Follow This Three-Step, No-Fail Decluttering Plan to Tidy Up - And Feel Better!
- Dani S
- Mar 28, 2022
- 1 min read
If you want to get organized but never have—or never have successfully—you need a no-fail decluttering plan.
This three-step approach is designed to save time
(fewer closet excavations) & aggravation (no more pantry landslides).
It might also erase guilt, since clutter reminds us of the decisions, big and
little, that we’ve dodged.
More shelf space is lovely, but more mental space is the real game changer. What will you do with yours?
Ready to clean up?
Book a dumpster rental for your project.
or Call us at (801)935-0297
THE ULTIMATE DECLUTTERING PLAN
Step 1 - The Prep
CONFER WITH YOUR TEAM
Organizing is contagious—usually the less-interested parties just need to see progress in one area to get on board,” says Jordan Marks, cofounder and owner of It’s Organized, with locations in New York, New Jersey, and California. Ask everyone to share ideas on how your home could function better. Then divvy up jobs based on strengths: If your husband loves to wheel and deal, he can sell items on Nextdoor; your teenager can drive things to the recycling center; your 5-year-old can test the pile of pens in the office.
PLAN YOUR ATTACK Ask your family which areas bother them most on a daily basis. They’ll see meaningful results from tackling these pain points first. Reserve blocks of time to work—up to an hour a few times a week or a two-hour weekend stretch. Put them on the family calendar and stick to them; consistency is what matters most.
GATHER SUPPLIES To clean out a clothing closet, you’ll need a full-length mirror for try-ons and heavy-duty trash bags for sorting castoffs. Use a permanent marker and Super Sticky Post-It Notes to label the bags to donate, tailor, sell, and recycle (for items no longer usable). Use a similar strategy for other areas of your home. Rent a roll-off dumpster for quick and painless disposal, companies like Same Day Dumpsters will even recycle for you too!
OPTIMIZE YOUR CASTOFFS
ARE THE DONATION BINS IN PARKING LOTS AND ON STREET CORNERS LEGIT? You may want to do a little research first. Some of the companies that own them have come under fire for misrepresenting how much of the contributions go to those in need and how much is resold for profit.
RENT A 10, 15, OR 20 YARD DUMPSTER FOR FAST & PAINLESS DISPOSAL.
Renting a dumpster from a reputable company is a good idea, because they will haul off your unwanted items and take them to the appropriate facilities for recycling, donation, or disposal.
Step 2 - The Purge
GET IN A ZONE Set a timer each time you dive in—this helps you keep a steady pace. “Shut off visual distractions—texts, TV—and put on music or a podcast you can zone out to,” says Melissa Maker, author of Clean My Space.
SORT AND EDIT Bring three sturdy bags into every room: one for trash, one for donations, and one for items that would be better stored elsewhere. Large, opaque garbage bags you can tie closed discourage rethinking. For bulky housewares and furniture, use bright dot stickers (the kind you see at garage sales) to mark the categories. First clear out anything that’s a no-brainer (worn-out shoes, obsolete sports equipment), then sort items, keeping like with like. In the entryway, group each person’s belongings. In the closet, keep blouses together and pullovers in their own pile. As you work, identify what else you can get rid of. General rule: If you haven’t used it in a year, it should go.
MOVE THINGS OUT OF SIGHT As the bags get full, remove them from the space. Hauling them to the dump can be a logistical nightmare, costly & time-consuming. By renting a residential roll-off dumpster, you can have a dumpster in your drive way the SAME DAY, and just chuck your junk straight in the bin, let the pros take it from there! Dumpster Rental companies will haul away your items for you, and Same Day Dumpster charges a low one-time flat fee, so budgeting no matter how big your project, will be effortless!
ASSIGN EVERY ITEM A HOME It’s the cardinal rule of professional organizers: Every item needs one home. When the item is not in use, it’s in that home. Think about storage options you already own that you can repurpose, and have family members help come up with creative ways to store things. If you need to purchase containers, make a detailed list first to avoid overbuying.
Step 3 - The Post - Cleanse
REWARD YOURSELF Plan a little treat after each work session, and offer kids stars on a chart to earn a trip to the movies or the ice cream place. Layering in pleasure keeps the organizing process uplifting and transformative rather than drawn-out drudgery. Just try not to reward yourself with a shopping spree (new clutter!).
FIGHT FUTURE CLUTTER Take an after photo to capture what you’ll strive to maintain and share it with us n Google! Adopt a hands-full mantra: “Never leave a room empty-handed because, chances are, there’s at least one item you could return to its rightful location,” Maker says. When shopping, think about where each new purchase will live and what you can get rid of to offset it. (That’s the stickier cardinal rule of professional organizers: One in, one out.) Seasonally or monthly mini-purges with a 10 yard dumpster will help keep things on track for year round organizational bliss!
Ready to clean up? Book a dumpster rental for your project. or Call us at (801)935-0297
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