Decluttering your home can have multiple benefits, from allowing you to boost the state of your mental health to giving you a safer, cleaner living space. Most experts agree that having lots of belongings around your home can lead to anxiety and even depression, even if your house is clean, so it’s important to take stock of what you have and think of ways to cut it down. It’s also helpful to get organized as you go, adding storage solutions and making sure all the things you use on a regular basis are easy to find and up-to-date.

Fortunately, there are many ways you can achieve this without spending a ton of money or hiring a pro to come in and help you. It’s important to start in one room and work your way out in order to avoid becoming overwhelmed, and to begin by making a list of all the tasks you need to accomplish so you can stay organized. It will also help to have an idea of what you want to do with the clutter; for instance, you might donate old clothing to a local shelter or gather unused toys for a garage sale (which can earn you some serious extra cash!).

Here are a few things to think about when you want to declutter and clean your home.

Organize Your Closet

Getting organized is half the battle when it comes to decluttering your home, so it’s important to start in the places that tend to accumulate the most belongings: closets. As a general rule, it’s a good idea to get rid of anything you haven’t worn or used in more than a year (unless it’s a seasonal item, which can go into storage). Older pieces or things that no longer fit can be donated, as long as they’re in good condition. If you have a lot of outerwear--which tends to take up quite a bit of space--consider adding another barso you’ll have more hanging space. You can also add shelves, which will help get items like purses and shoes up off the floor.

Create A Chore Chart

It can be hard to keep up with cleaning the house; when you come home from work, you’re tired and don’t necessarily feel like vacuuming and mopping. A chore chart can help make things easier, since it will break down your tasks by the day, and it will also help you stay motivated, since you’ll be able to see what needs to be done every day. Hang it up on the fridge to keep it in your sightline, and assign jobs to different family members or have everyone rotate chores to keep the job from getting monotonous.

Add Some Storage

Just like with your closets, the other rooms need storage solutions as well. Clutter tends to accumulate on countertops and in the living room, where many families spend most of their time, so adding shelves and bins to these areas will help cut down on the random assortment of items that tend to cluster on surfaces. You can also think outside the box a bit for ways to keep things neat in rooms like the kitchen, such as adding a hanging wire rack on the inside of the pantry door for spices, loaves of bread, and items like plastic wrap and baggies.

Give Kids Their Own Space

Giving the kids their own space to hang up backpacks, keep important papers, and store shoes and coats is a great way to keep clutter to a minimum. Not only that, it will also help everyone save time (and prevent stress) in the morning when it’s time to get ready for school. You might add a small bench to the entryway of your home with hooks to hang up bags and coats, or provide a few bins where they can toss their stuff when they get home. However you choose to do it, getting the kiddos organized will make everyone’s life easier!

Decluttering and getting organized can take some time, so try to be patient. Remember that this doesn’t have to be an expensive process; you can often find storage solutions and furniture at a flea market, a second-hand store, or garage sale. Keep an eye out for pieces you can restore or slap a coat of paint on, as this will save you a ton of money.

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