When is the best time for you to clean your house and get rid of things you don't use? Use these chances to clean out your home and get rid of things you don't need.
The best time to get rid of things you no longer need is when you move from one house to another. Why move things you haven't used to another place where you won't use them? The best places to start are the kitchen and the closet.
You have a wok, but you don't remember the last time you stir-fried something. Do you really need all those wine glasses and extra sets of dishes if you don't have people over very often? How many plastic containers do you have in your cupboard, and how many do you actually use every week? Don't keep sizes you never wear. Spend some time thinking about how much of your stuff you really use, and decide to get rid of what you don't need.
When I say here to get rid of something, I mean to donate it. Don't throw it away unless it doesn't work or is broken. As long as your stuff is still useful, there are lots of charities that will take it.
Look in your linen closet. How many of those sets of sheets do you really use? Towels that have lost their fluff should be thrown away. Old medicine and makeup should be thrown away, especially if the expiration date has passed.
If you still have boxes of stuff from your last move in the basement or garage, you probably won't use them again. Throw the boxes without even opening them to see how brave you are. If you can't do this without getting sweaty palms, check to see if one of them has a treasure hidden inside.
When your kids move out, you should get rid of the things they didn't take with them. Don't think that your kids' room should be a shrine to them. I know you want to keep your memories, but you don't need to keep their high school sports equipment or every trophy they've ever won. If your kids don't think it's important enough to take with them to their new home, you shouldn't keep it either. Give them the option to keep what they want, but give them a deadline for moving out.
If you've always wanted a place to read or make crafts, you'll now have one. Or, turn this into a fancy room that your guests will love to stay in. Make that room your own by redecorating or remodelling it.
As you get older, you may decide that keeping up with your house is too much work and move to a smaller place, like a condo. Now you have to decide what to get rid of because there won't be enough room to keep everything. Again, the best places to save space are in your kitchen and closets. At this point, your lifestyle may also change. For example, you might eat out more than at home, which would mean you need fewer kitchen gadgets. Think about your new schedule and figure out what you no longer need.
Use these big events as a chance to go through your things, get rid of what you won't need in your new life, and give the things you don't need to someone else who could use them to start a new life.
