“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t”. Don’t you think this quote by Joshua Becker is really powerful? I love it!
Decluttering and having a spring clean not only helps you simplify the areas in your house, but also helps you make more space in your life for the things that really matter. Decluttering and simplifying can truly help to change your life and improve its quality.
How To Declutter Your Life: Decluttering Tips And Hacks
A clinical study notes that cleaning and decluttering can be really important for adults, especially to reduce stress and overwhelm.¹
Below are some tips and hacks for cleaning, decluttering, and mindful living. These tips can help you to keep decluttering as simple as possible, which makes it as easy as possible to live in a clutter-free home!
1. Invest In A Dust Buster
Dustbusters are amazing. They can help to clean up places where it’s a hassle to vacuum like:
- Crumbs on your counters
- Highchairs
- Lint from cleaning out your dryer
- Bathroom mats
- Baseboards
- Around your garbage can
- When you empty the vacuum into the garbage (and that annoying extra dust comes flying out)
- And other small or hard-to-reach areas
2. Make Spot And Surface Cleaning A Part Of Your Day
Spot cleaning daily helps to break down the big tasks into small manageable chunks.
- Do the dishes after every meal to avoid build-up
- Start a load of laundry every day to avoid overwhelm
- Find a good child-friendly surface disinfectant spray to use on frequently used areas. You can spray and simply leave it on to dry.
3. Only Clean What Is Dirty
You don’t need to clean your entire house every time you clean. Clean the heavy-use areas more, and the less-used areas less.
If you spend a lot of time in your kitchen and living room, these areas will benefit from a daily clean, whereas your hall, landing and stairs might be a once or twice-a-week clean.
4. Dusting
Wipe and dust bust your baseboards and window sills as part of cleaning that specific room versus making it a chore to do the dusting of your entire house at once.
5. Microwave
Want to know an easy hack to make it super easy to wipe and clean your microwave?
Simply grab a coffee mug and fill it with half white vinegar, and half water. Turn on your microwave for 1 to 2 minutes. And the steam from the water and vinegar solution makes it super easy to just wipe and clean!
6. Label Your Storage Space Organizers And Clothes Bins
If you also store clothes and sentimental items in storage containers, organizers, and clothes bins, then mark the bin with what size clothing and what type of clothing is included in the bin. This is a great way to store summer clothes during winter, or seasonal clothes that don’t get used often.
I also love vacuum-sealed bags to help me save more space!
7. Carpet Deodorizer
I love carpet deodorizer because it really helps with pets. I’ve got a dog and cat, and as much as I love pets—they can leave an odor on my furnishings. Furnishing and carpet spray really helps to keep things fresh.
8. Create Designated Spots For Your Items
Make sure everything you own has a “home.” Once you start designating spots for specific items, it will become easier to put things back where they belong.
Try to keep all of your flat surfaces clean and clear. Keeping your countertops, tabletops, and nightstands clear helps to make your rooms feel less cluttered, and it’s much easier to clean the surfaces too because you don’t have any items to remove.
If you’ve got cluttered countertops, simply take everything off, put all the items on the floor, and only add back the essentials you use and need often. Put the rest away in drawers, hang items on hooks, donate, or toss. You’ll be really amazed at the difference!
9. Commit To The One In One Out Rule
The one in one out rule is a game-changer.
Essentially, whenever you buy new items, you must donate, giveaway, or toss an item of clothing or old clothes. This helps to prevent items from piling up and allows you to be much more minimalistic.
Minimalism habits are great for living a simpler life, a clutter-free home, and a tidy mind!
10. Do A 15-Minute Nightly Clean-Up
Doing a quick clean-up before you go to bed ensures that you don’t wake up with a headache. Waking up to a messy house can feel really stressful, so have a quick zip around before you go to bed to complete your day.
Try and tackle:
- Toys
- Laundry
- Shoes and jackets
- Lunch boxes
- Emptying the sink
- Random items on counters and your floor
11. If You Get It Out, You Put It Away!
This is a great family rule to implement! Teaching your children (and maybe even your spouse too) about responsibility is really key to a clutter-free home.
