While the new year is often a time of revitalized goals, it is also an excellent time for purchasing unwanted clutter and junk, Circle a weekend in the first few months of the year and plan for purging. The following areas are a great place to start.
Kitchen cabinets.
Pull everything out of your kitchen cabinets and examine your items for frequency of use. If you have duplicates, worn items or well-intentioned gadgets you rarely use, pull them aside for donation or re-sell.
Linen closets.
When was the last time you itemized your linen closet? Empty out your space and look for linens that are stained, damaged, faded or, in general, have seen better days. Cut them up into rags or store them for drop cloths for your next painting project.
Storage spaces.
Storage spots–whether it’s the attic, garage or that closet in the basement–are often packed with items that we really got let go of. Go through each storage space and be brutal with your elimination tactics. If you haven’t used it in over a year and it isn’t highly sentimental, it should go.
Media collections.
Do you have stacks of DVDs, books, magazines, and more that you rarely use? Dig through your collection and consider donating items to your local library.
Clothes.
Your clothes closet is likely stuffed full of items you rarely wear. Having trouble letting go? Pull everything out, put on a fashion show for yourself, and toss anything that doesn’t make you feel excellent. If you have items that are similar, let your least favorite one go. Anything with holes or stains should be tossed, cut up for rags, or stored for gardening or painting clothes. Consign your nicer pieces, and donate the rest.