My husband and I are currently preparing to place our home on the market. We have lived in our home for quite some time and have found that our needs have changed now that we have a daughter. For one thing we are way too far from my husband’s office. He gets very little time each day with our daughter before bedtime.

We spent this past weekend going through items in our home that we no longer need in order to help our home have a more open feel. And trust me at around 1100 square feet it needs all the help it can get. Walking around my freshly decluttered home has helped to free my mind as well, which has been wonderful for getting work done. Less to pick up means less time to clean and more time for other things. Here are some tips for making the most of tossing clutter in your home.

Donate old clothes. If you have not put on an item of clothing in a year, chances are you never will wear it again. In fact I venture to guess anything that hasn’t been worn in six months will probably continue to hang in your closet forever. Face it, styles change and so do body sizes. Don’t hang onto clothes you wore in high school. A tip: turn all of the clothes on hangers around in your closet. When you wear something, turn its hanger the other way. In six months you will know what you have not worn by the way the hanger is turned.

Clear your counters. My kitchen counters are catch alls in my home. Plus with canisters, coffee pot, mixer and microwave they are packed. Get rid of everything that you do not use on a daily basis. Put appliances in a cabinet. Make it a goal to have your counters cleaned off every evening. Greeting the day to a clean kitchen always puts a smile on my face.

What are your favorite tips for clearing clutter? Do you find that clutter affects how well you are able to work from home? We will discuss more ideas next week.

Warmly,
Mia