How to Start to Declutter your Home: 8 Household Items to Get Rid of NOW |

How to Start to Declutter Your Home: Beginning with these 8 household items

Kick-start your January declutter process by clearing out household items throughout the house. The new year is a perfect time to work on organizational home projects, but sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. Start by doing something that’s easy and creates INSTANT gratification: purging things you don’t need or want! Pick a few things from this list to get rid of. It won’t take a lot of time or effort, it will clear some space, it will give you a sense of accomplishment, and it will help you start some good new habits going for the new year.

1. Extra Utensils

Somehow my utensil drawer is seriously overflowing and almost non-closable by the end of the year. New gadgets, spoons, and spatulas are gathered throughout the year from winning baskets at showers or the large plastic utensils from catering for parties end up in my drawer! So make this your first decluttering task as it will be easy and completed within 5 minutes. Instant gratification when the drawer is organized and closes easily.

2. Extra Coffee Mugs

Chances are, there at least 10 more coffee cups in your cabinet than how many are actually used regularly. And that’s just fine, but most of us are wasting valuable cabinet space on mugs in sizes we never use or with sayings we don’t want to see first thing in the morning. Assess how many mugs you really need and put the excess into the donation bin. If you need to keep some extras for company, consider using coffee hooks to save cabinet space or a kitchen shelf with hooks.

3. Kitchen Sponge

I get really grossed out from the slightest hint of mildew smell on my kitchen sponge, so I wash mine in the dishwasher often. For those who are vigilant about making sure they don’t have a sponge with any sort of mildew or nasty germs on it, or for those that don't think to wash in the dishwasher, now is a good time to make sure you throw out any used ones and replace with new.

Instead of filling landfills with these things, this year consider alternatives like reusable dishrags you can wash regularly or eco-friendly sponges made of biodegradable cellulose.

4. Old Magazines

If you didn’t read a magazine in 2019, you’re not going to read it in 2020. Don’t feel guilty that you might have missed out on a recipe or that you’ll fail at dinner conversation because you didn’t read every story in Real Simple. T ensure you don't miss anything, thumb through your favorites and rip out the pages you want to read or save, add them to a binder to read later or use as a reference.

Make sure to recycle them in your garbage recycling bin if you will be tossing them. You can also check with your local Library to see whether or not magazines are hot items there or check with teachers at local schools to see if they want the glossy color magazines for collage projects. You can also grab a dream board and make a vision board by cutting out pictures/words/letters to spell out your goals, dreams, and visions. By adding a visualization practice to your daily routine, you will naturally become more motivated to reach your goals.

5. Declutter your Home & Toss Tupperware containers without lids

The dreaded Tupperware container that you can't find a lid for. This seems to be a struggle for every household! The New Year is the perfect time to organize and make sure all of your containers have lids, and organize your cabinet so they are all neatly stacked. I use plastic magazine files to hold the lids so they stay in one place.

Consider buying a new set of stackable containers and lids to replace these and to start January with a fresh, neat and new Tupperware cabinet

6. Equipment Manuals

Manuals for small to major appliances often wind up being the stashed in a drawer never to be read. They may even still be sealed in plastic packets full of registration cards you never sent in. Chances are, almost any equipment manual you are clinging to is available online. If you’re really nervous about throwing them out, check and make sure there is an online version, bookmark the link and save them in a google doc or Evernote file. Then throw out the manuals taking up so much space in your drawer and declutter your home!

7. Your Toothbrush

A lot of us don’t think about throwing out toothbrushes when they seem to work just fine. But if the bristles are bent or broken, the American Dental Association recommends tossing the brush. This usually occurs after 3-4 months of use. While this isn't technically a “household item”, make sure you are changing out your toothbrush regularly

When shopping for new brushes, research eco-friendly toothbrush options, such as those made with recycled plastic or bamboo handles, or those with replaceable heads. Store your toothbrush in a place where it can dry out between uses. Also, the bristles should not be touching another toothbrush.

Shop for toothbrush holders here

8. Get rid of Expired Food

Go through the pantry and fridge and make two piles. One for expired items and one for items you don’t think you will use but are still good, to donate. Once you get through what is still good, organize and spruce up your pantry with nice containers to hold your baking supplies and pantry organization bins