Minimalism, organization

20 Items To Declutter to Prepare for Summer

Looking to downsize your home for summer? Here are 20 Items To Declutter to prepare for those hot & sunny days:

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Worn Out Beach Towels

I like to keep up to five beach towels ( extras for guests). We are frequently going to the beach or the pool on weekends, so having a small collection of towels is crucial. Make sure they aren’t stained or worn out.

Expired Sunscreen

This is the perfect time to declutter any expired sunscreen & purchase new for the season. Protect your skin!

Ill Fitting / Worn Out Swimwear

Recently, I updated my swimwear collection & got rid of any damaged or ill fitting bikinis & one pieces. This is also includes accessories such as cover ups & hats.

Uncomfortable Sandals / Flipflops

There is no sense in keeping footwear that is uncomfortable & will potentially cause blisters. Some of my favorite brands include Havana, Reef & Sam Edelman.

Damaged Luggage

Summer means lots of travel. Be sure your luggage is up to par & durable.

Ill Fitting Shorts / Denim

A seasonal closet declutter is always a good idea. In the summer, I always go through my denim & shorts & make sure they are properly fitting. This season, I purchased a few new pairs from Loft & Levi.

Excess Water Bottles

I love carrying around my Hydroflask to the beach, hiking or running errands. Staying hydrated this time of year is so important. But we don’t need to hoard an array of options. Be sure you are only keeping ones you regularly use.

Vehicles

With all the road-trips & travels, it’s a good time to clean our cars. Trash any food wrappers & floating papers. I also end up having an array of winter jackets & winter hats hoarded in the back of the car that need stored. I also like to get the entire car detailed & vacuumed.

Sunglasses

A popular summer time accessory – go through your collection & declutter any pair that are warped, damaged or out of style.

Books / Kindle Library

Summer is my favorite time to read. Go through your shelves or kindle library & clean house. Check out this previous blog post on 5 Types of Books To Declutter From Your Shelves. Once you’ve decluttered, you can create your summer TBR.

Blankets

With the weather getting warmer, it’s time to put excess blankets in storage or closets. Go through your collection & declutter ones you no longer want.

Gardening / Yard Tools

damaged or broken tools need to be decluttered at this time. And if you lack proper outdoor storage, you may need to downsize your collection. We tend not to own many yard tools & simply borrow or rent when it’s needed.

Old Toys

This is a task that can be a regular routine. Make space for the toys they are using & will use for the summer season. Donate or store the rest.

Pool Toys

If you own a pool or visit your community pool regularly, you probably have an array of toys & floats. Downsize these items & keep the ones you know will be used this season.

Broken or Damaged Umbrellas

Protecting ourselves from the sun & keeping cool is important this season. Be sure the umbrella you own works properly. We tend to keep only one & sometimes simply rent one during our beach vacations.

Broken or Damaged Beach Chairs

Make sure the beach chairs you own are comfortable & durable. And rarely do you need a bunch of extras for guests. Instead, keep what you use & have guests bring their own.

Craft Supplies

Crafts are such fun ways to occupy your time during the summer. Be sure markers aren’t dried out, papers aren’t damaged & to throw away any trash or unwanted creations.

Papers

If you have school aged children, spend some time decluttering or organizing their past year school work & prepare for the next school year. You can also spend some time shredding old business papers or documents you no longer need.

Your Schedule

Summer is the perfect time to reflect & relax – possibly consider a slower summer with less commitments. Learn to say no more often & only agree to the events & obligations you want to attend. Leave people pleasing to the wayside & regain your time.

Your Expectations

Everyone’s summer can look different. You don’t necessarily need to travel far to have a proper summer. You can focus on resting at home, spending time with family or making time for home projects. Spend some time making a list of what you want your summer to look like & make that happen.

-B

Lifestyle

50 Clutter Free Gifts Ideas For The Holiday Season

“That’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? That’s what it’s always been about. Gifts, gifts… gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts, gifts! You wanna know what happens to your gifts? They all come to me. In your garbage. You see what I’m saying? In your garbage. I could hang myself with all the bad Christmas neckties I found at the dump. And the avarice. The avarice never ends! ‘I want golf clubs. I want diamonds. I want a pony so I can ride it twice, get bored and sell it to make glue.’ Look, I don’t wanna make waves, but this whole Christmas season is…stupid , stupid stupid.” – The Grinch

I don’t know about you – but the Grinch has a point. Over the years, I’ve realized the art of gift giving needs reevaluated. I’d much rather find something that is useful & won’t go to waste. Not only do people run into spending hundreds of dollars during the holiday season, but our homes become bombarded with items that may or may not be useful to us. As I’m learning more about intentional living, I’ve been understanding my priorities & what holds more value. For me, I find so much joy in gifting experiences & spending time with others. Material possessions although are appreciated – tend to find themselves at donation centers more often than not. So, with that realization – I wanted to put together a list of Clutter Free Gift Options for this year.

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Feel free to comment down below any clutter free gift ideas that aren’t listed above. The more ideas the better! Hope you all have a wonderful holiday season & new year!

-B