De-Trashing: An Easy Way to Start Decluttering

Are you completely overwhelmed by the idea of decluttering your home? When you look at a room filled with stuff, are you unsure of where to even start?

One of the easiest way to start decluttering is by de-trashing. By getting rid of obvious trash, you’ll make progress, and you’ll be able to see the rest of your stuff more clearly.

Plus, that trash needs to go. Right?

To start de-trashing, grab a garbage bag, and think of a number. I like to use the number 25. Then, go through an area of your home, and throw away at least 25 items. Or go the extra mile and get rid of 27 pieces of trash like decluttering expert FlyLady.

Items to De-Trash

Here are some ideas of things that would work as “trash” items:

• Straw wrappers
• Old newspapers/magazines
• Flyers
• Old papers
• Unfinished food
• Wrappers
• Random plastic pieces that look like they belong with something that you’ve been hanging on to for years
• Broken items
• Dead plants or flowers
• Empty or almost empty containers
• Pens that don’t work
• Stretched out rubber bands for hair
• Annoying wire or plastic hangers
• Receipts that don’t need to be kept (hello McDonald’s receipts!)
• Used or sort of used napkins or paper towels
• Post-it notes with reminders that are no longer needed
• Empty cans and bottles
• Bills from 2008
• Ketchup packets, soy sauce packets, etc.
• Old grocery lists
• Expired food
• Old lipstick or makeup
• Leaves, sticks, or other random things that were tracked in

All of the ideas above count towards your total. Those are all things I’ve de-trashed from my own home. Anything else that you find and trash will also count toward your total.

Don’t worry about the size of the things you de-trash. Everything you get rid of brings you a step closer to a less-cluttered home.

You can do this!

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