Decluttering in February

Decluttering in February is part of a monthly decluttering series to help you get new spaces in your home organized every month.

If you have a goal to get excess clutter out of your life then I have the perfect challenge series for you. At the beginning of every month I post suggested items for you to declutter from your home. The best part of this challenge is that we’re all working together for the end goal of ridding the clutter out of our lives. If you miss any of the challenges you can always go back and do them at any time. I’ll have them linked at the bottom of this post. Now it’s time to declutter!

This is the 8th month of our decluttering challenge. How are you doing with it? Hopefully these posts motivate you to get started and keep you going. If you’re anything like me it’s very satisfying to get rid of things you no longer want or need.

Decluttering in February

Valentine’s Day Decor – It’s time to toss or donate the Valentine’s Day decorations you’re not displaying. If you haven’t displayed holiday decor for a year or two then it’s probably time to get rid of it. 

Old Textbooks and Yearbooks – This can be hard for some people but think of it this way, your textbooks are probably outdated and you can find more accurate information elsewhere right now. Yearbooks are even harder to part with, but since I never really look at mine I decided to keep my senior yearbook and get rid of the rest. If you have a place to store them and they’re something you don’t feel you can part with then keep them.

In/Out Box – If you don’t have an in/out box, now’s the time to make one. Create a space for things coming into your home and things leaving your home. I have 2 baskets I use by my back door. Make sure to go through the baskets at least once a week so things don’t get overlooked.  

Bath Toys – Use a plastic basket or other waterproof container to hold bath toys. It’s always a good idea to have a container to limit the amount of bath toys. You can only play with so many things in the bathtub, right?

Children and Infant Clothing – I love hand-me-downs but make sure they are in good condition if you are going to save them. If anything is torn, worn, out of shape, or too out of style it’s time to get rid of it. They’re just taking up space and you probably won’t end up using them. 

Glass Vases – I organized a clients kitchen a few years ago and she had at least 20 glass vases of various sizes. I love flowers but I’m pretty sure that’s a little excessive. Pick a couple of your favorites in a couple sizes and you will have more than enough for fresh flowers. Donate the rest. If you ever have a reason for needing a lot of vases you can always borrow them from friends.

Faux Plants and Flowers – Some faux plants look really good and others, not so much. If you’re going to have faux plants and flowers make sure they’re good quality. Toss out the ones that are subpar or you haven’t been displaying. 

Knick Knacks – I love changing my home decor and having options but things can get out of hand. Have a designated place to store your knick knacks that aren’t being displayed at the time. Donate or giveaway items that you no longer love but are in good shape. 

China – Do you use your china or has it been stored away? Do you have a plan of ever using it? Here’s my deal with things you own, either you love them enough to use them or they’re just taking up valuable space. Decide if you’re going to use your china or if it’s time to give it away or sell it. 

Wine Glasses – I consider wine glasses and other special glasses in the same vein as china. It is possible to have too many. Take stock of how often you use them and how many you need when you do use them. Only keep what you need and what you have room for.

Hotel Size Toiletries – Have a storage container that fits in a drawer or a space under the bathroom sink to hold the hotel size toiletries. Having a specific container helps you control the amount of bottles you can store. If you’re going to keep these toiletries make sure you are using them or don’t bring them home. They are great for camping trips, summer camps, house guests and travel.

Broken Jewelry – Set a time frame to get the jewelry pieces fixed by yourself or a jeweler. If they can’t be fixed or aren’t within the cost you’re willing to pay get rid of them. 

Duplicate Kitchen Supplies – Take stock of your kitchen supplies and how many extras you have. If you have supplies that haven’t been touched in over a year it’s probably time to get rid of them. Freeing up space in your cabinets and drawers will also make it easier to find supplies when you need them. 

Extra Laundry Supplies – Sometimes you buy supplies and they don’t live up to your expectations or you might decide to use something different. I’ve recently switched from plastic to velvet hangers, they’re a little more expensive but they take up less space and don’t damage clothing. Plus I like the way they look. 

Monthly Statements – I do most of my banking on-line to avoid paper statements and having to file the statements afterward. Once you can balance your account you don’t need to keep the monthly statements. The same goes for monthly statements from utilities, services, credit cards. etc.

You have a whole month to complete this decluttering list. If you get done sooner you can always go back and complete the lists for July August September October  November December January

Happy Decluttering in February!

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