At the beginning of this year, I watched two Popular Netflix series, Tidying Up With Marie Kondo and The Minimalism, which prompted me to start the journey of decluttering my home.  A few months have passed and I have fallen head over hills in love with the results of decluttering my home!  My home is less cluttered, I can tidy the rooms in my home in 15 minutes or less, and I now have extra time to complete other activities. While I didn’t have a checklist in the beginning phases of decluttering my home, a declutter-your-home checklist will help you focus during the process.

A checklist also gives you additional ideas of items that you can declutter as you complete the process.  Before you scroll to see the declutter your home checklist let’s look at some of the steps that you will need to do before you actually start decluttering your home!

 

Create A Vision

Before you begin the process of decluttering your home, create a goal for your home by deciding what you envision for your home in terms of home organization.  You may want to think and ask yourself:

Why do I have attachments to certain items in my home?

Do I have more than one of the items in my home?

Do I have broken or worn items in my home?

Do I use items in my home on a consistent basis?

Do I want to only declutter certain rooms and spaces in my home?

Do I have a specific day or timeline that I need to declutter my home by?

Ask For Help

If you are a person that works better with assistance, ask a family member or friend to help you as you declutter your home.  If you work better alone and have kids, ask for help with the kids during the time that you will be decluttering your home. If that option is not available, set a time to complete decluttering tasks before your kids wake up or after their bedtime.

Prep And Set Up Your Supplies

Prepare to declutter your space before starting the actual process. Gather a trash bag for items that will be thrown away, a box for items that will be donated, given away, or sold, and another box for items that will soon have a new home inside your home. Sticky notes, index cards, pens, scissors, and tape are also needed for labeling the boxes.

Purge

Empty the space that you are decluttering, removing all the items. As you purge, assess and place your items into bags and boxes that you prepped (donate pile, sell pile, find a new home pile, and trash pile).

Next, clean the space and place the items that you will keep back in the space.

Tip: If you notice that as you place items back in the space, the space still seems decluttered, declutter and remove items from the space.

Make The Most Out Of Your Time

Set your timer for 20-25 minutes and declutter as much as you can. After the timer expires, take a 5 minute break and return to complete another round if needed.

Note:

Depending on your decluttering goals, the size of your home, and the number of items you are seeking to declutter, decluttering each space in your home may take longer than a day.

It may take longer than a week.  It may take months for you to fully reach your goal.

This is totally okay!  Remembers that life is a marathon and not a sprint.  Celebrate the small wins and use the small wins as motivation to complete your ultimate goal.

 

Related Posts:

6 Benefits Of An Organized Home

How To Decorate Your Kitchen Counter Without Clutter

Now that you have a guide on how to start decluttering your home, read below and grab your declutter-your-home checklist, bringing the new vision of your home to life!

Things To Declutter In The Kitchen

Expired food and spices

Extra lids

Old kitchen gadgets

Old dishes

Coffee mugs

Worn or chipped plates

Worn or chipped casserole dishes

Old kitchen towels

Old Tupperware dishes

Expired medicines and vitamins

Items in your junk drawer

Cookbooks

Items that you have multiple sets of

Old bottles and sippy cups

Multiple syringes used for your kid’s medicines

Old lunch bags

Declutter Checklist For The Living Room

DVDs

Mail

Game Systems

Games

Puzzles

Books

Blankets

Remote controls

Papers

Mail

Candles

Magazines

Writing utensils

Home Décor

Checklist For The Bedroom

 Trash

Paper and items in the nightstand

Items under the bed

Extra pillows

Bags

Books

Checklist For The Bedroom Drawer

Undergarments

Socks

Shorts

Camisoles and tanks

T-Shirts

Scarfs

Belts

Jewelry

Things To Declutter In the Closet

All clothing that you no longer wear and no longer serve a purpose

Shoes

Purses

Scarves

Hats

Belts

Ties

Plastic and store hangers

Things To Declutter In the Bathroom        

Expired makeup

Duplicate or unneeded shampoo

Identical or unneeded conditioner

Duplicate or unneeded lotion

Brushes

Combs

Curling irons

Hair accessories

Toys for the tub

Old toothbrushes

Old toothpaste

Perfume and cologne

Old cleaning supplies

Tip:  If you have duplicates of shampoo, conditioner, and lotion and the containers are both open combine the two liquids into one container

