Decluttering Goals: The Closet

Bedroom closets are often some of the most cluttered areas in a home. It is inevitable that after a while, the clothes, shoes and accessories we accumulate can start to overcrowd and clutter up the closet.

It isn’t easy to go through clothes either. Whether for practicality or sentimentality, it can be easy to justify hanging onto items that you really don’t wear that much or may not even fit so well anymore. Often, there is the thought that you might need it for a special occasion, or that you might fit into it again one day. While you don’t want to complete eliminate your entire wardrobe, a good organizing session and reset is important to do on a regular basis – especially after a major shopping trip.

When you’re going through your closet, go through everything – pants, shirts, dresses, coats, sweaters, scarves, shoes, bags – whatever you have stored in there. Try clothes on that you may not have worn in a long time. Do you still like the item? Does it fit? Is it worn, faded or torn? Be realistic with yourself – fashion and personal tastes can change, so don’t feel bad about adding it to the donate pile or the clothes recycle pile if it isn’t in good shape. If a button is missing or the zipper needs fixing but the clothes still fit and you like them, see if you can fix it yourself or if it needs to be done by a professional. Instead of adding it back into your closet so it can be forgotten again, put it in a place you will see it often so you remember to fix it. 

For clothes that don’t quite fit, it can be a difficult decision on whether or not you should keep them. Think about the item of clothing and be honest with yourself. If you are actively losing weight, and the item is only a size or two smaller, then it may be worth hanging onto. If it is a few sizes too big or too small, then consider giving it to away for someone else to use. It is not worth hanging onto items that you are more likely not to wear especially if you have no real intention of actually wearing them again. Anything that won’t be used is just adding clutter from your closet and preventing you from buying clothing that looks and feels good. It isn’t giving up but moving on and making the clothes available to someone who might need them more.

Placing the clothing and accessories you have decided to keep is also an essential part to maintaining an organized closet. It may be worth investing in proper hangers, shoe racks, and accessories holders to keep your items not always looking fresh and ready to wear, but easy to find. Consider sorting your closet into sections and sort items based on whether they are casual or more formal wear, what season you wear them in, or what colour they are. Having these items separated into different groups can make styling and putting an outfit together easier. For more tips on sorting clothes, check out this previous post on the blog.

Having an organized closet is an achievable and sustainable goal for the year. When you take the time to do an initial declutter and reset of the closet, you are making it much easier to maintain moving forward. Don’t let your hard-earned and stylish purchases languish in the back of your closet – make organization your goal this year!

Decluttering Goals: The Toy Room

Start the New Year by setting a goal to get your home organized and clutter-free. While this may seem like a monumental task, it can be achieved by breaking down your goal by focusing on one room at a time. Choosing the first room to start with can also be a complicated decision – why not start with one of the rooms that always collects clutter: the toy room!

The first step is to gather all the toys in (and out) of the toy room. Go through everything and immediately take out anything that is broken. Decide if it can be fixed (does it just need new batteries?) or if it needs to be recycled or discarded. Anything that is old or unused but still in good shape can be set aside and donated when it is possible to do so.

Make sure there is enough storage space for what toys remain. Do more bins or shelves need to be purchased to make sure everything has a home? Using open shelving with see-through or clear bins and baskets means toys are easier to find during play time to avoid the need to empty out the entire toy chest to access one item. Try to use storage that is also easy for your children to grab and open – something lower to the ground and with drawers or bins that aren’t too heavy if they need to be moved.

Larger items like playhouses and sets can be harder to store, but that doesn’t mean they can’t have a designated spot in the room or closet where they can be placed after they are used.

However, it is important to keep the number of toys you have manageable. While some extra storage may be needed to get everything organized, you don’t want to keep accumulating more and more toys and taking up more and more space.

Set a goal to regularly go through the toys and organize the room with your family to make sure the space stays manageable. This shouldn’t be a job just for one person. Everyone should be involved in the activity – especially the children! Make cleaning up after play time a new routine now so it continues throughout the rest of the year.

All toys should always go back to their designated spot after they are done being used. By making clean-up time a routine, you are already doing a lot to keep the space organized and maintained long-term.

Focusing on small and achievable goals not only makes you more successful but creates consistency. If we decide to accomplish something that is over-the-top and unrealistic, it becomes more difficult to maintain in the long run and likely won’t be successful. If an issue occurs and we fall off the plan, a smaller goal is easier to pick up again and keep going.

Persistence and consistency are key, because anything unattainable is difficult to pick up again. Realistic goals, like getting the toy room organized instead of the entire house, is a goal that you can easily achieve.

Over the holidays, remember what's important!

During a holiday season unlike any many of us have ever experienced before, take some time to appreciate what is most important in life and get down to basics. It isn’t always about the grand parties, expensive gifts and material items – it’s about spending time (even if it is virtually) with the people you love and taking time for yourself to relax and enjoy the time off from work and other activities.

Whether it is sharing fond holiday memories with friends and family over a Zoom chat, sending cards to relatives out of town, or sending a fun picture over text from a previous year’s celebration, take the time to remember the best things about the holidays. It shouldn’t be about spending a lot of money or worrying about all the activities you aren’t able to do this year. Instead, focus on what you can do and make the holidays a relaxing and fun time.

The holidays are also often a time to look towards the New Year and setting goals to achieve in the next 12 months. With uncertain times still ahead in 2021, that doesn’t mean you can’t still think about some achievements you want to make. For example, it could be to simplify your life, whether it’s by organizing your material possessions or your day to day activities. It could be to take more time to connect with family and friends, or to live a healthier lifestyle. Whatever you set your mind to do, make sure that it is something that you want to achieve and know that you can realistically achieve in the time you set for yourself. Goals will be unattainable if they aren’t set correctly in the first place.

This Christmas will be different for everyone this year, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t still be enjoyed and that there isn’t much to still look forward to in the New Year. Make sure you take the time to remember what is important about this time and appreciate all we do have this year.