In this post: Are you looking to get organized? These 5 decluttering tips include strategies you may not have thought of to streamline your home.⇒
What is it about January 1st that makes us completely unwilling to trip over that wayward pile one more time?
Maybe it’s putting away the piles of holiday glam or perhaps it’s that clean slate that January brings, but every New Year I find myself taking the clutter beast by the horns and vowing to tame it once and for all.
(Admittedly, this same compulsion is repeated at the beginning of the fall school year and in time for spring cleaning.)
Almost all decluttering jobs can be reduced to two things: throwing things out and storing the rest in the right containers.
But there are a few other strategies you can include to make sure the job goes smoothly. Here are 5 decluttering tips you may not have thought of to help you get organized.
1. Size Matters
There’s no point in buying gigantic bottles if you have no place to store them. I have often selected products based on the size of my cabinets and shelves. I don’t want a mega-sized container of moisturizer sitting on the counter when the next size down fits neatly in the medicine cabinet. Measure your storage space and shop accordingly. If you have room in the linen closet, buy the large size and decant it into smaller bottles. If you don’t have the space, don’t buy it in the first place.
2. Keep Realistic Quantities
No one needs 100 plastic bags. Really. Sure, keep ziplocks in large quantities, but those cheap bags from the pharmacy that don’t close, rip easily and don’t carry much? If you haven’t used the last 10, don’t continue adding to the pile. If you must, keep a small quantity for the rare wet bathing suit or whatever can’t be carried in a “real bag”. Tuck them into a tissue box with a pretty cover and just say no to the bag full of other bags in the closet.
3. Toss the Original Packaging
Storing things in the original packaging can take up more than double the space that’s actually necessary. If you’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I love to buy things in multiples to save time and energy, but when it’s a product you know you will keep, take it out of the box when you buy it and store it without the extra cardboard and plastic. When it comes to samples, only keep the ones you might be interested in and pop them into a small container to be easily found.
4. Assess your things honestly
A lot of people have a hard time with this one, but when determining what to keep and what to toss, take a long hard honest look at your things. Maybe you once loved it but if it’s worn out beyond repair, get rid of it. Don’t keep twin sheets if you don’t have twin beds. Toss cosmetics if the date expired 10 years ago.
When I evaluate an item, I take a few things into account. Condition, value, usefulness, sentimentality. And, of course, if I love it. I still haven’t decided whether to keep the dessert set above. I took it from my parents’ house when I cleaned out their place, so it has sentimental value. But it has 5 cups, 8 saucers and 2 dessert plates. All of my tables have seating for 8. I’m not sure I can justify keeping it if I’ll never use it. The jury is still out.
5. Don’t store anything where you can’t see it
If you can’t see it, you may as well toss it. Anything you store in a box at the back of a closet in the boiler room under 3 more boxes may as well be in the land fill. This doesn’t mean keep everything out where you can trip over it, but at least be sure the label is visible and the container accessible. If you have to move 5 things to get to it, you won’t ever use it.
In the pantry, line similar things up in a row so you know what’s behind them. Use clear containers whenever possible and stack like items together so you can see what’s in back.
Ultimately, when organizing, there’s no substitute for sorting through your things and tossing what you don’t need. But these decluttering tips can alter your thinking and help you to get organized.
When all else fails and there’s no room left in your home, packing well labeled boxes and putting them in storage is a much better option than cramming them into the hidden recesses under the eaves. In those cases, I’d point you to my sponsor, Extra Space Storage. They can help tame the clutter and be sure you can always find what you need. For more creative storage ideas check out the Extra Space Storage blog or their page on Instagram at @extraspace.
*This post was sponsored by Extra Space Storage but all opinions are my own.
Decluttering Tips Source List
You can find below some of my favorite products for organizing and decluttering. Where actual items were no longer available, I’ve provided similar options. If an item is out of stock but may be restocked, I left it on the list.
(This post contains some affiliate links for your convenience. Click here to read my full disclosure policy.)
