Take 20 Minutes to Get Rid of 9 Household Things – and Not Regret It!
Tip to De-clutter Your Home
It is time, Katy families, for more organization and less mess! It’s time to move out the “stuff†that is just taking up valuable room, and clear the clutter for a more effective home. How to do it, you ask? Here are 9 things you can get rid of by throwing or giving away, and not feel guilty about it. Your pantry and closets will thank you for it when you’re done. Take twenty minutes now and clear some clutter!
1. Kitchen Utensils – These gather quickly, and seem to breed in your already overcrowded kitchen drawers! This will take all of two minutes – sort out any that are damaged, rusted, burnt or haven’t been used in over a year – those get thrown out or placed in your give-away bin. You’re done!
2. Coffee cups – Yes, New York City was a fun vacation, but you don’t need ten cups from Long Island to remember it! Keep only enough coffee cups to fit in one cupboard, bottom two shelves (if you can’t reach the top shelf without a ladder.) Twenty should do the trick, any more is overkill, and they need to be disposed of. That should take two minutes.
3. Storage Containers – These are nice to have, but if you have any shriveled, burnt, or damaged storage containers, they need to be thrown out. If necessary, invest (at very little cost) in a new set of stackable, fitting containers – they are worth every penny – and they match! Oh, and that empty, washed cottage cheese container should also go. Two more minutes used up.
4. Outdated spices, medicines, and canned foods – These are not only taking up room in a wasteful fashion, but they can also cause harm. Food and medicines past the due date are dangerous to your family’s health, and old spices are just that – old. Toss them out! That took five minutes.
5. Receipts – You have been hanging on to these little pieces of paper WAY too long! Chances are, you have a bank or credit card statement somewhere to back the transaction up if remembering it is really important. For large purchases, file the receipt in a “large purchase receipts†folder in your filing system. Toss the rest…two minutes down.
6. Magazines – Time to gather up and get rid of all your dated reading. Nursing homes, schools and other organizations would be able to re-use those old magazines. Or just drop them in the recycle bin – this takes just another minute and a half!
7. VHS Tapes – You won’t miss these, I promise. They are too bulky, and you don’t know where half of them are anyway. Toss them or give them to the thrift store – one point five minutes used.
8. Old Books – If you’re like me, your books are like family. We both know, however, that unless they are reference material, or a valuable collection, they could probably be passed on. You could sell them on Amazon, at a yard sale, or give them to a charity, but don’t toss them yet – someone else could be enjoying them! This will take all of two minutes.
9. Outgrown clothes – It’s time to let go of those size “blank†outfits that haven’t been worn in years. They could be doing some good at the local charity thrift store – or, if they are really nice, you might net a few bucks at your yard sale. Are the kids’ closets full of too-small clothes hanging in their closet? Time to move them on out! Two more minutes spent.
Now, that wasn’t too bad, was it? Twenty minutes, give or take think time, and you’ve just gotten a huge head-start on spring cleaning!
Tell me what you think. Was this a helpful article? What tips do you have for us on de-cluttering, cleaning out and home organization?
