A cluttered home creates a lot of confusion. A 2019 study found that procrastination in work environments is tied to office clutter. The more stuff that is in a person’s immediate space, the harder it is for them to focus on one thing.
If you want to improve your mental health, you need to learn how to get rid of clutter. But organizing a house is more difficult than it seems.
What should you throw away right now? Do you need an old furniture removal Sydney service? What can you donate or try to sell for a little money? What are important things you should keep, including papers?
Answer these questions and you can expel home clutter in little time. Here is your quick guide.
Things You Should Toss
You should get rid of all items that have no use to you. But you should distinguish between items that have no use at all and things that may have use for someone else.
Expired food has little use for anyone else. You may be able to turn certain foods into mulch or garden feed. If you or your neighbors don’t have a garden, they can go in the trash.
Old and dried-out makeup should also go in the trash. The same goes for expired medication or used toiletry materials like toothbrushes.
You can throw away most craft supplies. This includes paints, markers, and stencils. You may want to keep posterboards and a few Sharpies if you need to write something in large and permanent letters.
Broken electronics and appliances are home clutter, but they should not go in your garbage bins. You should find ways of recycling them, including through municipal services. You can find rubbish removal in Sydney and other major cities.
You should recycle all papers you don’t need anymore. This includes receipts to products you no longer own or need. It is okay to keep a few papers as scrap, but you should put them in a place where you will use them.
Belongings You Should Donate
You can give most of your old clothes to a charity or thrift store. Most stores accept shirts, coats, and pants. Some stores do not accept underwear or socks.
Your clothes should not have holes, stains, or tears in them. They can have patches, but the patches should be secured onto the fabric. If you have some spare time, wash your clothes with disinfectant substances.
Spare toiletry products can go to a homeless shelter. Many people want toothbrushes, hairbrushes, and similar products. You can give yours, as long as they are in their original packaging.
You can give children’s books to a shelter as well. If you are having trouble letting a book go, you can scan its pages before handing it in. Books for adults can go to a library or community center.
Any objects of historical value can go to a museum. You can ask a curator if they would be interested in adding an object to their collection.
Items You Can Sell
You can sell anything that you can give away. But most people do not want to buy old clothes or books.
Working electronics tend to be popular commodities at yard sales. Try to put out several different electronics. You can sell a camera, a cable for a smartphone, and an electronic book reader.
Video games are popular amongst children. Make sure to tell children which consoles you do not have games for. Some kids will assume you have Nintendo games when you only have Sony ones, and they may become disappointed.
Jewelry is good to sell to adults. It may be better to sell your jewelry through an online buyer or friend than at a yard sale. Look at a site like eBay and see what the going rate is.
Important Papers You Should Keep
Clutter removal usually involves sorting through thousands of papers. It can be hard to tell which ones to give away and which ones to keep.
For the most part, you can throw away your papers. You just need to digitize them so you have access to their information. You can take photographs, scan them, or type their information into a document.
You should keep your birth certificate and Social Security card. You should store these documents in a box that can resist water and fire damage.
You should also keep documents you need for work, including future job applications. You may need a list of references and a letter of recommendation from an old boss.
Essentials You Should Find Places For
You should keep everything you need for your daily life. It is essential that you keep all medications and usable toiletries. Put them on accessible shelves in your bathroom or kitchen.
You may not be using all pieces of furniture in your house. But you may need a couch or chair in the future, especially if you plan on moving. You can move the furniture into the attic for the time being.
Family mementos can go in your attic. But you can turn mementos into features that you can see every day. Hang up a portrait in front of a couch, or put it at the end of your dining room.
How to Get Rid of Clutter
You must learn how to get rid of clutter. Everything you don’t use should go. Anything that no one else can make use of should go in the trash.
You can give intact clothes to a thrift store. If you want to make a difference, you can give excess toiletries to a shelter.
Electronics and jewelry are good for quick cash sales. Beyond that, you can keep everything else. Important documents like birth certificates should go in sturdy storage containers.
Getting rid of clutter is one way to improve your home. Find out more by following our coverage.
