Toss These Items For A Quick Declutter

Spring is in the air (finally!), and Spring cleaning is in full swing. While I love an in-depth clean and declutter project, sometimes a quick fix fits better into our lives at the moment.

If you want a quick freshen, read on for my list of 10 things to toss or donate to feel instantly lighter and decluttered.

10 Things You Can Let Go To Make Your Home Feel Instantly Lighter

1. Declutter Your Home: Old Linens

Tossing out old linens is a great way to make more space in your closets and wardrobes. Sort through your sheets, including your master bedroom sheets, your kid’s sheets, and your guest sheets, and get rid of any sheets or pillowcases that have seen better days. Next, look at towels and washcloths — any tattered or faded items you can toss.

2. Declutter Your Home: Old Technology

You know that old flip phone and those old remotes and chargers that you can’t even remember what they were for? Go ahead and take this opportunity to toss them. Trust me; you won’t miss them.

3. Declutter Your Home: Toiletries

Old toiletries that are almost empty expired, or don’t use anymore can be tossed to give you more of that ever-valuable bathroom space real estate. If there are new items and you don’t use them, you can keep them for guest toiletries, such as lotions, shampoos, and conditioners.

4. Declutter Your Home: Old Medicine

While in the bathroom, look through your medicine cabinet and first aid kit and toss anything expired or you don’t need anymore. Make a list of any item that needs replacement or refill.

5. Declutter Your Home: Old Pantry Items

Spices, seasonings, baking items, and other dried goods that have expired or you don’t use are good candidates for this quick toss-out. Take a quick look at your pantry and cabinets at what can be discarded to make some room in your kitchen storage areas.

6. Declutter Your Home: Old Freezer Items

Everyone has those items you stored in your freezer longer ago than you can remember. Go ahead and toss any mystery items or things that have freezer burn. You won’t use them, and they are just taking up space.

7. Declutter Your Home: Refrigerator Items

You know they are there, lurking in the back and the nooks of your refrigerator door shelves- expired food items, take-out you never ate, and too many packets of to-go condiments you will never use. Toss these items out.

8. Declutter Your Home: Paper Items

Greeting and birthday cards, old notes, notebooks, and old bills that you no longer need to hold on to can clutter up your space.

Also, go through wrapping paper, craft paper, boxes, gift bags that you don’t need to keep. When getting rid of these items, ask yourself if the .50 you might save on them is worth the space it takes up every day.

Old magazines are another clutter culprit. Anything you don’t read or refer to anymore can be recycled or donated to libraries, offices, or hospitals.

9. Declutter Your Home: Clothes

This one can seem overwhelming, but it will be fast and straightforward if you focus on only a few categories for this quick declutter.

But there are a few things in your closets and drawers that you can get rid of without much hassle:

• single socks,
• wire hangers,
• kid’s clothes that no longer fit,
• and accessories like bags or scarves that have seen better days.

10. Declutter Your Home: Old Toys

There are always some old toys that our kids have outgrown lying around the house, taking up space in your closets, on shelves, or in the playroom.

Do a quick declutter of the toys that your kids have outgrown, are missing any bits and pieces, or are broken, and any toys that your kids don’t use anymore.

Donate the toys that can be used by someone else, and recycle the ones broken or with missing parts. Believe me; you won’t find them!

Tossing these ten things is a great way to give your home a quick refresh and exercise those decluttering muscles as you get ready for those larger Spring cleaning projects you have on deck.

New post Declutter Your Home: 10 Things to Throw Out Right Now on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas

When you think of Spring cleaning, your car is probably not the first place that comes to mind. But let’s think about it: after a long Winter, your car has seen its fair share of muddy boots, salt residue from snowstorms, and is probably full of winter items that you won’t be needing.

Now is the time to declutter, clean, and prep your car for those Spring adventures that are right around the corner!

Get started – Every good declutter and organization project begins by, you guessed it, emptying the space you are about to clean and declutter.

So go ahead and take everything out of your car in both the passenger areas as well as the trunk.

Clean it up – You can do this part at a car wash or at home if you have a way to vacuum outside via handheld vacuum or access to an outdoor socket that will allow you to use your vacuum’s hose attachment outside.

Remove all of your mats. Give everything a good vacuum (don’t forget under and in the car seats or booster seats if you have them!) After you vacuum, clean your mats then replace them.

Wipe down all of your surfaces with a product like Armoral or whatever your car manual suggests. And finally don’t forget to do your windows, inside and out, as well as your mirrors.

If weather permits go ahead and leave the windows down for a bit to air it out.

