Tips and Tricks for a Successful Purge

We've talked about purging in our checklists pretty much every month, and after binge-watching Tidying Up on Netflix, we've become slightly obsessed with de-cluttering every corner of our home. If we're being honest, our Everest has been clothing. We love to shop and we love to tell ourselves that at some point, in the next five years, we might have a need for that purple poncho with the gold tassels. So this week, we're sharing a few helpful tips and tricks that has kept us on track during our mission to purge. 

• Anything with holes or stains (hello motherhood!) has got to go.

• If you went through an entire season without wearing an item of clothing, then you’re probably not going to wear it again. A good trick is to hang all of your hangers facing the same way. Once you wear something, turn the hanger the other way. You’ll be surprised at how few hangers are actually turned at the end of the year. 

 

• If you never seem to have enough hangers, it’s probably time to purge. 

 

• Socks without mates (such a mystery!) will make an excellent puppet, but don’t belong in the sock drawer. 

 

• If it’s past its prime, it goes into the garbage or compost. This rule goes for food, bath and beauty products, and makeup.

 

• Anything with a respectable expiry date that you know no one in your home is going to eat should go straight to a food bank.  

 

• Containers without lids (how does that happen?) are no longer serving their purpose. 

 

• Chipped cups and bowls were cute in Beauty in the Beast, but they don’t belong in your kitchen. 

 

• If your kids are old enough, explain the power of the purge and the satisfaction of donating any unused items to a local charity. 

 

• Toys that no longer work and can't be fixed are just taking up space.

 

• Set a good chunk of time aside to go through every piece of paper in your home office. Chances are a lot can head straight to the recycling bin. 

 

• Remember: quality over quantity.

 

• Be honest as you go through each item and ask yourself: Do I really need it? Do I really want it? Does it even work? Will I miss it if it's gone?

 

• Commit to the purge. If you know you don’t have a ton of time, set aside ten minutes a day. Be intentional and focused.

 

• Create an organized space. That way, when clutter comes a calling, it will stand out and won't get lost in the fray. 

 
Happy purging! 

xo Jacqueline and Lindsay