go through each of the 13 days and see how your life and space become more organized!
Join our 13-day Declutter challenge: minimalism for beginners!
It will guide you through all the aspects of your life that might need some decluttering without making it overwhelming.
On top of that, you can also check where your money is going. Part of being intentional with your spring cleaning is analyzing what you are bringing into your life.
We already mentioned that selling things you no longer need is a great way to make extra cash, but if you also stop buying unnecessary things you might end up with extra at the end of the month.
THINGS WE NO LONGER BUY
The biggest game-changer when it came to cutting down our clutter was to stop buying multiples of things. Now we only buy something when we ran out, it breaks or it no longer works.
- Beauty products: I (M) don’t wear make-up as often as I used to, so now I just buy what I actually use/need. It saves me so much money and space! Everything is inside one bag that I can put away.
- Shaving cream and razors. These might not take up that much space, but when you have a ton or they are just laying around it looks messy and cluttered. R now uses a machine that he charges and I got laser hair removal. With time we have saved lots of money.
- Trendy items. Yes, they might be cool and you might think you need them, but once the hype is gone you will be left with a bunch of things you no longer use. They just sit there collecting dust. You can try selling them, but our tip is not to buy them if you don’t actually need them or see yourself using them long term.
- Pre-made meals. Not only are they less healthy, but they also come in packages that pile up in your kitchen (without even mentioning the environmental impact).
- We stopped buying things that we can make at home. The best example is bread, we know not everyone has a bread machine but it was just to illustrate our point. If you are someone that goes to Starbucks every day maybe you can learn how to make the drink at home and save some money, waste fewer cups and have a healthier option.
- Physical books. We love reading, but it got to the point that we didn’t have enough room for our books, plus they are heavy and not very practical to carry when you move as much as we do. Now we use e-readers and can carry hundreds of books with us.
BEST INVESTMENTS WE HAVE MADE
On the other hand, there are some things we have bought (rather invested in) that helped us declutter our space, minds and saved us money in the long run!
- A new phone. This was mostly because we want to upgrade our photography game without having to carry a camera with us. We figured a better phone would help us with our blog and Instagram. So far, we are loving it!
- On a similar note, we also got a new computer. Granted our old computers had 10+ years so they gave us all they could. Our new computers also double as tablets so we can read, draw or watch movies without having to get another gadget!
- This one is for the ladies: a menstrual cup. What a great thing to get. There are many alternatives for sustainable/reusable period products, but it’s great how much money and space I have saved with just one purchase. My old “period box” with tampons and pads is gone and now our bathroom has more space.
- Our bread machine. This changed our lives, I’m not exaggerating. Now we have fresh bread every day, make pizza dough, and fresh pasta whenever we want. We wouldn’t change it for anything.
TIPS FOR DECLUTTERING YOUR MENTAL SPACE
Having mental clarity is just as important as having an organized space in order to work on your goals and move forward.
This part often gets overlooked but think about all the times you wanted to concentrate on something and your thoughts just carried you elsewhere.
We know this is hard and takes practice, that is why we made an emotional decluttering guide to help you through the process!
You can go through the list at your own pace. Maybe one item by day or by week. We promise it will help you feel lighter and give you mental clarity so you can start the year with the right foot.
Join our 13-day Declutter challenge: minimalism for beginners!
It will guide you through all the aspects of your life that might need some decluttering without making it overwhelming.
Thank you for taking some time of your day to read our blog, we truly appreciate it. We hope these tips for decluttering your life this spring help you! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions and share this with someone who might find it useful.
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