Tips for Decluttering Your Life

Households across the United States are suffering an infestation that’s taking over their homes. Here in the Greenville, South Carolina, area, we’re not excluded from the problem. The American Clutterbug is causing homes to fill up with things we don’t need or even want. Closets are overflowing. Garages are running out of room for vehicles. And when people come to visit, there’s a last-minute scramble to hide the effects of this pest. Is it time to lighten the load in your home? Maybe you’re downsizing and don’t know where to start. Cothran Homes has some tips for decluttering your life. Sort through your memorabilia. Sentiment is the biggest contributor to clutter. From a box full of matchbooks and ticket stubs to a stockpile of books and collectibles, these bits and pieces of your past are taking up valuable space. Most likely, you overlook a majority of these items as they’ve just blended into the clutter. Take a hard look at what you’re keeping and ask yourself how much meaning it has in your life right now. For example, you don’t need to keep every piece of your child’s artwork. Pick a few. Carefully preserve or frame them. Look at the photos filling up your walls and shelves. Narrow them down to a few so that they’re not absorbed in the crowd. Then, swap them out every few months. Get realistic about your wardrobe. Everyone hangs onto clothing they like—whether or not it still fits. When you truly want to rid your home of the clutterbug, empty your closet and dressers. Remove everything! One piece at a time, decide which items are worth keeping. Donate those that someone else might want and discard anything that’s damaged. As a rule of thumb, if you haven’t worn something in at least six months, you don’t need it. When you have trouble parting with the concert t-shirt from 11 years ago, go back to the first tip here. If it’s broken, don’t fix it.Throw out anything that is chipped, cracked, torn, stained, or just doesn’t work—in spite of all the good intentions of repairing it. If you were going to fix the damaged piece, you would have done it already. Can’t find the matching shoe, glove, earring, or other half of a matched set? Give up. It’s gone for good. Say goodbye to discs. CDs and DVDs are fading into oblivion. Most new cars are not equipped with a CD player, because the manufacturers know that you download your music. You also stream videos, so give up your DVDs. They take up unnecessary space in your cabinets. Organizing your home is the first step toward a more comfortable living environment. When you have rid your home of the clutterbug, you’ll feel better about your surroundings. Donate your giveaways to worthy charities, like shelters and non-profit thrift shops so that your decluttering success benefits others. Once you’ve eliminated the excess possessions from your home, consider moving to a place that better fits your lifestyle. In the Greenville area, Cothran Homes invites you to look at our communities, amenities, and floor plans for new townhomes and single-family homes. Are you ready to right-size your life now? Browse our selection of move-in ready homes—all new construction! Then talk to us about a fresh start in a clutter-free new home!