If someone gets out something, such as toys or tools, they must also put it away!
12. Seasonal
There are some tasks that only need to be done seasonally. You can journal down some seasonal tasks as part of your decluttering journey, to do in spring and autumn as an easy reminder each year.
Things such as:
- Getting out summer clothes, and putting winter clothes away into your storage solutions (or vice versa)
- Seasonally cleaning pet beds and car seats
- Spring cleaning clothes closets, and having a clear out of unused clothes
- A deep house, garden, or car clean
- Cleaning the house exterior, gutters, and windows
13. Enjoy Cleaning By Multi-Tasking
I’m busy, and I love my life as a mom and wife, but I also have my own dreams and goals too. And as much as I love caretaking our house, I also have limited time!
I love to make use of my house cleaning time whilst listening to YouTube, podcasts, or audible books. This allows me to keep learning, growing, and self-developing, whilst keeping my family as a priority.
14. Take Baby Steps And Celebrate Your Wins
Be gentle with yourself. The decluttering process is probably not going to be an overnight journey, especially if you’re not used to these deep cleaning habits and getting rid of unwanted items.
Adopt the ‘slow and steady’ mentality and don’t try to do it all at once! Trust that small baby steps done consistently over time will bring results and that you will manifest your ideal home!
15. Design Systems And Plans
Make cleaning and decluttering a part of your daily life, by figuring out systems and plans that work for you. This structure should make it doable, as opposed to dreadful!
I highly recommend ‘anchoring’ your habits together to create routines in your day that will become second nature. For example, you can wipe the counters after every meal, load the dishwasher while you cook, and put everything back in its home (toys, remotes, clothes, blankets, etc) when you leave a room.
For more information on anchoring habits, check out my blog post on time-saving tips and productivity hacks for moms here.
16. Make Sure You’re Being Appreciated
If you feel under-appreciated in your house, then make sure you have this open conversation with your family or spouse. Being a mom is a tough job sometimes, and there’s nothing worse than building up frustration or resentment toward those you love.
If others aren’t doing their fair share and helping, then this also needs to be addressed because you’re a mom, not a slave.
17. Write Down An Inventory Of Chores
Writing down an inventory of chores helps you and everyone else in the house to be on the same page with expectations.
Designate different chores for different people, and your kids, so that everyone knows what they’re responsible for. This prevents you from having to nag—which isn’t fun for anyone.
18. Let Go Of Perfectionism
Don’t strive for perfection, strive for progress. And also let other family members do the cleaning the way they like, as opposed to micromanaging everything the way you like. After all, is it really that important which way the laundry is folded?
Ask yourself; ‘am I trying to control something because another area of life is out of control? Am I too consumed with perfectionism that I’m not allowing others to help?’
19. Set An Example
Always lead by example. Set the standard and encourage your family and kids to follow suit. If you’re leaving your clothes everywhere, and not tidying up after yourself—you can’t expect them to be tidy.
If you want more tips on how to be a better mom and raise happy kids, then be sure to check out my blog post here.
20. Set A Timer For 10 Minutes
A clinical study notes that decision-making and being action-orientated are vital for decluttering and cleaning.²
But, if you’re overwhelmed in your space and don’t know where to start, then simply set a timer for 10 minutes, pick a room such as the home office or living room, and do what you can within that time frame.
Conclusion
What did you think about my top tips for spring cleaning and decluttering your life? Do you have any more great tips to share? Let me know in the comments!
*Affiliate Disclaimer: I only ever endorse products or programs that I have personally used and benefited from. This post may contain affiliate links which means I’d receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase using my links. If you do make a purchase – thank you for helping to support my family through my blog!
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Yes! I love this, I watched a documentary on minimalism and it changed my life. I have loved decluttering and minimalism ever since. Getting rid of things I have an attachment to, but don’t need has been so liberating! Thank you for the article.
YEEEASS! I watched a documentary a couple years ago on minimalism and it was what sparked the complete mindset shift and opened the light of liberation. Amen, sister.
Do you remember the doc you watched?