Keeping home organized is a skill. Some people naturally have the tendency to manage and organize the house. Some people need help. One way to keep house organize is, downsizing the home. Means, removing the unwanted things, getting rid of clutters, and possibly shifting to smaller house.

Once a while it is essential take time to do this task to make life simple and feel better. A clutter free house will make you feel happy and better.

1. Make a list of things that you want to get rid of. Attend to one category per day. Make list like – clothes, books, furniture, vessels, items of sentimental values, papers, plastic bags etc.
2. Separate all the items into four boxes – to keep, to donate, recycle/throw and selling items.
3. When it comes to clothes, we all have tendency to keep all clothes for many years. Start putting clothes in hanger and face hangers away from you. After wearing a cloth, turn the hanger towards you. If you have not touched a hanging cloth in six months, get rid of it – give away or use as rag.
4. Focus on one room at time. -Start with living room where you might keep old CDs, video games etc. -Move onto shoes, discard torn/spoiled shoes. Give away the ones which you don’t like wearing. – Organize storage room, remove stuffs you are not using even the bottles, boxes that are empty and not in use can be removed. -Go through bed sheets, towels, pillowcases, curtains – remove the ones that you are not using in a longtime. In the process, you may find the new ones that are hidden and not used at all. -Take time to match up lids and containers. -Organize clothes according to seasonal use, -Go through dresser and find items that you don’t use at all. -Old nail polish, hairbrush, make up kit, hair clips, perfume bottles – remove junks that you don’t need any more
5. Set a strong ground rule for yourself to declutter house once in three or six months based on the amount of stuffs you have. Always keep few boxes to fill the unwanted things. Mark boxes to Keep, sell, donate, recycle, trash, or pass it down (to family)
6. Some items that are non-sentimental and you don’t want to keep anymore and that are in good condition – put them on eBay, marketing place or have a yard sale. Or you can donate it to one of the charities.
7. Sentimental items – It is hard to leg to of sentimental items. Think is there any items that you can share with a good home who needs it. Try reaching to your extended family and friends who would like to have it and will take good care of it. Some items you can sell and put money in your savings. If an item is in good condition and looks brand new, use it as a gift item for someone you love. You can also take photos of the items before you give them away. This way you will have memory of the items.
8. If you are moving to a new home or apartment know what style and size apartment you’re moving into. If so, then measure all the furniture that you have and see what you can take with you. Sort clothes, separate clothes that you don’t want anymore. Old shoes that you don’t want, kitchen vessels that you can give away etc.
9. In case if your children moved out and you have more space than you want, think of shifting to small house – this is a big downsizing task and needs more planning and time. But it will help you to keep your life simple and gives more time to get involved in other activities.

Downsizing, decluttering, organizing the house is a big task. Doing it often will help you to keep house clean, dust free and get rid of things that you don’t need any more. Downsizing also reduces anxiety and helps to relax.

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