Use This Checklist to Declutter for the New Year

Decluttering is something of an art form. You have to do it consistently enough that it becomes a habit, and you’ll be more successful if you sign up for a specific decluttering approach or technique it helps you constantly evaluate the things you have, determine whether you need to store them, and if so, where you will put them.

However, before you can get organized for the long term, you need a place to start. I recommend starting the new year by going through your entire home using the decluttering checklist below.

New Year’s Tidying Checklist

Real decluttering is a process that takes weeks or months. You need to develop the habit of getting rid of what no longer serves you and constantly organizing what you decide to keep. But before any of this happens, you may be faced with an overabundance of clutter that can make it difficult to know where to start.

It’s worth it taking some time conduct a broad review, focusing on some key areas. First, throw away or donate something from these categories:

• Get rid of anything that is faulty, defective or outdated. This includes broken things you’ve vowed to fix, as well as odds and ends like stray device chargers and cords clogging your junk drawer. If you haven’t used your old MacBook charger since 2011, you probably won’t need it anymore.

• Get rid of any duplicates. Think about unwanted kitchen utensils, a bag full of totes, or anything else that can be combined.

• Throw away anything past its expiration date.from spices to cosmetics to gift cards, and trust that if you ever need that particular item again, you can get a new one.

• Donate any clothing or bedding you have not worn or used recently.

• Throw away any old documents you find.from holiday cards to bank statements from years ago. First, take pictures of everything you need or store them in a filing cabinet. (You still have a physical filing cabinet, right? You should.)

• Throw away or donate anything that doesn’t fit.like a mug without a saucer or a sock without a companion. You might find it later, but it’s probably not worth storing until you do.

• Donate any single-purpose items you don’t use.such as art supplies, sporting goods, or kitchen supplies.

This may all seem like common sense, but these are the things we all tend to keep, and they are what create clutter in our homes.

Then find your personal decluttering method.

Many decluttering techniques promote making the process easier by talking about what you need and need. does this bring joy. I don’t think this is helpful because it gives you too much room for excuses about why you “need” to keep things you don’t actually need, and I’m especially against it if you’ve decluttered. your New Year’s resolution.

There’s no better time than the start of a new year to make quick, objective decisions about what stays and what goes. Take advantage of this “New Year, New You” vibe by being determined and letting go of what no longer serves you.

However, after the initial cleaning, you need to make decluttering a habit, and the easiest way is to find a method that works for you. In honor of the new year, I advocate the creation of “one entrance, one exit“thinking. Decide that for everything you buy, you will throw away one (or more) similar items.

Last year, I was very lucky to adopt this philosophy into my wardrobe: when I wanted something new, I listed a matching counterpart in my existing collection. for saleand then allowed myself to buy a new item only after the old one was sold (as a bonus, it was like getting a discount on a new item). It freed me from an overabundance of sweaters, bags, and shoes, kept my look fresh, and allowed me to share some treasured but no longer needed items with others. You don’t have sell items you’ve gotten rid of, but agree not to repurchase anything you already own. Otherwise, next year you will end up where you started this time.