Scary Good Laundry System

Spooky season has arrived in America! Haunted houses are opening for the season, apple orchards and pumpkin patches are busy with families fulfilling their yearly traditions, and flashes of television light dance in dark living rooms as gruesome horror movies fill viewers with trepidation. As weekends fly by with sports, parties, and activities, you may notice your weekly chores aren’t quite getting checked off the way they should. 

The Pioneer Woman

If your organization systems just aren’t working the way you had originally intended, it may be time to refresh them. Laundry tends to be one of the biggest causes of visual clutter, and it can be a particularly uphill battle when you add a busy family home to the mix.

The Problem

Does dirty laundry pile up? Maybe clean laundry doesn’t quite get put away? We have all been guilty of leaving a load of laundry in the dryer for longer than we should, but what is the reason for that? An overflowing closet or a dresser that is bursting at the seams? 

Quora

It may be time to ask yourself if you have space for all of your belongings. The average American home houses 300,000 items. According to Forbes, the U.S. apparel industry is a $12 billion powerhouse, with the average family spending $1,700 on clothes every single year. 

Hannah Lozano

OnePoll, a market research firm, found that women spend more than 100 hours on 30 clothes shopping trips and 40 hours on 15 shoe shopping trips every year! Zippia states that the average American employee only gets 10 days of Paid Time Off (PTO) each year, which is equivalent to about 80 hours. To put that in perspective, the average American woman spends almost twice as much time shopping than she does enjoying her hard-earned vacation time every single year! 

If the reason your clothing clutter is catching up to you is because you have too much of it, then the first step is to declutter. Ask yourself: 

• Does it fit? 

• Is it in good condition? 

• Do I actually wear this? 

• Is it comfortable? 

• Do I have similar items that would be interchangeable? 

• If I haven’t worn it, do I have plans to wear it soon? 

GirlMeetsGold

If the answer to any of these questions is “no”, it needs to go.

Consider donating items in good condition to local shelters, charities, churches, or organizations like the Salvation Army. For clothes that are not in good condition, look into a textile recycling service near you. American Textile Recycling Service is a great place to start! (Read more about how textile waste is creating an environmental crisis here and here.) 

The Spruce

You can always sell new or name brand items on sites such as Poshmark, Mercari, or Facebook Marketplace. Making some extra cash might just help you let go. 

The second step of decluttering is an often overlooked one: behavior change. Why do you shop so much? Boredom? Loneliness? Overcompensation for less financially secure times?

Whatever your reasons are, it might be worth exploring to put an end to the behavior that leaves you with so much stuff. No matter how great of an organization system you have, it is almost impossible to keep a tidy space when you have too many things. 

The Fix

Now that you are left with your most favorite clothes and (hopefully) a whole lot more storage space, let's come up with a laundry system that works. 

First, add hampers. To every occupied bedroom and bathroom in the house, as well as one in the mudroom and laundry room. You can never have enough places to drop your dirty clothes! Rev-A-Shelf has so many great options for built-in hampers. 

You can even install two in each area and save time by sorting your laundry as you fill the hampers with your dirty clothes. On laundry day, just slide the hampers out and carry them to the washer. 

These fabric hampers are perfect for kids' rooms! They have enough structure that they hang without collapsing or falling, but they are lightweight, can be easily removed, and even have hidden carrying handles.   

For extra dirty laundry, make sure the hamper itself is washable. This heavy-duty Aluminum frame hamper features Rev-A-Motion soft-open/soft-close and comes with a machine washable canvas liner. 

Come up with a routine and stick to it. Who wants to spend all weekend doing laundry? Start a load when you have a couple of minutes of free time, and transfer clothes to the dryer as soon as the cycle is finished.

Always strive to keep both the washer and dryer empty and ready for use, your future self will thank you! 

Wash. Dry. Fold. Put away, and watch the laundry clutter disappear… Spooky.

Consumed By Consumerism: How to Declutter (Part 1)

It is no secret that Americans are buying more than ever before. Fast, free, 2-day shipping, flash sales, and an insatiable desire to live like our favorite social media influencers are contributing factors for the latest startling statistics. 

