Being a minimalist, I know the peace of mind having an organized, clutter-free home can bring, getting things in order can seem overwhelming. Start with the areas of your home that tend to accumulate the most clutter, once the larger areas are cleaned up the smaller areas will seem more manageable.
Mugs, Glasses & Dishes
How many mugs and glasses do you really need? We tend to accumulate these over the years and end up with a cupboard full of mismatched pieces.
Take everything out of the cupboard and throw away any that are cracked or chipped. Then pick out the matching glasses and mugs. Keep just what you will use. If you have a family of 4 you don’t need 15 coffee mugs. Keep enough for your family and visitors and donate the rest.
Go through your plates, platters, baking dishes, pots and pans and other kitchen items. Keep one complete set of dishes and the other items you use often. Donate anything you don’t need or use. Throw away anything that is broken or damaged.
Kitchen Sink Storage
The cabinet under the kitchen sink often becomes a place where everything collects. Remove everything from the cupboard and wipe it down. Then go through all the items and throw away anything that is outdated or never used. Choose a caddy or tub to organize cleaning supplies so that you can easily grab them when you are doing housework. Your kitchen plumbing should be easy to access in case you need a plumber to address a problem. Don’t pack the cupboard full of junk.
Refrigerator
Take all the food out and clean the inside. Then throw away any outdated or spoiled food. Break down some of the packaging when you get home from the grocery store and place food in reusable, see through containers. This takes up less space and allows you to easily see what you have on hand. Store new food in the back and foods you need to use first near the front. Place raw meats in a spill proof container, meat spills can contaminate other food causing illness such as salmonella. Storing meat on the bottom shelf prevents it from leaking on the foods below if there is a spill.
Pantry
An organized panty can reduce stress and allow you to quickly find what you are looking for. Start by removing everything from the pantry and then wipe down the shelves. Discard any expired items or anything that you will not use. Use storage containers, crocks, jars and bins of different sizes to organize the food by category. Keep the older items in the front so you use them first. Some supplies can be removed from the boxes and containers they came in and placed in reusable storage containers.
As you refill the pantry, make a list of what you have in stock. This is especially useful for ingredients you don’t use often, such as baking supplies, canned goods and spices. Having an inventory list of everything you have will prevent you from buying more than you need and will make it easier when creating your grocery list.
Silverware & Utensils
Keep one set of matching silverware and donate the excess. Go through your other utensils such as spatulas, wooden spoons, whisks, cooking forks, can openers, peelers and graters. Keep just what you use regularly and donate the rest. How many wooden spoons do you really need? Then organize what you keep in a drawer using a silverware holder. Larger utensils can be stored in a crock or container for easy access.
Junk Drawer
Eliminate the junk drawer, organize the items into categories and then put them in their proper place. For example, tools should go in the toolbox, restaurant menus in an organizer or scan them and save just a digital copy, batteries can be stored in a plastic container and kept in the utility closet, store pens and pencils, scissors and other office supplies in an organizer in your home office or on your desk.
Clothing
Purge your dresser and closet. Throw away anything that is torn, stained or worn and is not suitable for donation. Then make a donate and keep pile. Donate anything that does not fit, is outdated or uncomfortable or that you have not worn for a year or more. Organize the clothing you will keep and neatly arrange things in your closet and dresser. Most of us have more clothing than we really need. A method I use is that if I purchase anything new, I donate something I already have.
Linen Closet
Remove everything from the closet and make 2 piles, keep and donate. Worn sheets, towels and blankets can be donated to an animal shelter or rescue. Items that are in good condition that you no longer need, or use can be donated to Goodwill or a charity.
Keep two complete sheet sets for each bed in the house, two or three towel sets per person, and a few extra blankets for each bed. You can store sheet sets inside of their matching pillowcase. Towels can be folded and stacked by set. If you have bulky blankets and quilts you can purchase vacuum storage bags that compress them and make them easier to store.
Medicine Cabinet
Remove everything from the medicine cabinet, discard anything that is expired or unusable. Medications should not be stored in a warm, humid environment so the bathroom is not a good place for these. Put the medications in a plastic container with a lid and store them in a cool dry area, like a closet or drawer.
Organize tweezers, scissors, nail clippers, thermometers and other small items in a container that fits inside of the cabinet. You should be able to open the cabinet without things spilling out.
Receipts
We often have piles of receipts lying on a desk or stuffed in a drawer. Go through the receipts and throw away any that are no longer useful. If the return period has closed and you don’t need the receipt for tax purposes you can probably throw them away. Staple the receipts for major purchases to the user manual and put them in a folder or filing cabinet. For other types of receipts you need to keep organize them by category and store them in a folder. You can also take a picture of receipts with your smartphone or scan them to your computer and throw away the paper copy.
The Tech Minimalist 