The Dos and Don’ts of Decluttering

Almost everyone – including a potential home buyer - feels more comfortable and relaxed in a clean and organized home, but unfortunately clutter and chaos can take over. This can make any home seem smaller and unwelcoming. Some people say that clutter makes them feel like it is harder to breathe.

You may realize that clutter has taken over your home, but what should – and shouldn’t – you do to fix the situation? Here’s a list of dos and don’ts, so that your energy and effort is not wasted and results are almost guaranteed.

• Do not set aside the entire day to organize your house. Most people will not follow through with a full day of organizing. It's much better to pick a room and spend two or three hours on one project or space. This way you'll feel motivated to do more, not burned out by the process.
  
  
• If your closets are crammed, disorganized, or messy, empty everything out first to better organize them. Basically, pull out everything from the closet, clean the shelves, and vacuum the floor – make it clean and fresh. Then pick and choose what gets to be put back and what gets donated or tossed.
  
  
• If you are organizing a room, remove all clutter and get down to the bare bones. Remove excess pieces and anything that clutters the space - perhaps just leave the furniture. Look at what you have and formulate what will go where, and really think about why this is the best placement for these items.
  
  
• Don’t keep everything. Create separate piles of what to toss, keep, or donate. Get rid of anything you no longer wear, put to regular use, is broken, or items that you have not touched in more than a year. Remember, items that go to Goodwill, Salvation Army, or a similar charity should be in good condition – if not, toss them!
  
  
• Invest in quality over-the-door racks. Purchase solid coat hooks from the home improvement store and screw them into the inside of the closet door. This is perfect for scarves, ties and sweatshirts.
  
  
• Label linen closet shelves. If you have a place for everything and everything in its place, labels not only help make this happen today, but keep it organized too. For example, if you have help with laundry (which is awesome) someone else will be able to put linens away and still keep up with your organization (which is more awesome).

Decluttering and organizing will probably take you a few hours per area or room, but it is well worth the investment of time and energy. You will appreciate the organization and clean, breezy feeling a room has without clutter, and if you are selling your home, buyers will take notice.

Selling your home? Read our article on How to Get More Buyers For Your Home!