How To Declutter Your Home In A Weekend
Updated: Jan 31, 2023
Spring is a season of new beginnings - and good cleaning. Morale is high as the birds start chirping and the mornings are warming. After bundling in our homes during the winter months, it's no wonder we are ready to refresh our space.
It may still be January but I couldn't wait another minute to declutter my house. I didn't realize just how badly my home needed it until I started. Spring is around the corner so I wanted to share with you how I go about decluttering. Maybe you will feel inspired to start your Spring cleaning early.
If you've been considering a clean out, now is a great time to start planning. Especially if you're considering selling your home this Spring or Summer. Believe me, you really do not want to go through a clean out while you're trying to pack. You will be forever grateful for getting ahead of the game and doing it beforehand.
A decluttered home is a peaceful home.
This post is going to be all about how to decide what's important and what is worth letting go for the sake of organization.
Come Up With A Plan
You can get a lot done in a weekend if you plan it right. Coming up with a game plan before you start will help you focus on one area at a time. It may feel tempting to attack your entire home at once, but that can easily become overwhelming. I've gone this route and while I did get a lot cleaned out, I also couldn't finish each area thoroughly because I was trying to do too much at one time and it looked like a tornado went through my home. It is not a fun time.
We're going to avoid making that mistake by breaking down each category you want to touch in your home. Sit down with pen and paper. Decide what areas of your home need to be decluttered.
I like to lay out columns for each room. In the columns I write which areas of that room need attention.
Think about what needs to happen in order for an area to feel organized. Example: think of the everything drawer in your kitchen (we all have one) or the kitchen pantry. These are specific parts of your kitchen that always need addressing. Write it down under your kitchen column. Along with everything else you want to declutter in your kitchen.
Once you have an idea of what needs to be done, break down how you're going to attack those problem areas in a specific room of your home, and what you may need to get that space organized. Don't worry too much about having all the organization materials up front. It will be easier to wait until after you've decluttered to choose what kind of organization materials you need.
Tidy Beforehand
This is a step you really don't want to skip out on. It will make the biggest difference in your organization.
Having a clean space before you start helps to
Keep you from being overwhelmed at the tasks at hand.
Keep the piles organized so you clearly know which is which.
Gives you more space to spread out.
If you're planning to attack a bedroom and there are clothes on the floor, cleaning out that bedroom closet in the current condition is only adding to the existing mess. You're much more likely to become overwhelmed.
This feeling can be avoided if you spend a little time straightening up before you destroy the space with the clutter. You can choose to spend a few minutes straightening up before you start on a room, but my suggestion is to have the room tidied prior to starting the declutter process. It's better to save all your energy for the clean out.
If you can, straighten up the home throughout the week to have it ready for the weekend festivities.
How To Decide Whether To Keep Or Toss
You've decided to declutter your home, which means you're either willing to or in need of getting rid of the excess. This is the step you will refer back to while you're going through the clutter. When trying to decide whether an item is worth keeping or not, ask yourself a few questions to decipher it's importance.
Clothing and Shoes
How often have I reached for this article in the last year? - Excluding seasonal wear.
Does this item match my current style? - If you are curating a capsule wardrobe, how many outfits can you make with this item?
How comfortable am I in this piece? - physically and mentally.
Would someone else love this item more than I do?
Am I holding on to this item for sentimental reasons? - What kind of reasons? If keeping, is there a better place for this item to live other than it's current home?
Can I picture myself wearing this piece this year?
These are all questions that will help you decide whether an article of clothing or shoe is worth holding onto for another year.
Home Goods
If going through decor in storage, does this item still line up with my interior vision?
Will be able to find a home for it in the future?
How am I utilizing this piece?
Does this item give my home the character I'm looking for?
Am I only holding onto it as a filler item?
This excludes seasonal decorating items.
Sentimental Items
How valuable is this item to me?
Is this item worth taking up space in my storage?
Is this an item I can use in the future or will it always remain in storage?
Does this item bring me joy?
Do I often think of or reach for this item?
Sentimental items can be a tough category to work through if you are someone who finds value in many things. I know a few people who hold onto everything. If it's important to you, keep it. Maybe you can find a good home for it somewhere or store it in a container where you know you can reach it anytime.
However, if an item doesn't check all the boxes maybe it's time to part ways with it.
Miscellaneous
This category encompasses everything else.
What purpose does this item serve?
Is it useful? Will I actually use it?
Could someone else better benefit from having this item than myself?
Game Time
It's time to put the plan into action. Get a good start to your day by waking up early on Saturday morning. Enjoy breakfast and a little quality time.
