7 Ways to Declutter Your Home as You Welcome Fall
Make time now to get your home in shape for cooler autumn days
This past spring, when many of us started spending more time at home, a lot of us felt the urge to trim excess belongings and organize our stuff. However, getting clutter out of the house was difficult, because at the start of the pandemic, many charities were closed.
Fortunately, organizations like Goodwill, The Salvation Army and others are now accepting donations in many areas. You may want to take advantage of this opportunity to winnow your possessions. I recommend calling donation centers before you load your car. Not all locations are open, and some have reduced hours and restrictions on what they will accept. Once you find a place that will accept donations, here are tips to help you declutter as you prepare for fall.
Fortunately, organizations like Goodwill, The Salvation Army and others are now accepting donations in many areas. You may want to take advantage of this opportunity to winnow your possessions. I recommend calling donation centers before you load your car. Not all locations are open, and some have reduced hours and restrictions on what they will accept. Once you find a place that will accept donations, here are tips to help you declutter as you prepare for fall.
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2. Pare Down Summer Gear
Now is a good time to put away your beach totes. But before you do, I recommend emptying them out, wiping them off and sorting through the contents you’ve removed. Toss expired sunscreen, worn-out goggles and faded swimsuits. Consider donating frayed or faded beach towels to a local animal shelter.
If your beach umbrella, chairs and sand toys can be used for another year, clean off the sand and dirt before storing them. Wash towels and swimsuits that are in good shape and place them in a clean beach bag. Store totes and other summer gear in the back of a closet or on an upper shelf in your garage.
Now is a good time to put away your beach totes. But before you do, I recommend emptying them out, wiping them off and sorting through the contents you’ve removed. Toss expired sunscreen, worn-out goggles and faded swimsuits. Consider donating frayed or faded beach towels to a local animal shelter.
If your beach umbrella, chairs and sand toys can be used for another year, clean off the sand and dirt before storing them. Wash towels and swimsuits that are in good shape and place them in a clean beach bag. Store totes and other summer gear in the back of a closet or on an upper shelf in your garage.
3. Donate Unneeded Summer Clothing
If you have children, consider sorting their warm-weather clothes and disposing of any that are faded, stained or overly worn. If your kids will outgrow certain items by next summer, you might donate those pieces or offer them to a friend with smaller children.
If you prefer to save clothes for a younger sibling, place freshly washed items in a storage container and stow it on the top shelf of a closet, or in an attic or basement. Label your container with the clothing’s size, season and type so you remember to unpack when needed. This way you can save prime storage areas for clothes that your children use daily.
After sorting your children’s clothes, you may want to look at your own summer apparel. If a garment went unworn this year, perhaps it’s time to let it go.
If you have children, consider sorting their warm-weather clothes and disposing of any that are faded, stained or overly worn. If your kids will outgrow certain items by next summer, you might donate those pieces or offer them to a friend with smaller children.
If you prefer to save clothes for a younger sibling, place freshly washed items in a storage container and stow it on the top shelf of a closet, or in an attic or basement. Label your container with the clothing’s size, season and type so you remember to unpack when needed. This way you can save prime storage areas for clothes that your children use daily.
After sorting your children’s clothes, you may want to look at your own summer apparel. If a garment went unworn this year, perhaps it’s time to let it go.
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4. Whittle Down Your Work Clothes
In March, many of us started working from home full time. Months later, this seems to be the new normal for many of us, especially those whose employers are encouraging them to work from home permanently. If returning to the office looks unlikely, perhaps it’s time to create more room in your closet by paring down your work wardrobe.
Consider donating anything that no longer fits, that shows signs of wear or that you haven’t worn in several years. By the time you work outside the home again, these clothes might be outdated. Also, if you don’t like how something makes you look or feel, consider donating it. Hang on to high-quality, well-fitting garments that make you feel attractive and comfortable.
In March, many of us started working from home full time. Months later, this seems to be the new normal for many of us, especially those whose employers are encouraging them to work from home permanently. If returning to the office looks unlikely, perhaps it’s time to create more room in your closet by paring down your work wardrobe.
Consider donating anything that no longer fits, that shows signs of wear or that you haven’t worn in several years. By the time you work outside the home again, these clothes might be outdated. Also, if you don’t like how something makes you look or feel, consider donating it. Hang on to high-quality, well-fitting garments that make you feel attractive and comfortable.
5. Donate Excess Comfort Clothing
Some of my clients postpone decisions about purging old clothes by demoting them to loungewear or comfort clothes. Other clients earmark old clothes for gardening, cleaning or working on messy art projects. In either case, these clients do not plan to wear these clothes out of the house ever again.
