Summer is the perfect time of year to kick back, relax and enjoy time with family and friends, however, it can also be a great time to get your home organized and prepared for the upcoming year. For those with school-age children, take advantage of this time to sort through toys, clothes and books.  Are any of these items outdated? Do all of the clothes still fit? Are the toys and books still relevant? For those without children or grown children, cleaning out of clothes, books and household items also applies.

Not only does decluttering help lower stress levels, but it also makes for an indoor activity when the summer heat gets too much. 

In this blog, we will travel through some of the most trafficked areas in your home to provide easy solutions to get your home decluttered and ready for summer entertaining and beyond. 

Kitchen

The kitchen is known as the HUB of the home, the place where people tend to congregate. Because of this fact, the kitchen also tends to get the most cluttered. Whether dishes are piled in the sink, snacks left out on the counter, cooking utensils, pots and pans are left out from the night before, the kitchen counters are known to be the dreaded drop-zone and an area that can cause much stress. 

There are several areas within the kitchen that can be decluttered and make for a more useful and enjoyable space. Here are the areas we suggest you go through first:

• Fridge and freezer drawers
• Pantry
• Cabinets
• Drawers 
• Underneath the sink

While going through the pantry, get rid of expired items and itemized what remains. Maybe you didn’t realize you were stockpiling tomato sauce and can stop purchasing for a while 😀

When clearing out the fridge and freezer, again, dispose of any items that have expired and make a list of what remains. Maybe this can aid in meal prep 😉😉

When cleaning off the counters, designate a bin for each family member to place their belongings in that need to be put away. This at least keeps them contained and off of your counters, which should be used for food prep and the like. The goal is to keep counters clear!

Living Room/Family Room

Another problematic area within the home is typically the family room where people tend to hang out. It also is usually the first room people head to when visiting. Whether you’re planning an event or spending quality time with family and friends, it pays to give your family room a decluttering session on a regular basis. 

Items that tend to pile up in these rooms are magazines, toys, food wrappers, books and miscellaneous items. Making sure everything has a place or home is key. Getting rid of outdated magazines can free up space, making sure all trash is thrown away and used dishes are in the sink (think sippy cups), will make a world of difference in this space. Finish with a good vacuuming session and your family room will feel lighter and more welcoming!

Bedrooms

If you have kids, chances are their bedrooms are stockpiled with an endless supply of toys, games, books and more! Like we’ve mentioned before, sort through toys, books and stuffed animals. Are some doomed and ready to be trashed? Are there some that another child could benefit from so donation is the way to go? This also applies to clothing. Kids grow like weeds – we guarantee there are clothes in your bedroom or your kids bedrooms that no longer fit or work for your current lifestyle. Make a pile for donations, trash and keep. And set a reminder to drop the donations off! You don’t need that bag lingering in your garage or car! 

We’ve also seen a lot of people struggle with an endless supply of books! Our suggestion is to organize your books in a color coded fashion! This way the kids can easily put the books back while also practicing their colors! 

Lastly, many times we get lost in the hustle and bustle that we forget to put away last season’s belongings. Why must we have our winter coats hanging in the mudroom when it’s June and 80 degrees outside. It just adds to the madness. 

So do yourself a favor and take some time to put all winter belongings away so you know where to grab them the next snowfall. 

If you can take one thing away from everything we mentioned, we hope it is this: decluttering your home doesn’t just make for a more welcoming environment, it makes for a less stressful one.  Choose one task a day or week, and don’t assume you can do it all in one day. Decluttering is a process but one well worth it. 

Whether you’re looking for advice or assistance in the transformation of your home, we are here to help. Healthier Spaces has been helping people get back their homes for many years now. Founded in 2013, Laura Souders is a space organizing expert who aims to help clients achieve a more organized life. She offers advice on how to  declutter, organize and de-stress your home. Visit her website today to learn more how she could help you organize your life.