Spring cleaning is great, but why wait till next year? Why not clean out your home before Christmas? You know, before you accumulate more clothes…before you press the kitchen supplies back even further into the cabinet…before you stack another book…before you slip one more tube of lipstick into your clutch…before you add one more item to your child’s leviathan toy collection.
Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist has already done the work of creating a great “clean out” list, so I will defer to him. This list of 101 Physical Things That Can Be Reduce In Your Home was an excellent resource for me. This list can be your starting point! Print it off – even if you aren’t sure whether you want to begin a journey towards simplicity. You can read it, mull it over, digest the content. Pick just one item from the list and make a start. A small start is still a start. I keep this list and refer to it multiple times a year – when I feel bogged down, overwhelmed, sucked dry, tired of managing stuff. (If you’re a lazy clickers, I’ve included the list at the bottom of post.)
I’d love to hear what first steps you take, or how this list got you started!
Here are some my recent favorites from the list below. You can also check my own short list for starting the journey towards simplicity – The Surprising Alternative to Buying More.
hair ties etc – cut my hair short!
clippings of future ideas & projects (paper version of Pinterest)
clothes – this is ongoing
magazines
catalogs
bottles of water
- Glassware
- Cookbooks
- Kitchen gadgets
- Kitchen appliances
- Pots / pans
- Mixing bowls
- Tupperware
- Water pitchers
- Magazines
- Newspapers
- Books
- Over-the-counter medicine
- Make-up
- Barretts / hair clips / ponytail holders
- Cleaning supplies
- Personal beauty appliances (hair dryer/curlers, electric razors)
- Bottles of shampoo/conditioner
- Photos
- Photography supplies
- Sewing supplies
- Craft supplies
- Scrap-booking supplies
- CD’s
- DVD’s
- Decorative items
- Candles
- Figurines
- Crystal
- Vases
- Audio/visual components
- Audio/visual cables
- Computer equipment
- MP3 players
- Furniture
- Video game systems
- Vdeo games
- Video game accessories
- Shirts / shorts
- Pants
- Coats
- Dresses
- Hats
- Clothes hangers
- Shoes
- Winter gear
- Jewelry
- Purses
- Coins
- Pillows
- Towels
- Linen sets
- Candle Holders
- Televisions
- Items on your bulletin board
- Magnets
- Artwork
- Mirrors
- Home office supplies
- Pens/pencils
- Old batteries
- Tools
- Hardware
- Rolls of duct tape
- Coolers
- Manuals
- Phone books
- Coupons
- Sporting good supplies
- Sports memorabilia
- Aluminum cans
- Glass bottles
- Automobile fluids
- Automobiles
- Scrap pieces of lumber
- Brooms
- Rakes
- Shovels
- Garden tools
- Plant containers
- Empty cardboard boxes
- Board games
- Puzzles
- Decks of cards
- Unused wedding gifts
- Baby clothes
- Baby supplies
- Old schoolbooks/papers
- Army men
- Bath toys
- Toy balls
- Toy cars/trucks
- Toy musical instruments
- Stuffed animals
- Plastic toys
- Childrens’ old school papers
- Suitcases
- Soda
- Alcohol
- Processed foods
- Christmas / seasonal decorations
- Cable channels
The list is so long it is overwhelming because there are so many places to work on, but I agree, just start with a single item. I made a rule for my kitchen, before I get a new kitchen gadget I have to get rid of an old one. At least it helps the problem from getting worse.
That’s a great rule of thumb for so many areas Lisa! And the kitchen I an easy place to start. I did more kitchen clean out this weekend – a tortilla press, duplicate corningware, a set of hand painted glasses someone gave me that I never liked 🙂 Thanks for your idea and hope to see you again!