What To Declutter In The Office

Old papers

An abundance of pens, pencils, and office supplies

Old books

Old calendars

Planners

Things To Declutter In The Play Room

Worn Stuffed Animals

Torn toys

Toys your children no longer play with

Toys that you can rotate

Puzzles with missing pieces

What To Declutter In the Garage

Trash

Any items that you have moved from inside of the home and no longer use

Old tools

Aged paint

Lawncare equipment that no longer works or you no longer use

Sporting goods equipment that you no longer use

Seasonal items that you have not used in years

Old appliances

Old boxes (Use the boxes to place the items that you are decluttering in)

Obsolete and unused car parts

What Technology Items To Declutter

Old phones

Old tablets

Aged computers and printers

Old chargers and cords

Miscellaneous Items To Declutter

Old cards (Christmas cards, birthday cards)

Final Thoughts

Now that you have read the article, I hope that you have additional ideas and suggestions to help you start on your decluttering journey!  Click HERE to access the declutter your home checklist.

Which room in your home will you declutter first?

 

Having a guest in your home is special!  You have the opportunity to greet family and friends by making them feel welcomed and appreciated. One important way to do this is to prepare a room for your guests.  To prepare your room, you will need to have guest room essentials that make your guests feel at home.

In our home, we often have guests in our home during the summer and winter holidays.  They travel several hours to visit us, so I want to make their visit extra special.  I often think, “What makes a good guest bedroom?”  This has allowed me to think of and brainstorm guest room essentials.

Read below to see what every guest room should have and also be sure to grab your FREE Guest Room Checklist!

1. Clean Room (Vacuum, dust, clear spaces)

Always give your guests the experience of a “hotel room feeling” by first giving them a clean guest bedroom.  Before they arrive be sure to clean the room.  Vacuum or sweep the room. If needed dust the furniture, clean the walls, clean the windows, and wipe down the door.  The room should also be clean of any trash and clutter.

2. Comfortable Mattress

Provide your guests with a comfortable mattress.  If the mattress is not in the best condition and replacing the entire mattress is too pricey, consider purchasing a mattress topper.

3. Clean Linen

Place clean linen on the bed before your guests arrive (Don’t forget to sanitize the mattress).  If you want to go the extra mile, place white sheets on the bed.

This will definitely make your guests feel like they are staying in a hotel.

4. Extra Blankets And A Fan

Depending on your guests’ preference, they may be cold or hot-natured.  Place extra blankets in your guest bedroom for guests that are cold natured.  Also, provide a fan in the room for guests who prefer a cooler room at night.

5. Wi-Fi Network and Password

Provide your guests with a written copy of your Wi-Fi information. Although their main goal is to spend time with you and your family during their stay, they will also utilize their phones, tablets, and computers during their stay.

6. Travel Size amenities

Many guests forget to pack their personal hygiene items.  Guest room toiletries to include in the guest room are toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, a shaver, soap, shampoo, conditioner, and lotion.  Travel size items can be found at any local store.

7. Clean Towels

Your guests will need clean sets of towels.  Provide a clean set for each guest.

8. Closet space or an empty drawer

Depending on how long your guests stay with you, they may have several suitcases.  Clear a space in the dresser. This will allow your guest to unpack their suitcases and have a place to their clothes .  This is another tip that makes them truly feel like a welcomed guest.

If you can, provide a clear space in your closet with empty hangers to allow your guests the ability to hang their clothes.

9.Access to bathroom
Show your guests the bathroom that they will be using during their stay at your home.  Be sure to also clean the bathroom before your guests’ arrival.

Tip: If they will be using a shared bathroom (children’s bathroom), allow your children to use your bathroom to give your guest privacy during their stay.

10.Water

Fill the room with a few bottles of water for your guests.  This is another feature that will make your guest bedroom feel like a hotel room.

 

11.TV

At night before they retire to bed, your guests may want to relax and watch TV.  If you have an extra television, place one in the guestroom.

12.Nightstand

Place a small nightstand by the bed.  This gives your guests a place to place their medicine, phones, glasses, and other small personal items.

13.Gift or Guest Room Essentials basket

I saved the best for last!  Make sure to give your guest a personalized gift.  This can be as simple as a handwritten letter which lets them know how grateful you are for their presence.

If you really want to upgrade your personalized gift, purchase a basket that will serve as a guest room essentials basket.  Add specific treats that your guests love.  Candy, nuts, drinks, chips, and candles, coffee, and tea are great gifts to place in the basket.  Don’t forget to include your toiletry items too!

 

Guest Room Essentials Final Thoughts

This article included guest room essentials. Treat your guests like royalty by including the guest room essentials discussed.

I would love to hear what you place in your guest room to welcome then into your home.

