10 Things to Declutter in the New Year

OK, so I know it’s not exactly the “New Year” anymore, but considering we’re only 1 month in, I figured you might still be looking for a few simple ways to declutter your home and life!

Am I right?

I’m always big on de-cluttering and purging, but since one of my 2011 New Year’s goals is to purge something monthly, I’m even MORE determined to keep our house clutter free this year — hopefully I can motivate you to do the same! And since I didn’t know exactly what type of clutter you might be struggling with, I figure I’d offer advice on a whole bunch of clutter hot-spots. I’m sure you can relate to at least ONE of them…

1. De-Clutter Your Closet

I put this one first, because this is the area I get the most questions about — no big shock there! I regularly purge my closet and dresser drawers to get rid of things I don’t want, need, use, or love {and to make room for a few new items every now and then!} Also, here are a few tips for de-cluttering your kids’ closets.

2. De-Clutter Your Email

If you have more than 50 un-filed emails in your Inbox, you should read this article — seriously, read it! And if you have issues with lots of SPAM and junk mail, here’s another great tip.

3. De-Clutter Your Kitchen

I’m always purging and de-cluttering my kitchen…ALWAYS! So, if you need a little inspiration or motivation to tackle your kitchen, just click on over!

4. De-Clutter Your Refrigerator

I know the fridge is part of the kitchen, but I think it deserves it’s own category because it can get pretty gross! See how I keep our refrigerator clean and organized {or at least try to!}

5. De-Clutter Your Bathroom

Bathrooms are usually the smallest rooms in a house, so I’m a huge stickler for keeping ours clean and organized. I’ll be talking more about bathroom clutter in a few weeks {and I’ll have some giveaways!} but for now, you can see how I organize our bathroom and extra toiletries.

6. De-Clutter Your Files

Tax season is here — are your papers in order? If not, take a few of my suggestions and de-clutter your files. It will save you tons of time, money, stress, and hassle all year long {and when it’s time to prepare your taxes next year}. What to “go paperless”? Here are a few tips to help you get started.

7. De-Clutter Your Finances

If you don’t know what your financial condition is, the first step is to start tracking your saving and spending using this free downloadable Excel Workbook. Hopefully this workbook will help you to save more, spend less, and de-clutter you finances! And here are a few tips to help your children manage their finances.

8.  De-Clutter Your Purse

I love the look of big slouchy bags, but seriously, I don’t know how people can lug around 20-pound bags all day long! My back would be SO sore. If your bag is starting to “weigh you down” it might be time to de-clutter! See how I keep my purse organized — and what I do & don’t keep inside!

9. De-Clutter Your Entry Way

Even though the entryway at our old house was very small, we were able to keep it super organized with a few inexpensive products and simple tips. If you have a small entry way, this post is for you!

10. De-Clutter Your Self

Are you struggling with mental and emotional clutter? Are you looking to simplify your entire life from the inside-out? If so, this article is a must read for you. It’s actually a guest post from Barb Reichow but it REALLY hits the nail on the head when it comes to internal clutter.

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Need a little help to stay organized and on track? Try this free printable chart:

Now…what will you de-clutter first?