Linked In

If your closets, junk drawers, bathroom cabinets, and garages are overflowing, then it is time to do some serious decluttering. 

Note: It is important to remember that your space did not get cluttered in 1 day, so decluttering will be a weeks to months long process.

Here are some tips for each area of the home: 

Closets

Next Level Wardrobe

Take everything out! This will allow you to see how much you truly own, and force you to make a decision about each individual item. 

While your closet is empty, it is a good time to reevaluate your organization. Are the things you reach for the most easily accessible? Would it make more sense to store any items elsewhere in your home? Take a few minutes to wipe down surfaces and vacuum before the real organization begins. 

Group all clothing into categories, then tackle one at a time. Designate four separate areas, one for keep, one for donate, one for items to sell (Poshmark is great for gently used, secondhand items!), and one for trash. Then, take a good look at each item and ask yourself: 

• Does it fit? How comfortable is it?

  • These are two very important considerations. Maybe you have been holding on to those skinny jeans for years in hopes they fit again. Or you have a pair of shoes you love but give you blisters every time you reach for them. If they don’t serve you right now, they need to go. 

• How often do I reach for this?

  • Maybe it is time to part with the Hulk Hogan costume you wore for Halloween 7 years ago. Maybe… 

• What condition is it in?

  • We are all guilty of hanging on to that one piece of clothing for a little (or a lot) longer than we should have. Be honest with yourself, and if it needs to be replaced, then replace it. 

• Why am I keeping this?

  • Sometimes the answer can be something silly, or sentimental. Try not to hold on to these items solely for memories if space is limited for you. 

LevelUP

Take your time with this process. It can feel overwhelming and time-consuming, so take quick breaks when you begin to struggle. After you have worked through all of the categories, every item should have a destined fate. 

If you find yourself tossing items in the “keep” pile that you are unsure of, fill a basket with these “maybe” items and designate a time frame to donate the items you don’t reach for within it. 

Junk Drawer

We all have them! Their contents may vary, but they hold a wide assortment of the things you reach for often and need quick access to. However, if you don’t take a few minutes to declutter from time to time, they can easily get out of hand.

Raymond Forbes Photography

Just like with the closet process, take everything out of your beloved junk drawer and admire it in its miscellaneous glory. Wipe down the drawer itself and install drawer dividers (Or the Maxx Drawer, if you want to double your storage space and keep things tidy). 

Rev-A-Shelf

Group the items into categories, and decide what needs to stay, what can be stored elsewhere, and what needs to be thrown out. 

For items like batteries or writing utensils, make sure everything works before returning to the drawer. 

Pretty Handy Girl

Bathroom 

West Elm

Once again, empty all of the drawers and cabinets, then clear the countertops. Wipe down all surfaces, then evaluate your storage space. You may just need a few drawer dividers and bins to keep things tidy, or it might be time to invest in some more heavy duty organization.

Rev-A-Shelf

Either way, group all of the like items together and take a good look at what you have. Do you need 7 bottles of almost empty travel size shampoo? What about the tylenol that expired in 2004? Dispose of old/expired toiletries and medications, and donate unopened products you just don’t reach for. This is also a great time to restock your first aid supplies and keep them somewhere handy. 

Garage

A 2012 UCLA study found that 3 out of every 4 households with a garage do not park their car in the garage, because it is full of other belongings. If your garage is full of cluttered chaos, clearly you are not alone. 

The Solid Signal Blog

It is important to remove everything from the garage, and deep clean the whole area before you begin the decluttering process. Sweep debris, mop the floors, and wipe down surfaces while the garage is empty. If your garage is full of broken or mismatched storage systems, it may be beneficial to invest in a new set of shelves or cabinets to maximize storage space and give the area a cleaner look. 

Garage Solutions Seattle

First, categorize all items into groups, and evaluate the condition and utility of each item. Discard broken, dirty, or out of date items and create a donation pile for everything that may be useful for someone else. If you have a hard time parting with things, consider planning a garage sale to incentivize the decluttering process. 

The Norwalk Patriot

What area will you declutter first?