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Love your orginazition tips, can you please tell me what is the looks to be acrylic sheet on top of your wire shelving a d where did you get it.
Thank you so much . LOVE YOUR BLOG!!!!
Nanci
Thank you so much, Nanci!! The shelves are like a plexiglass glass. Can’t remember exactly, but I just went to home depot and got the heavy plastic (or acrylic?) and had them cut to size.
Regarding number 4. I would like to make a suggestion. I have a hard time parting with really sentimental things. I will give away something valuable if I am not using it, but just try to get something that was my Mom’s! Enter DIY. Take the odd saucers, etc. Gently smash them in a plastic bag. Use to make a ceramic serving tray. Unfinished trays available at craft stores if you can’t or don’t want to make your own. Maybe you have one on hand. Then use the five cups and saucers for serving a few friends or, better, use them yourself for that evening tea! Instructions on You Tube, Pinterest, etc. Hope this gives you an option.
Very interesting choice. I like it!!
OK. I have been buying and selling teacups and tea party accoutrements for over 20 years.
About that set: keep 4 cups, 4 saucers and the two dessert plates. Donate the extras.
Keep it to either have on hand for a few friends for an easy tea or coffee visit – the two dessert plates put doilies on and serve up tiny brownie bites, macarons, etc. Use napkins instead of using additional plates for said gathering.
OR keep the perfect set of 4 and 2 dessert plates to sell off Craigslist or ebay.
Great hints on organizing. What I need is to let go of my excess 5 bajillion tea cups, haha. : – )
Happy New Year, happy organizing!!
I love your suggestions! But I also love mixing single teacups, so I’d never get rid of those. Well, I’d only keep the ones I really love. 🙂
Keeping things with a sentimental value happens to the best of us. My older daughter is really good at getting rid of clutter so when we pared down my china hutch she had me keep only a tea cup and saucer for sets that I don’t use but came from my mother, grandmother and in-laws homes. I can look fondly at them as a remembrance of them.
I love that idea! I especially love to set tables with mixed sets of china, so one of each is a always great.
Have you thought of keeping two of each of the dessert set for when it is just you and a friend or you and your spouse?
I actually haven’t made a decision at all about the set. My first inclination was to try to find fill in pieces on ebay. Ultimately, I have to decide if it in fact has enough sentimental value and if I love it enough. If so, then maybe your suggestion could work. We do have a bistro set for the back deck, so a set for two could work. Thanks!!
Thank you for such wonderful tips. I am sure to use a few of these. There was one comment that rubbed me wrong. The land fill suggestion. PLEASE donate or give usable things away you do not want anymore – dont throw things away!!! Our poor mother Earth has way too much in land fills. Thanks for letting me sound off!
Thanks for your input. It was really meant to be a manner of speech, not an actual suggestion, although I will say, there are many things that are impossible to get rid of. I just went through this when cleaning out my parents’ house and you would be quite surprised how difficult and expensive it is to get rid of things. (For instance, have you ever tried to get rid of a piano? You can donate it, but it will cost you a fortune to transport it.) That said, my point in writing the post was to suggest getting rid of things from your own house. I could do a whole other post about how to get rid of things, once I figure out how… 😉
one of the best decluttering posts I’ve ever read.
Thanks so much!! I’m so glad it resonated for you… 🙂
Great decluttering advice. I subscribe to pretty much all 5 of them. With regard to the dishware, I would keep 1 cup and saucer set and donate or sell the rest. Cup/saucer sets can always be mixed with other single sets and in fact are much more charming that way. Any sentimental value would be evoked by those 2 pieces just as it would by the entire stack of odd numbered dishware that provides little functionality.