When you're ready to get to it, put on your favorite playlist and attack with vengeance.
You're going to have up to 4 piles:
Items you keep.
Donations
Toss
Items to sell (optional)
Everything you touch will go into one of those piles. Be sure to keep them separated so you don't get confused.
Living Areas
This area of your home probably requires the least amount of work.
My advice is to go through any buffets, sideboards, or storage to see if there is anything you don't absolutely love or need in the house.
This means any blankets you don't reach for anymore, or if random items have piled into drawers.
Find a new home for what doesn't belong.
Clothing Closets
When I tell you I got rid of half of my closet, I mean it. I thought I was pretty good about only keeping what served me but I guess I let things slip for a while. Anyways, my closet feels so much better now.
Here are a couple of before photos...
Yes. That is my veil..
Such a mess...
Clothes
Choose a space where you can lay everything out in front of you.
Work in sections as to not become overwhelmed - I grab a handful of clothing at a time.
Go through each piece one by one and put in the pile it's belongs in.
If you are switching to all matching hangers, have the hangers ready to go.
Remove every article of clothing that doesn't have the matching hanger. Discard the old hanger to the side.
When you have finished that section, put the keep pile back into the closet where it belongs, then move onto the next section.
Shoes
Go through each pair of shoes deciding whether to keep or remove.
Look into ways of organizing shoes in your closet if you don't have any existing organization system.
Be amazed as your closet is slowly made new.
Still a work in progress, but she is coming along.
Organization comes next.
Storage Closets
Work shelf by shelf.
Pull everything out, categorizing as you go.
Depending on the type of closet, determine whether you can better categorize the type of belongings that go in this specific closet.
If planning to purchase organizers, now is the time to get measurements while the shelves are empty
Gorgeous linen closet inspo by @JenniKayneHome
Kitchen
Drawers
Pull out piece by piece, piling each item into it's rightful category as you go.
Once you've finished a drawer, clean the drawer then place all the belongings that stay back into the drawer. Remove the rest from the work space.
For the pantry and refrigerator
Work shelf by shelf. Pull out everything on that shelf then start going through it. Have a toss bag on standby for this.
Same thing with the refrigerator.
If you are planning to purchase any organizers, now is the time to get measurements while the shelves are empty.
Be sure to give the shelves a good cleaning before placing the food back.
Check out this stunning organized refrigerator. This is my dream.
No credible source for this photo. Sourced on Pinterest.
Kitchen Sink
Pull everything out from underneath the sink.
Discard everything that can be tossed or moved to another location.
Again, if purchasing organizers, get measurements while the cabinet is empty.
Clean the emptied place, then add remaining supplies back into cabinet.
Here is the current state of my kitchen sink. Post clean out believe it or not. So excited to get this space organized soon.
Bathrooms
For vanities with drawers, work one drawer at a time.
For cabinets, remove everything from the cabinet, discarding as you can.
Get measurements as needed.
Here's some organization inspo for your bathroom vanity.
Office
Start with cleaning out your desk. Remove anything that doesn't directly need to be there.
If you have storage cabinets, go through them drawer by drawer.
If you have a closet in the office, clean it out to remove what doesn't need to be there.
My office is currently in a demo state so check out this gorgeous office inspo from CB2.
Garage
Cleaning out the garage can feel like a big deal. Many people use their garage for storing everything they cannot fit into their home. If this applies to you, consider making the garage a separate weekend job. That's what I've done. Working in sections is especially effective with a garage clean out because this is an area of the house that can be very overwhelming. Here are my best tips.
If you have shelves, start going through everything in one section of that shelf.
Be sure to have a toss bag or donation box ready to go.
Take your time with this. Play some good music and move as you can.
As sections are cleared, clean them by wiping down shelves and sweeping the area out. You can also use a leaf blower if you have a large section cleared.
If you have an attic:
Move any seasonal decor into the attic.
Organize the decor in the attic so you know exactly where each season is located when you need it.
I use different colored storage containers for each season.
Miscellaneous items like beach chairs, storage containers with sentimental items, etc. should also be moved to the attic if possible.
Work Station
Work one tool box at a time.
If you have shelves or cabinets, clear in sections.
Discard what you can.
If an item doesn't belong in the work station or you can find a better home for it, remove it from the area.
Give the work station a good cleaning prior to re-organizing.
It takes time and effort to get the home where you want it to be. My home is still a work in progress, but it is coming along. I hope some of these ideas will help you feel a little more in control of your home life and reduce some of the chaos. After decluttering, it's time to get excited about organization - the fun part. Stay tuned for more on organizing your home this Spring. Happy cleaning.
xx.