By: Emma Gonzalez / April 26th, 2017

Spring cleaning can mean a lot of different things. For some, it can be the metaphorical deep clean at any time of year. For others, it can mean a literal cleaning at the start of spring. The warm weather is a lovely change from the bitter winter months which often make us lethargic. As the flowers bloom, so do we to with energy and rejuvenation. This energy can lead to newfound productivity to clean our space. While we could just dust and vacuum, one overlooked aspect of cleaning is decluttering.  As a matter of fact, decluttering your space has numerous benefits to your mental health. As for your physical health, it can remove toxins and dust that can offset allergies and lead to harmful health outcomes in the long term. More importantly, decluttering and practicing mindfulness can help you appreciate your home and your belongings. Sounds ideal to us!

However, when we get the urge to reorganize and clean, it can feel overwhelming.  We want you to feel excited to revamp your closet space or organize that beautiful kitchenware. What are some cute, easy ways to organize and declutter your home? More importantly, how can we maintain a decluttered space so those cleanings are as easy as the spring breeze?

Compartments and Storage

When we think of storage, some of us think about that eerie storage locker in our condo building. Others think about buying what feels like 300-piece drawer from Ikea. It can hard to imagine ways to use those cute, catch-all trays or baskets sold at H&M or Urban Outfitters.

However, with the power of the Internet, blogs and websites we have narrowed down tips and hacks that streamline easy DIY ways to help you compartmentalize. Even through the smallest ways, it can leave you feeling at ease to know where things are. Here we have listed our favorite articles on storage and decluttering.

Real Simple picks the brains of expert organizers for 9 secrets to declutter. Tackle the huge messes of toys to the smallest drawers containing candles and other random items. This is perfect if you like projects or are into the details of home maintenance.

HGTV will take you through the common mistakes of organization that tend to make your home look more cluttered than mindfully at peace. This article reminds us that while things may be “clean” it certainly does not mean they’re organized.

Let Martha Stewart do what she does best and let you create an ideal kitchen space. Showcase and properly organize your kitchenware to get the best possible use. More than that, this article will take you room by room to give you a good idea of how to stack, pack, and bring organization into your personal spaces.

Downsizing and Tidying

As humans, we tend to acquire a lot stuff. These items can be handed down from family, purchased on trips, or simply carried on from one phase of life to the other. However, sometimes we start to question if we need this or that. Maybe you want to move to a smaller space. Sometimes, it’s just time to donate things and downsize.  Whether the reason may be, downsizing can be great to practice mindfulness and appreciating what you have.

The good ole fashion Wikihow gives you a step by step guide on where to start and where to look. The process of sorting through what you love and what is reasonable to keep can be exhausting as the article outlines.

Real Simple gathers 8 methods on how to get started with downsizing and toss it tips for each method. Things like envisioning how someone else will benefit from donated items or enlisting your friends to assess what to keep or toss.

For more of a behavioral approach, Fast Company helps you understand why you might hold onto certain things. For some, understanding your behavior and patterns can be the first step to beating the clutter madness.

If you don’t know who Marie Kando is, check out her book on mindfulness and decluttering. More importantly, Kando talks about appreciating your belongings and even the correct way of folding your clothes (hint, it works). Psychology Today also delves into myths debunked by Kando in order to rethink how we’ve been taught to tidy up.

Striving to be Sustainable 

Finally, there is sustainable shopping. Even though this post mainly talks about decluttering and removing items, we eventually must replace or fix them too. After you purge, tidy, and store the pieces of your life, it’s important to envision a way to move forward. Sustainability is healthy for the economy and especially the environment. Living in Chicago, you have tons of options to shop locally.

The Green Heart Shop is located in Chicago and is the only fair-trade nonprofit shop. With everything from home to clothing, support fair trade that provides adequate wages, safe working conditions, environmental sustainability, and opportunity to the world’s populations.

Apartment Therapy curated an in-depth guide of stores that offer sustainable stores with building supplies, furniture, and home décor and accessories. Instead of buying new storage, maybe you’ll build it with the supplies and tools of sustainable shopping.

If you have big dreams of decluttering and being sustainable, Green Home Chicago offers an array of services to help you achieve it. As interior designers, their goal is to be ecological with sophistication, uniqueness, and elegance.

Now that you have some tips and resources, it’s time to pick a day on your calendar and put your plan into action. Work within your means to declutter your space and we promise you will feel better.