After the holidays, we often find ourselves with a lot more clutter than we had before. With all of the shopping for new decorations and receiving gifts, it’s easy to accumulate items. Once the holiday buzz dies down, it’s the perfect time to reset and declutter. This can help you go into the new year with a fresh space! But how do you declutter after the holidays? Where do you even start? Here are five tips to help you:
Go Room by Room
Clutter can be overwhelming, especially after the holidays, with all of the extra stuff you’ve accumulated. Getting the house back in order can seem like an impossible task, and we often don’t know where to start. The easiest way to go about decluttering is to take it room by room. Start with the living areas and storage rooms, then make your way into the bedrooms. This will help you stay focused and organized without the chaos of trying to do it all at once.
Use the Four Box Method
Now that you have a game plan to tackle the post-holiday declutter room by room, you can get started! The easiest way to organize your items is to sort them into categories. The four box method gives you a nice framework. Grab a box for each of these categories:
- Items to keep
- Items to donate
- Items to throw away
- Items to relocate or give to a loved one
As you go through your holiday decorations and other belongings, place them in the appropriate box. Items in the keep category should be functional or sentimental. Items that are broken or damaged should go in the trash pile. Items that are in good condition but that you no longer use should either be donated or given to a loved one. If you have a lot of stuff, try piles instead of boxes.
Ask Yourself Questions
Even though you have a strategy, it can still be difficult to figure out which items to place in which category. While it may be obvious for some items, it may not be for others, and you may find yourself staring at certain items trying to figure out what to do with them. In that case, ask yourself a series of questions, including:
- Is this item in usable condition?
- Do I use this item regularly?
- Does this item bring me joy?
- Do I have multiples of this item or other items similar?
- Would I miss this item if I parted with it?
Answering these questions can make it much easier to sort your items, and it often makes it more obvious where each one should go. This works great for going through holiday items and for everyday objects alike.
Figure Out How You Want to Store Everything
Once you’ve figured out which items can stay and which can go, it’s time to determine how you want to store the items you intend to keep. It’s helpful to group like items together and put them in storage bins before putting them in the attic, the garage or a closet. You can often find nice baskets, bins, drawer organizers and caddies at thrift stores for a more affordable option. You can even find storage furniture like cabinets and shelving units to further help you organize.
Schedule a Donation Pickup
Now that all of your keep items are squared away, it’s time to organize the items you’re getting rid of. For all of the items you intend to donate, it can be helpful to use a donation pickup service, especially if you have a large haul. Otherwise, you’re left having to figure out what to do with the large number of items and where to take them. This is also true for the damaged items that are unfit for donation.
To make getting your home back in order after the holidays easy, 9PickUp not only offers a free donation pickup, but also an additional junk removal service for a small fee. All you have to do is call and a truck will be there ready to pick up your items! 9PickUp does all of the heavy lifting for you. Plus, when you work with 9PickUp, you’re supporting a great cause that benefits local children in the South Florida community. Call 1-888-9PICKUP or contact us online to schedule your pickup today.