New Year, New Home: How To Freshen Up Your Space Without Spending a Dime

If you’re craving a new look for the new year, start by making a change to your home that won’t cost you anything at all: get rid of things. That’s right — often having less stuff, and not more, is the secret to serendipity. Cleaning out the bathroom, throwing out old things you’ve been hanging onto for too long, even donating pieces of furniture — this will make your home feel more spacious, and you’ll love the things you keep around even more.

But getting rid of things is easier said than done. Sometimes cleaning out can be a constant battle with the voices of “but I used to really like this!” and “but I might really need this… someday.” Here are a few video tips from some of our favorite organizers that will help you get rid of the clutter for good.

I immediately recognized myself in this video, because I am incredibly sentimental. I might have a few childhood toys (okay, a lot) that I am loathe to get rid of. If you struggle to get rid of bulky things that have sentimental value, organizer Fae Wolf has a few tips for getting rid of the stuff, while keeping the memories.

Is your bathroom home to a veritable universe of expired beauty products and medicines? (I might also be guilty of this.) Maxwell offers some practical tips for decluttering your medicine cabinet.

I think everyone has a few things that they don’t quite like, but can’t quite give away — for some reason or another. Here, Fae Wolf takes a look at the reasons we keep things… and offers advice on how to pull the trigger and let them go.

And finally, here’s a tip that we’ve shared a lot, but that just happens to be one of my favorites. If you’re dreading tackling a huge pile of stuff, or decluttering your place seems like an impossible task, this quick tip from Fae might be just the kick in the pants you need. Her advice is simple: just start.

Thanks for watching, everyone, and a very Happy New Year from Apartment Therapy!