Spring cleaning? Here’s how to declutter responsibly, and maybe make some cash

Feel like spring cleaning Like an impossible chore. Where to start? How do you even know when you’re done? Instead of feeling mentally trapped, make the process easier with these tips.

Start by defining “spring cleaning.” They are actually two separate tasks: chaos and Deep cleaning. Don’t try to do both at once. This article focuses mostly on decluttering, with some deep cleaning tips at the end.

Think of each room as an individual space. Treat each closet and storage area as a separate space as well. If you have a large room, such as a large garage, you can divide it front and back, left and right – whatever makes sense. The idea here is to make “spring cleaning my house” a smaller, more specific task, such as “tidying the back half of the basement.”

Choose one space for de-cluttering or deep cleaning. You can add more spaces to your to-do list later, but you need to decide where to start. If you want to declutter and deep clean, declutter first.

Be sure to read our other guides on organizing your cables, cleaning your computer, your TV screen, your headphones, and even your vinyl records. We have more tips on getting all your technology in order in our Spring Scrub series. If you’re doing some deep cleaning, check out our guide to eco-friendly cleaning products.

Clutter disposal strategies

Decluttering means getting rid of things you don’t need or want. It’s different from organizing and arranging, and it’s normal to have difficulty with it. But there’s no right or wrong way to clean, so you may decide to simply organize now and get rid of the clutter later. This is good! Try some of these strategies to make it easier.

Konmari method. Marie Kondo’s famous approach isn’t bad. (If you haven’t heard, after the arrival of her third child, Marie Kondo gave up being tidy all the time, which I totally applaud.) Pull everything out of one place, whether it’s a closet or a dresser. Empty it completely. Hold each item up, ask if it “sparks joy,” and then place it in one of two groups: “keep” or “don’t keep.” If that’s too difficult, create a third pile — “Not Sure” — so you can revisit items without feeling pressured to toss them.

Pack your “I’m not sure” pile into a box. If you can’t bear to throw anything into the “I’m not sure” pile, put it all in a box and label it with today’s date. Then tuck it somewhere out of sight. See if you need anything in this box between now and next year’s spring cleaning. If not, it’s time to get rid of those things.

Turn your hangers the wrong way. A similar trick for determining which clothes to throw away is to tie all the hangers back. When you wear an item of clothing, turn the hanger in the correct direction. After six months or a year, you may find out what clothes you haven’t worn, and this may give you even more reason to ditch them. However, if you are trying to spring clean todayThis method is not ideal. But it’s the beginning of next year.

Heirloom naming. In the second half of life, you have to decide what will happen to your most important possessions after you die. Who will inherit them? Does he know these people? As part of the organizing process, label items with people’s names or write down details in a document you share with a trusted person. This is actually part of the Swedish death cleaning process, which is an ongoing process, unlike spring cleaning, which is usually time-limited. Either way, when you take a hard look at all your possessions, it’s helpful to ask yourself: “Why am I keeping this? And who will deal with it after I’m gone?”

How to get rid of unwanted things

Sorting out unwanted items is just one step. After that, you have to get rid of them.

Sell ​​it. The advantage of selling is that you earn cash. The drawback is that it is a lot of work. You will make the most money if you sell directly to buyers. NextDoor, eBay, Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, and OfferUp are popular options for all kinds of things. For electronics, Swappa and Gazelle are reliable.