Spring Cleaning Guide: What to Throw Away

Decluttering your home is one of the benefits of spring cleaning. Most times, this process allows you to refresh the feel and look of different spaces and clears rooms of stagnant air. While you might find it slightly tasking to complete the task, either because of the time and effort required or attachment to items, once you get rid of clutter, you will enjoy how easily you find things.

Other than time, you need a plan on how to tackle different areas in the house. This is where you create a spring-cleaning checklist. It will not only allow you to manage the rather demanding project, but it also ensures that you cover all necessary areas. Below is a comprehensive spring-cleaning guide to help you that will help you know what to throw away and keep your home organized.

How to Determine What to Throw Away:

Since some people find it difficult to throw things away, it is crucial to carefully go through the following questions before getting rid of anything. There are two ways to deal with clutter, some stuff you throw away, others you keep in a storage unit. The following will help you decide what goes where:

Is It Usable?

The items that are no longer in use you should throw away. This ranges from expired food, makeup, and cleaners to electronics. Some of these items build up when you replace something and forget to either finish it first before opening the new one or throw it away.

In cases where you are dealing with broken items, you need to define how long it has been in that state. If it’s a while, identify your reasons for not getting it fixed. The answer is that you probably don’t need or want it. There are items that you hold on to just because they are familiar, get rid of those too.

Is it Still Relevant?

Every day, we grow in one way or another. What this means is that, at a certain point, you will come across things that used to matter that don’t. This is especially true for outfits. Maybe your sense of style is not the same, or they are not your size.

When trying to identify things that lost relevance some time back, you need to go through shoes and accessories. If you want to keep some of the memories, you can pick one thing that captures your essence during that period and remove the rest from your home. You can also take these to a storage unit, that is, if you see a possibility of needing them later, for instance, maternity and prematernity clothes.

Do you like the way it makes you feel?

The things in your space should make it homey. If some things that remind you of a sad time, or heartbreaks, it is time to get rid of them. Most of such items link to other people, an ex, a former friend, or even who you were before. Remove anything unpleasant. This helps to declutter your physical, mental, and emotional spaces — also, look out for items that affect how you see yourself.

Does it still capture your attention?

The familiarity of some items makes it impossible to notice them every time we walk into a room. If there is something old, not functional, and does not fulfill the goal you need it to, it’s time to replace it with something that captures your attention. This criterion is excellent for home décor solutions such as art, pillows, drapes, and others.

Would Something Else Make More Sense?

Is there something you want to purchase, but there isn’t enough space to put it? Well, there is a high possibility that if you go through your home a couple of times, you will find something that you can remove to create space. Whatever you identify might not be in use now, so it’s okay to store it away. You can retrieve it when you need it, or when you move into a bigger space.

Do you need it?

The sentimentality of some items takes away our capacity to toss them out. It is vital to stay ahead of the need to store everything whether this be letters, cards, and jewelry.

Items to Toss Away

The spring-cleaning guide you use should help you get rid of things. You will find that the most common items people throw away are;

Clothes

Anything you haven’t worn in a year goes to the donation bin. If you are expecting to rock an outfit that is out of season when the style comes back, you are cluttering your closet on hypotheticals. If you are handling a child’s wardrobe, take out anything they have outgrown, worn out, ripped, or stained. Also, those single socks that you can’t explain how they lost their partner, it’s time to let them go.

Makeup and beauty products

Most people don’t know that mascara has a three-month shelf-life once you open it. If you have one that has been around for longer, you need to throw it away. Also, go through lipsticks, eyeshadows, dry nail polish, and hair-care products.

Medication

If it is expired, it is ineffective. They are also dangerous if left exposed or within reach of children. That is why they should be among the things you need to include in your spring-cleaning check list.

Papers

These range from takeout menus, shopping bags, unopened mail, paid bills. Most people keep these items in fear of throwing something important. Sort through all your paperwork, save the crucial ones, and shred the rest.

Electronics

Lookout for cables that stopped working, gadgets that are either not functional or those that you upgraded.

Conclusion

Your spring-cleaning checklist will help you make your home more pleasant and give you adequate room to organize. A storage unit will come in handy for the items that are still relevant but are not necessary at that time. Getting one is an investment since you not only get to keep your items and create space in the home, but you also get the freedom to retrieve and add things at your convenience. Furthermore, the peace of mind you get from decluttering is reinforced by knowing that your property is safe.