My Decluttering Cure Workbook

If you’re taking on a multiple-day decluttering project, you can save time by sorting each day’s haul into “sell,” “donate,” and “maybes” boxes. It makes it quick and easy to get everything out of your home when you’re totally done.

When you’re decluttering, ask yourself five questions: Have I used it in the past year? Will I use it in the year ahead? Would I buy this again today? Is it worth fixing, if it’s broken? Would I keep this if I moved? If you answered “no” to every question, get rid of it.

More mop = less cleaning time. The Libman Tornado Mop head is 50% bigger than others in its class, so you can cover more ground faster.

The best way to handle “everyday” clutter is to make tidying up a part of your routine. Schedule a quick pick-up every week, or more often if needed.

Each one of these five paper clutter categories should have a “home” inside your home: trash, action items, short-term, long-term, and leisure reading.

When you’re filing long-term paperwork, remember the law of diminishing returns: File them away hastily today, and dedicate more time to the search when you (rarely) need to reference something.

If you're overwhelmed by the visual clutter in a room, clear the room down to just the essentials and layer only what you need and love back in.

When you’re culling through a collection, you should spend your time thinking about what you want to live with, instead of what you can live without.

Work backwards from your clutter problem areas and find ways to prevent that type of clutter, like cancelling catalog subscriptions or making a one-in/one-out rule for clothes.

Be honest with yourself about the value your items have: If it's more about emotion than function, maybe you can store it in a different place, or keep the memory in some other way, like framing a photograph of it.

Aspirational clutter is anything you're keeping for a future version of yourself. Clear it out if you need more mental or physical space for who you are right now.

Try to clean out your fridge, freezer, and pantry weekly or bi-weekly. It helps to tie it to your existing routine; try clearing out the kitchen before each time you grocery shop.

Find little ways to make your cleaning less wasteful. Swap in super absorbent, machine-washable Libman Microfiber Sponge Cloths for single-use paper towels when cleaning up spills or wiping down surfaces.

Try to establish a penchant for displaying your sentimental items, rather than storing them. You really only need to keep what you can cherish day to day.

The “gadget box” test can help you identify problem storage areas: If you wanted to save the box your new gadget came in, where would you put it?

You don't have to begin a capital-p Project to discard an item or two. When you come across something you don’t need—get rid of it.

Everyone needs a “clothes chair.” If you don't have room for a chair, some hooks or a rack on the wall can help you avoid clothes piles taking over your bedroom.

When you're taking on a big cleaning or decluttering project, schedule a “catch-up” day into your plan to tie up loose ends or give yourself a well-earned break.

Junk drawers are useful organizing tools, but they don't have to be drawers. Try putting a junk bowl in the bedroom, or a junk basket in the bedroom for clutter instead.

Storing things on the floor makes your space look more visually cluttered than it is. Try vertical or wall-mounted storage solutions when you can.

Have a “decluttering box” in your closet or home at all times, so you can get things you don't need out of the way as you come across them.

It's tempting to toss everything you decluttered into the trash, but there are people out there that would love to give your stuff a second life.