5 Tricks For Clutter Clean-Up

Do the 5-Things Dash

Walk into each room of your home with a box or garbage bag and choose 5 things you can throw out or donate. Choose duplicates or items that are worn out, out-dated or rarely used.

Toss the Toiletries

Just before you brush your teeth every night or jump in the shower every morning, spend just 5 minutes getting rid of hair products that didn’t work, bath products you never used and skin care products that didn’t live up to their promise. By the end of the week, you’ll have more storage space in your bathroom and easier access to the items you use regularly.

Eliminate Under-Used Utensils

While waiting for water to boil or the oven to preheat, go through your utensil drawer and eliminate items you don’t use. Go through your kitchen ‘junk drawer’ and see what treasures you’ve forgotten about and what trash you can remove.

Eliminate the Expired

Use a plastic bin to gather up all your medication, vitamins, and over-the counter drugs. While listening to music or relaxing in front of the TV, begin looking at each item’s expiry date and have a bag nearby to toss the outdated items. You can take them to the drug store for safe disposal.

Keep the current medications in the plastic bin, label it and store it in a cool, dark place out of children’s’ reach.

Clear the Counters

Remove anything you don’t need and use daily from your kitchen counters. Put out an attractive bowl or basket as a catch-all for items that usually end up cluttering the counters. When the container is full, spend a few minutes going through it and either purge items or place them where they belong.

Once you’ve cleared your counters, you’ll not only have more space for food preparation, you’ll have a more relaxed environment for eating and entertaining. After the clutter is cleared, reward your efforts by displaying a vase of fresh flowers or a pot of spring bulbs on your counters.