What you need – A great way to get your car ready for spring is to think of what you need when you are on the go and then have that somewhere in your car.

If you have young kids this list might include a change of seasonally appropriate clothes, a light jacket or sweatshirt, a change of socks (hello mud!) a first aid kit, and a few outside toys like balls and a frisbee.

You could also include a picnic blanket, some dry snacks, bottles of water, and light jackets for the adults as well.

Here’s a quick list of some items you might want to keep in your car for Spring (or anytime) traveling:

● moist wipes for, well, everything.
● anti-bacterial spray or gel
● Lotion and sunblock
● USB and other chargers cable
● little garbage bags
● Sunglasses
● Jumper cables
● An umbrella

Organize it – Now, let’s put all of these things into your car in a way that is organized and also leaves room for a trunk full of groceries.

I love a good cup holder or console organizer for the front of the car.

Trunk organizers also come in all shapes and sizes and will let you pack everything you need to store neatly while leaving room for your everyday errand run items.

Organizers for the back of the front seats are great for younger backseat passengers. The container store has some great options for car and trunk storage.

Now your car is decluttered, organized, and stocked with all of the things you need to be prepared for Spring travel.

An organized car makes road trips and everyday errands so much easier. When you know where everything you need is and can easily access it you will save time every day.

Now, bring on the warm weather and let’s hit the road!

New post Spring Cleaning Your Car on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas

Don’t Stress, Refresh

Spring Cleaning gets a bad rap for being a very overwhelming process. Instead of going into a panic thinking about how to deep clean every area of your house in one weekend, use this strategy of spring organizing tips for your home that gives you a few tasks in each room. 

The Bedroom

Swap out linens. Swap out your heavier sheets for lighter textures for Spring as the warmer weather approaches.

Change up your window treatments. If you have heavy window treatments in your bedroom consider swapping those out for something lighter and airier to let all of that Spring light in.

Give everything a good dusting. Clear away all of those dust bunnies from under the bed, nightstands, dressers, and ceiling corners.

Add some flowers. Consider making it a habit of bringing a container of fresh cut flowers into your bedroom each week. When you do your grocery run, grab a bunch of flowers. What’s better than waking up to fresh flowers each morning?

The Bathroom

Swap out your towels. A new set of bright and colorful towels does wonder to brighten a bathroom for spring.

Grab a new bath mat. Something new and plush is a welcome way to get out of the shower or bath.

Add some elements of nature. Add a few succulents for a low maintenance and bathroom-friendly way to bring some greenery into your bathroom

Refresh your bathroom accessories. Choose some new toothbrush caddies, jars, or baskets that highlight Spring colors or natural textures and fibers.

Bring in some fresh spring scents with essential oil sticks, diffusers, or candles.

The Kitchen

Clear your counters. Put away anything on your counters that you don’t use daily. A fresh uncluttered surface is a great way to start the Spring Season

Add some green. Adding fresh flowers, plants, or a small potted herb garden brings the freshness of Spring into your kitchen.

You eat what you see. Place bowls of fresh fruit on your counter. Pre-wash and prep fresh veggies to have on hand up-front in your fridge. This is a good way to lighten up from those heavier Winter foods.

The Living Room

Swap out your accent pillows, candles, and throws. Switching out warm and darker colors of Winter for a fresh, bright pop of Spring color will instantly make your living room feel spring ready.

Let there be light. Spring light is a wonderful and welcome change to those short and dark Winter days. Take advantage of the light by swapping out your winter window treatments for lighter, airy ones.

The Front Porch

After the holiday season, the front entryway can get a little, well, neglected. Once SPring arrives, it’s a great time to refresh the first area you see of your home.

Start by clearing your porch of any things that may have gathered there throughout the winter that don’t belong.

Give the porch a  good sweeping. Powerwash if that is an option for you.

Now add some colorful and seasonal touches. A Spring wreath, a new doormat, be creative.

The Entryway

Spring brings light, color, and new beginnings. It also brings a whole lot of MUD. Be prepared and protect your floors and rugs by getting your entryway or foyer Spring ready.

Use a Boot mat that is absorbent. Get creative with a cute sign reminding guests and residents to remove their shoes.

Add a basket to corral small outdoor accessories. And place an umbrella stand by your door for those wet spring days.

Spring-Ready

Spring is only a few weeks away (thank you)! With the weather warming up it’s a great time to freshen up spaces inside – and outside- your home. All of these simple changes and accents will really make your home feel ready for Spring.

New post Simple Spring Organizing Tips for Every Room in Your Home on A Personal Organizer by Helena Alkhas