Click HERE for your FREE guest room essentials list!

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6 Powerful Benefits Of An Organized Home

 

 

We all have family members and friends who have organized homes that we admire and love.  Their homes always seem clean, organized, tidy, and have an overall peaceful environment which makes us feel that they have all the secrets for an organized home.

Do you secretly wish that your home resembles theirs but feel that you need help in achieving this goal?

It can! And what’s better is that it will bring you more than feelings of admiration and desire.  It will bring you feelings of confidence and accomplishment because of the steps that you took to personally organize your home.

With that being said let’s learn the secrets of an organized home that will allow you to create a home that you will love and cherish.

Secret 1. Declutter Often

People who have organized homes often declutter their homes.  They strive to complete 1-4 major decluttering hauls in their home throughout the year (Decluttering each season is beneficial). In between each major decluttering event, they also routinely declutter items in their home to prevent reoccurring pile-ups of things.

Decluttering occurs when you remove items from a space that are no longer needed and no longer serve a purpose.

When decluttering, they sell, give away, or donate items they no longer use.  This prevents unnecessary clutter in their home.

Lastly, they monitor the number of items brought into their homes.

For example, if they recently donated a large amount of clothing, they avoid purchasing an abundance of clothes.  This would go against the goal of decluttering and would only bring temporary success.

In decluttering their homes, they have less items.  Fewer items means fewer items to clean and organize!

If you struggle to declutter items from your home, ask yourself the following questions:

Do I love it?

Do I use it?

Do I have more than one of the item?

It is unique or irreplaceable?

Tip: Keep a bag or box that can be used as a fluid bag or box.  This means that you will continuously add to the bag or box.  You can sell or donate the items when the box or bag becomes full, repeating the cycle after each you empty the box.

Click here for a free beginner’s home organization printable!

Secret 2. Simplify The Home

As people declutter their homes they often realize that they can live without a lot of material items.  In addition to making an effort to declutter material things from the home, they also begin to declutter and simplify their meals, their health, their finances, their time, and tasks.

In simplifying your home, you are implementing routines to make your home tasks and life easier. Not only will you have a visually organized home but also a home that allows less stress, less cleaning, more money, and more peace.

 

Secret 3. Don’t Tackle The Journey Alone

People who have organized homes don’t organize and maintain the organization of their homes alone.  If they have family members who also live in the home, they have developed a system where family members are also responsible for home tasks and help out.

These may include a daily or weekly chore list for the children of the home to complete.

Some people also choose to seek help when organizing their homes.  They may initially hire a professional home organizer or ask a close friend or family member to help them throughout the process.

To maintain the organization and cleanliness of their home, they may also outsource and hire a cleaning company.

Asking for help is totally okay!  We only have so many hours in a day.  By asking for help, you can organize your home quicker than you would if you had to do it all by yourself.

This gives you time back in your day to complete other activities or just enjoy life!

Tip:  Ask your friends and family members for recommendations when looking for cleaning services.

Secret 4. Have systems

People who have organized homes do not organize their homes in one event and never organize their homes again.  They create systems that allow them to consistently maintain the organization of their homes.

Each night they may dedicate 15 minutes to decluttering and cleaning. During this timeframe, they may:

Clear counters

Pick up items off the floor

Return every item back to its home

Sweep or vacuum floors

Manage and address daily mail

One day out of the week they may complete a deep clean of their home and prepare for the upcoming week.  This article details how to reset your home for the upcoming week!

Secret 5. Every item has a home inside of the home

An organized home has spaces that have been identified for certain items.  Having specific spaces for particular items gives the items a designated spot when the items go when they are not being used.

For example, you may have a specific place in your entryway where you place your keys and work bag.

This concept keeps our home from being cluttered and in disarray as every item has a “home” inside of the home.

Secret 6. Organized homes are not always organized

This secret of an organized home is HUGE!

People who have organized homes recognize that their homes are not always perfectly organized.  They have times throughout the day when areas in their homes will have visible paper, toys, clothes, electronics, food, and other household items.

This is totally normal and expected.  It would be unrealistic to have a kitchen with no food, children without toys, and rooms without paper and other common household items.

However, remember people who have organized homes have daily systems and routines that allow for the return of materials and things to their “home” when they are no longer in use or needed.

The balance allows for a livable home and organized home.

Final Thoughts

Now that you have read the article, you now know the secrets for an organized home!

If you need help cleaning and organizing your home, these secrets will definitely help you.  Don’t keep the secrets to yourself, share these secrets with someone who could also benefit.

