7 Areas You Might Be Missing When Cleaning Out
So let me start by saying I’m not an organizational or decluttering expert but I have learned a lot over the past few years as I have tried to drastically change my habits around “things,” whether that be buying new things or what I did what the things I already owned. This came from a deep desire to start simplifying my life as much as possible because I realized that it not only created more space in my home but in my head as well. I did not like clutter and I did not like have drawers, closets and my basement filled with things that we weren’t using. The relief I felt when letting things go was indescribable and I wanted to keep that momentum going and hit every square inch of my home. The realization hit me that there were A LOT of places that were easy to disregard or miss altogether. Here are the six that were the easiest for me to miss.
6 Areas You Might Be Missing When Cleaning Out
The Underwear/Sock/Bra Drawer - I have always been really good about cleaning out my regular clothing but not so good with cleaning out my drawers that contain my bras, underwear and socks. So it wasn’t shocking that, when I finally tackled that project, I found things that I had been holding onto since before I was married. Anything in bad condition or that hadn’t been worn in a long time needed to go. I had also accumulated quite a few sentimental and personal items in these drawers and those things needed to find a more appropriate home.
Bedside Table - If your bedside table has a drawer, there’s a good chance there are things in there that can be cleaned out. I know this from personal experience and was kind of shocked by what I found. Pens, old notes and lists for Santa from the kids, jewelry, notebooks, old lip balms, coins and a few other random items. Some things needed tossing and other things just needed to go back where they belong.
End/Coffee Tables and Entertainment Centers - Yes, I’m grouping these together. If any of these items have drawers or shelves in your home, they may also have items that may have accumulated crap and need to be cleaned up. Take a peek and see what you find, you’ll probably be surprised.
Makeup Bag or Drawer - Easily forgotten is the makeup bag or drawer. I’ve found eyeliners and other items that should have been thrown out years before. Do yourself a favor and go through your makeup, clean out and then maybe treat yourself to a new eyeshadow palette or lip gloss!
Toiletries/Travel Bags - I do like to keep my toiletries bags ready to go for traveling so I don’t have to pack them every time I go somewhere. However, that also has led to an accumulation of items that needed to be cleaned out. Check out those travel bags and see if you need to do the same.
The Wallet - If your wallet weighs 10 lbs. and is overflowing with receipts, it may be time to clean it out. A wallet is any easy one to forget especially since it hides away in my purse most of the time but it does need to be cleaned out occasionally. Receipts, loose change, old cards and gift cards can quickly accumulate and make it hard to find what you really need in your wallet so add that to your list when cleaning out!
The Jewelry Box/Storage - Once my jewelry was at the point where I didn’t know what I had anymore and my drawers and boxes were overflowing, I knew I had to do a clean out. It never occurred to me that jewelry was something that should be evaluated and purged on a regular basis as well. While there was a lot of inexpensive jewelry that needed to go, there were also some more expensive jewelry items that I no longer wore. I just donated less expensive jewelry but finer pieces were sold through Poshmark and I continue to use this method to help keep my jewelry collection to only the things I love and wear on a regular basis. Obviously, sentimental and keepsake type items stay in my collection.
