Decluttering can be a time-consuming task, but it is worth the effort. Clutter-free living spaces will save time and money, create more physical space, and reduce stress. Here are five tips to help you declutter your home.

1. Set Aside Time to Declutter Your Home

It takes time to tidy up and organize. Choose areas of your home and make a list of deadlines for each part of the project. You might schedule a few hours after work for the hall closet. An entire weekend off may be the perfect time to schedule decluttering the basement. If you don’t prioritize organizing your home and decluttering, it may never happen, so make a note on your calendar and commit to those times.

2. Declutter One Section of Your Home at a Time

Don’t think about the whole space as one big project. Start small. You could begin with cleaning off the dining room table, for example. Start by removing everything from the surface and dusting. After that, return only the items that belong there. Put everything that does not belong away in its proper location. If you’re unsure of where an item belongs, set it aside in a box to revisit later.

3. Keep Only What You’ve Used in the Past Year

In order to declutter your home, don’t hold on to things you never use. A year is a reasonable length of time to keep something in your household. This allows flexibility for things like holiday decor and seasonal clothing.

If you have things in your home that you haven’t used in a year, get rid of them. Throw broken or damaged items away and donate anything usable to friends or a local charity.

4. Eliminate Duplicates

If you have multiple of something, the extras should go. You may have upgraded to a new television, but are still holding on to the less-used, lower-quality TV. Sell it online, donate it to charity, or give it to a friend.

Unless you frequently host dinner parties, the kitchen is a place to declutter by getting rid of duplicates. How many bread knives and pie pans do you need? Keep the best-quality pieces and donate the rest.

5. Purge the Clutter

As you’re decluttering areas of your home, sort your belongings. It’s helpful to keep a trash can nearby so you can immediately throw away the garbage. Use cardboard boxes to contain other items. Label a box of items to donate and a box for things that belong elsewhere in the house.

As you fill a box of donation items, put it in your car so you can drop it off next time you run errands. Put away things that belong in other rooms. If you cannot find a place for a certain item, give yourself a set amount of time between 30 days and 6 months. If you still haven’t found a place for it, it’s time to move it out of your home.

Certinspectors offers home inspections to customers in the Hudson Valley area of New York. Contact us to request an appointment.