how i declutter

One of the reasons I look forward to summer is because I finally have time to declutter (organization NERD hello). These first few weeks of summer act as a little "reset" for me: time to take a breath, practice some self-care, and spend lots of time in the sun. My "reset" also includes a whole lot of organization. However, I don't want to spend TOO much time organizing, and I want my results to last, so I have a specific way I tidy up. For this post, I've chronicled my best tips for organization, sorted by type of space!

+GETTING PREPPED

To start off your organization spree, make your bed and get everything off your floor. This way, you'll have space to lay things out on while you organize. This will reduce frustration and cut down on time it takes you to declutter.

+FIRST AREA: CLOSET AND/OR DRESSER

Start by taking all of your clothes out of your closet and laying them on your bed. You are going to be sorting into four piles: warm weather clothes to keep, cold weather clothes to keep, donate/hand-me-down, and recycle (I'll get to the how to recycle later).

Pick up each item of clothing and think about if it's really you (wear what you are!), if it brings you joy, if it is in good condition, and, the big question: if you were in a store would you buy this right now? If you answer yes to those questions, put it in the pile for its weather type. If you decide to part with it but it's still in good condition, put it in your donate/hand-me-down pile. And if it's something that no one will want, put it in the recycle pile. Do this with all of the clothing.

+WHAT TO DO WITH THE PILES

Keep:

Put the clothes you decide to keep back in your closet, with the current season's clothes most accessible. Here's the catch: put the hangers backwards. When you wear something, put the hanger the correct way. At the end of the year or season, if the hanger is still backwards then it's probably time to part with that piece of clothing since you haven't found time to wear it (unless it's like a Dior ball gown, def keep that).

Donate/Give Away:

Find these clothes loving homes. Whether it's making a Goodwill drop off, sending them home with friends, giving them to your younger neighbor, or even selling them on Poshmark, make sure these don't hang around in your room for much longer.

Recycle:

Take these to your local H&M. You'll get 15% off and they'll recycle them, so it's a win-win! Some Levi's, American Eagle, Madewell, and North Face stores do this too for various rewards. Get rewarded for rewarding YOURSELF by decluttering and for rewarding THE EARTH by recycling. Win-win-win-win.

As for your dresser, do the same "four pile" method as above. Additionally, fold your tshirts like how I did below and invest in small bins for undies and socks.

+SECOND AREA: DESK/STUDY SPACE

I know for me, this is the place that takes the biggest hit from clutter. Before you start to tidy, think about yourself and your study habits. This will help you know what to save so that you can refer to it later. For me, I only save my notebooks from Spanish because everything else I can easily look up on Google or in my virtual notebooks. I gather old course materials from throughout the year and recycle them. I try to save binders and folders for future use if they're in good shape!

Then, go through your supplies like pencils and sort out anything that you have too many of. Donate those to a local school supply drive if they're use-able. Anything that's broken should be recycled or thrown it away. Lastly, put together a pencil bag of things to use next year so you know what you'll need to buy!

+THIRD AREA: BATHROOM

One of my biggest solutions for bathroom clutter was getting a small bin for things I use every day. It has my foundation and brush, eyelash curler, mascara, cleanser, and moisturizer. I take it out from the cabinet, use the items, then put it away. This also helps set apart what you really use, and what you can throw away.

Go through your makeup and toss what's past its prime/dried out/has been replaced. Throw away samples you won't use and empty bottles. If you have an awesome product that you love, like a great mascara, then throw away all other mascaras. 

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I hope these tips will help you clear your clutter, and therefore clear your mind! I've also been pinning some awesome minimalist interior design inspo and organization tips on this Pinterest board.

stay sunny

meg