If spring is synonymous with deep cleaning, winter should be thought of as the decluttering season. After the bustle of the holidays and between the brisk spring mornings, is the perfect time to stay indoors and get your home looking its best. A good winter declutter will not only make you feel good in your home now, but will make your spring cleaning even easier and more impactful.
General Indoor Spaces
Start by tackling those indoor spaces that you see everyday. With winter lending itself to families spending more time indoors, there are likely some areas within your home that could use some extra organization and general TLC.
- Kitchen Declutter: Between your pantry, fridge and cabinets there are likely a lot of items that can be tossed or donated. Stale or expired foods should be composted or tossed, any food items that can be donated should be removed to clear up space. Donate kitchenware that hasn’t seen use in the last year.
- Bedroom and Closet Refresh: Donate extra blankets and linens, any stained or worn blankets can be donated to your local animal shelter. Winter is a great time to pair down your clothing so you know what you have to wear when spring activities roll around.
- Kids’ Rooms: As spring and summer come along, evaluate how much time your child will spend inside playing with toys. Now may be an excellent time to pair down on kids toys. Be sure to donate any too small clothing items so you don’t have an overwhelming sorting job later in the year.
Prioritize Hobby Spaces or Collections
Whether you have a shop, garden shed or garage bursting with tools and accumulating junk, there’s no better time to take a moment to declutter and reassess the items in those spaces. In winter months, when those areas don’t see as much use, it’s easy to store random items or boxes in your hobby spots. Now is a great time to go through any donatable objects and organize the things you have; don’t wait for spring to declutter. This way, the first sunny day of spring won’t be spent wishing you could use your space, but taking full advantage of the new season to get right back into your projects.