I agree with that and mixing and matching is something I do often. You might enjoy some of these tablescapes:
https://designthusiasm.com/soft-vintage-thanksgiving-table/
https://designthusiasm.com/set-beautiful-table-vintage-china/
https://designthusiasm.com/winter-floral-for-afternoon-tea/
https://designthusiasm.com/vintage-brunch/
In this case, the cup and saucer are a bit larger than what I usually collect, so not sure how they’d look mixed in. I haven’t decided yet what to do with this set, but before I get rid of anything, my first course of qction is trying to find the fill in pieces on ebay… 🙂
That’s what I did with my mother’s wedding dishes (1951). She had service for 6 on most of the pieces, but missing a couple of plates, so I managed to find them on eBay or Etsy (I can’t remember). So instead of having only service for 4 (with several extra pieces), I now have service for 6 on everything (with a couple extra pieces). I did run one of the extra saucers through the dishwasher to see how it managed (note on bottom says they are hand-painted)–I know I’m more likely to use them if I don’t have to hand wash them. I figured the painting would come off, but wanted to be sure. It came out perfectly, so now I feel comfortable using them more often.
I feel the same!! I always put my china in the dishwasher! I suppose it may not last as long but at least we’ll enjoy it… 🙂
These are good, practical tips! You could use your odd numbered dishes for…. taking pretty food blog pictures! : )
For your dessert set: replacements.com
I have filled in some pieces here & there, and they’re great to work with!
Your decluttering and organization tips are the best!
Thank you so much!! Stay tuned. A lot more coming… 😉
I’d like your opinion on this, if you don’t mind: I have a Cusinart food processor that I’ve had almost 40 years. It still works beautifully, but the bowl is cracked and leaks. They don’t make a replacement anymore and I can’t find one used.
Do I pitch it or save it and put up with the leaks?
Oooh, that depends on how much you rely on it. I would probably get a new one and see if you like it as much. It’s funny how we sometimes struggle with things that are broken. However, if you love it and think a new model would not work as well as the one you depend on, that’s a different story. Then I would probably struggle for as long as you can get away with it… 🙂
The dessert set is very pretty and has sentimental value, but I know it bothers me not to have complete sets. I have completed sets through a website called replacements.com. Some of their items are pricey, but sometimes worth it. If they don’t have the items you are looking for they will search for you as well.
Yes, I too have completed other sets, and I’ve found pieces of this one online (I did look), but I don’t really love it enough to buy the compete set. We’ll see… 😉
I greatly appreciate the part of your article that talks about assessing items in an objective manner and not letting sentiment get the best of you. There are a lot of times I look at my kitchen and think about the random plates and cups that my aunts send me as gifts. I’ve never actually gotten to use them for any occasion or event, and they’re just taking up space there, so I’ll think of what to do with them while getting a decluttering service to help me with the rest of my belongings in my other rooms.
I so understand what you mean! You can take photos of them to have a memory of what they gave you. Then donate to someone who would really appreciate them… 🙂
Great post. Did not see a source for the clear box with circle insert that was in your photo. Can you provide where you purchased it? Thanks.
Thank you! And sorry for the confusion but that’s actually the pull out drawer with a round container placed it. They do not come together.
This is the drawer: https://rstyle.me/+wYdcrX5xKFxEZnKVeLOWSA
This is the round container: https://rstyle.me/+U-wdwgvajEjxGs-mWcsnGg
Love your article. A few people have donated china to me to use in my business that they no longer use. I am so grateful for these acts of kindness from strangers.
Aww that’s so awesome!
I use Replacements, LTD, to fill in missing dish/silverware pieces. They usually have whatever I’m looking for, and if not, they put you on a list to notify when one is available. Maybe recreate at least a four-place setting for a girls’ afternoon. I’ve even found replacement pieces in antique stores. Love your ideas. I save all your emails for future references.
Yes, I love Replacements! Unfortunately they don’t work with the company I use to put products in a post, but I do buy from them myself… 🙂
Thank you for your kind words!!
I enjoyed your post. Now if I could only cut some of the cabinet storage shelves in half. Too deep and some are too tall.
Ah, I hear you!! At 5’1″ tall, I am limited to storage that’s easy to reach… 😉 I do keep step stools in the rooms that I use often, like the kitchen and bedroom. Just one of those tiny stools that’s easily tucked into the pantry or linen closet and can be pulled out in a second.