Take a moment to consider whether you may be demoting clothes to delay letting them go. For “normal” times, a few T-shirts, a comfortable pair of jeans and a pair of leggings are generally sufficient for comfort clothing. But during this pandemic, when many of us are homebound, a few more pieces may seem necessary.
That said, an overabundance of comfortable apparel can crowd closets and drawers and make it hard to put things away. So consider donating items you haven’t worn outside the house in a few years.
Some people like to save sentimental T-shirts and sweatshirts from schools, vacation spots, concerts or sporting events, even though they don’t wear them regularly. Instead of storing infrequently worn items with everyday clothes, consider packing them in a box or storage container and placing the box on the top shelf of a closet, or in a basement or attic. This will keep your drawers and closets free for clothes you wear frequently.
Work with a professional home organizer
Some of my clients postpone decisions about purging old clothes by demoting them to loungewear or comfort clothes. Other clients earmark old clothes for gardening, cleaning or working on messy art projects. In either case, these clients do not plan to wear these clothes out of the house ever again.
Take a moment to consider whether you may be demoting clothes to delay letting them go. For “normal” times, a few T-shirts, a comfortable pair of jeans and a pair of leggings are generally sufficient for comfort clothing. But during this pandemic, when many of us are homebound, a few more pieces may seem necessary.
That said, an overabundance of comfortable apparel can crowd closets and drawers and make it hard to put things away. So consider donating items you haven’t worn outside the house in a few years.
Some people like to save sentimental T-shirts and sweatshirts from schools, vacation spots, concerts or sporting events, even though they don’t wear them regularly. Instead of storing infrequently worn items with everyday clothes, consider packing them in a box or storage container and placing the box on the top shelf of a closet, or in a basement or attic. This will keep your drawers and closets free for clothes you wear frequently.
Work with a professional home organizer
6. Purge Old Schoolwork and Supplies
Many children are attending school online this fall. Before the school year gets too far along, consider purging last year’s schoolwork and any supplies that you no longer need. Clean out children’s backpacks and pencil boxes. Recycle old school papers and worn-out folders. Toss pencils and binders that are broken and glue sticks, pens and markers that have dried out.
Eliminating last year’s clutter now may help your kids stay more organized during this school year.
Many children are attending school online this fall. Before the school year gets too far along, consider purging last year’s schoolwork and any supplies that you no longer need. Clean out children’s backpacks and pencil boxes. Recycle old school papers and worn-out folders. Toss pencils and binders that are broken and glue sticks, pens and markers that have dried out.
Eliminating last year’s clutter now may help your kids stay more organized during this school year.
7. Create a Permanent Home for Face Masks
In many parts of the country, face masks are required in public places, like grocery stores. You may now have quite a collection of cloth and disposable masks. Creating a permanent home for these new accessories will help keep your countertops, tables and other flat surfaces clutter-free.
In many parts of the country, face masks are required in public places, like grocery stores. You may now have quite a collection of cloth and disposable masks. Creating a permanent home for these new accessories will help keep your countertops, tables and other flat surfaces clutter-free.
I recommend storing masks in the same location as your keys, purse or wallet, so you can easily grab a fresh one when you leave the house. Think about the best storage solution for the way you live.
One option is to hang clean masks from coat hooks, with a separate hook for each family member. You can place dirty masks in a garment bag hung from another hook. Another option is to use baskets to store your masks, with a separate basket for each family member. Consider having an additional basket for dirty masks. Or, if you have a drawer available, use drawer dividers to keep masks organized.
One option is to hang clean masks from coat hooks, with a separate hook for each family member. You can place dirty masks in a garment bag hung from another hook. Another option is to use baskets to store your masks, with a separate basket for each family member. Consider having an additional basket for dirty masks. Or, if you have a drawer available, use drawer dividers to keep masks organized.
When you finish winnowing your possessions, you might want to find a charity that is accepting donations and drop them off as soon as possible, since local ordinances are changing frequently. Take advantage of this opportunity to clear your clutter while centers are open. This could make spending time at home more relaxing this fall.
Now that we are near summer’s end, your patio may need refreshing, and if your budget allows, it could be a good time to spruce up your outdoor space. Many retailers have end-of-season sales to clear out summer inventory. Perhaps a few new chair cushions or a new umbrella may be enough to brighten up your outdoor space. When the weather turns cold, you can store new items indoors to keep them fresh for next spring.
If your old patio accessories are in decent shape, consider donating them. If they are torn, stained or faded, I recommend that you toss them.