Thinking Outside the Donation Box: 10 Creative Ways to Declutter Your Living Spaces

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Last Updated on January 21, 2024 by Umer Malik

Decluttering your house can be overwhelming, especially if it’s been a while since you last visited the donation bins. Extra tuff seems to fall out of the woodwork, and you’re never sure of the best way to go about it all. But decluttering is less stressful than it might feel when you’re in the thick of it. 

There are many different ways to go about trimming the fat from your living spaces, from extreme decluttering challenges to setting aside a little time to declutter each day. With a bit of creativity, decluttering can even be a fun game for the entire family. If you’ve been looking for a dash of novelty to help you spring clean, here are ten creative ways to declutter your living spaces.

Virtual Mailbox

“It can be impossible to eliminate the junk mail that fills your mailbox every day, but you can do your best to avoid it. That’s where a virtual mailbox service like this comes into play. Having a virtual mailbox you use as your mailing address can help you cut down on unnecessary junk mail. Because you receive pictures of your incoming mail, you’ll never waste a trip to your box just to find a week’s worth of mail-in ads, and you can decide from the app whether you want your junk mail shredded or thrown out.”

Three pile method

One of the best ways to organize clothes, knick-knacks, and anything else you are sorting through is using the “three pile method.” All you do is sort the items into three piles, one to keep, one to donate, and one to trash. It’s an easy way to organize, and you can get the entire family on it.

Schedule your decluttering

It’s not easy to buckle down and declutter on the fly, and it can be exhausting to put it off until you have to do it all at once. That’s why you should schedule a little time each day to keep things tidy. Start with five minutes a day, and you’ll be surprised at how much you manage to cut down on excess belongings. 

12-12-12 challenge

Kids love games, and that’s why this challenge is genius. Challenge your kids to run around the house and find twelve things to throw away, twelve items to donate, and twelve things to put back in their place. You can join in the fun by making it a timed competition.

The hanger method

This tip is an oldie but a goodie. Just hang all of your hangers the wrong way, and when you wear an article of clothing, put it back the right way. You can do this for however long you’d like, but most people do six months or a year.

After that time has passed, you’ll be able to see what clothes you haven’t worn based on which hangers are still hung incorrectly. You can then make a plan to offload any clothing you didn’t wear.

The 30-day minimalism challenge

Every day of the month, you give or throw away several items corresponding to the date. On the first day of the month, you get rid of one thing; on the second day, you get rid of two items, so on and so forth.

By the end of the month, you possibly could have gotten rid of about 469 items. This challenge is not for the faint of heart and is easiest with a partner who can help you stay committed.

Designate a drop-zone

It may seem counterintuitive to have a section of your house specifically for clutter, but the drop zone can be the stopgap between chaos all over your home or just one area to tidy each day. Having a drop zone where you can put things without thinking about them is a lifesaver when you are in a hurry and a timesaver when it comes time to clean.

Suitcase storage

Do you know that empty luggage that takes up space in your closet? Put seasonal clothes, winter gear, swimsuits, fancy suits, and dresses you don’t use that often in the suitcases. It’ll free up a lot of room in your closet, and you’ll have ready access to the clothes when you need them.

The traveler’s method

When you’re constantly on the go, you have to live with whatever can fit in your luggage. That’s where the traveler’s method comes into play. Reduce the amount of stuff you have so you can live out of a suitcase. Reduce your toiletries to a single caddy to get rid of things you don’t need. This method can also help reduce how many clothes you have and the number of electronics you use.

The golden rule is to throw an old thing out when you buy anything new. This way, you can keep your belongings and associated clutter to a minimum.

Have a checklist

When in doubt, make a checklist. Checklists can help you stay on task and give you a sense of accomplishment when you check that final box. A general checklist for decluttering is good, but you can also create a list for each room. Use a checklist to stay focused and keep yourself motivated.

Conclusion

Decluttering can be time-consuming and overwhelming, but take it one step at a time, and you’ll be there in no time. Avoid common mistakes, and your house will be looking cleaner in no time.

The benefits of decluttering are compelling and can help you live a cleaner, simpler life, where you aren’t constantly searching for the remote under piles of magazines and coffee table junk. When everything has its place, and there’s a place for everything, your life becomes more hassle-free.

Apart from this, if you are interested to know more about How to Declutter Your Garage then visit our Business category.