You may also like the following articles:

50 Productive Things To Do At Home

How To Decorate Your Kitchen Counter Without Clutter

Organization 101: Organizing Vs. Cleaning

Home organization seems to be a popular buzzword!  TV shows, stores, social media, and books all feature endless advice on why home organization is important.  While the information can seem overwhelming, there are benefits of an organized home.

The benefits of an organized home are so important that I consider it a non-negotiable for a content and peaceful life.

By organizing your home, you are investing in your home and most importantly, yourself.

The gains that you will make when you organize your home will always be worth it as you will notice a change within your home, yourself, and you will learn throughout the process.

It will seriously change your life.

With that, lets jump in and see why home organization is important and a must!

1. Home Organization Promotes Less Stress 

An organized home will allow you to experience less stress. One huge component in home organization is decluttering. Often referred to as editing, purging, or removing, when you declutter a space, you remove items from a space that are no longer needed and no longer serve a purpose.

As you declutter your home, your home will transform into a space that has fewer items and clutter.

This is HUGE as clutter and an abundance of items in one space create stress in the brain. Verywell also details that just the visual reminder of the clutter can cause unwanted stress.

This occurs as clutter and so many items in one space prohibit you from focusing and concentrating, which leads to a rise in the stress hormone cortisol.

When your home and space are organized your ability to focus is enhanced which levels out your stress levels.

An organized space will also boost your mood levels, contributing to lower stress levels.

2. Home Organization Gives You Control Of Your Home

There are so many things in life that you simply cannot control. BUT there are also so many things that you can control.

When you organize your home, you take responsibility for your home and control the narrative of your home.

In taking responsibility for the organization of your home, you have the ability to organize your home in a way that is soothing, relaxing, calming, and meets the physical and emotional needs of you and your family.

What’s more important is that by taking responsibility for your home you are you increasing the power that you have over your life.

3.Home Organization Increases Productivity

Productivity occurs when you complete activities and things in ways that are efficient and consistent, which allows you to make the most out of your day.  Over time these activities will become routines.

These routines will allow you to prioritize tasks, manage your time, and create schedules for your home.

Your routines and schedules will also allow you to keep you home organized once you have met your initial home organization goal.

These concepts all fall under productivity, and you will be amazed at how much time you are able to gain back in your day as a result of being productive within your home!

Tip: When you create your routine, decide what tasks need to be included in your routine that will allow you to keep your home organized.

4. Home Organization Boosts Self-Confidence

Many people believe that home organization is an inherited skill and exists only in Type A people.  While organization skills may come easier for some people, organization is a learned skill and can be strengthened.

As you complete organization tasks and experience success, you will become motivated to complete additional organization projects.

With time and opportunities to complete multiple home organization tasks, you will gain self-confidence in your abilities.

With heightened self-confidence in home organization, you can even help your friends and family organize their spaces and homes!

Tip: Start with small projects where you can experience immediate success.  This will give you momentum and motivation to complete additional home organization projects.

5. An Organized Home Is A Learned And Transferrable Skill

Remember that home organization is a learned skill.

As you organize your home, you are doing so much more than organizing!

You are improving your time management skills, improving your productivity skills, and you are meeting personal goals.

These skills can transfer to your work life and other areas in your personal life.

You will notice that once you create organization systems at home you will also work to create systems at work, systems for your finances, your health, and other important areas in your life.

6. An Organized Home Allows You To Impact Future Generations

If you currently have younger children, you probably have noticed that their brains are a “sponge” and learn modeled behavior quickly.

I am always amazed at how quickly they learn and memorize lines from songs and shows.

If children live in an organized and clean home where you model how to organize and clean your home, they will also learn those skills and want to help out.

With consistency, the skills will transform into routines and can become a part of your child’s daily activities.

The best part is as they grow and evolve into adults, these skills will help them become productive adults.

Tip: As you model for you children, provide specific and positive feedback as they complete home organization tasks.

 

Closing Remarks

By taking the journey and organizing my home, I have realized that home organization is important!  The benefits of an organized home brings me peace, allows me to destress after a long day at work, and has allowed me to gain self-confidence in the area of organization.

If you are on the fence about home organization, I promise that organizing your home is worth the process!

If you have organized your home, what benefits have you experienced since organizing your home?

Below are additional articles and a checklist that can help you organize your home.  Happy Home Organizing!

Beginner’s Home Organizing Checklist

6 Incredibly Easy Tips To Keep Your Kitchen Organized

Organization 101 Cleaning Vs. Organizing

What no one talks about: How to create a nighttime routine for success