We all think of cleaning up our yard in the fall but what about inside? Spring cleaning gets all the attention, but it isn’t always the best time to declutter and organize. There are easy things to work on in the fall to split the workload into something manageable!

To start off, just grab a trash bag and donation box and try to get rid of as much as you can from each of the ten spots listed below. If you’re feeling like an over-achiever, tackle the 2 bonus points!

Kitchen Decluttering

• Take all the spices, seasonings, and condiments out of the cabinet and give the shelves a quick cleaning. Before putting everything back, check the expiration dates. Some spices lose potency after time, so replace any that you believe could be too old.

Have a piece of paper handy to keep track of what needs to be replaced. You’ll be all set for holiday baking! 

• Sometimes our freezer becomes a black hole where things go in and never come out. The fall is the perfect time to get it cleared out and ready for winter. 

• BONUS: If you have a little extra time, purge the pantry/food cabinet as well! 

Closet Decluttering

• Be honest about what shoes were really worn this summer. Now is the time to donate or sell the others. The most effective way to tackle this is to remove all the shoes from the closet and then put back the ones that you wear. That also gives you a chance to wipe down the shelves or shoe organizer. 

• Fall is also a great time to purge the swimwear. Why keep swimwear that you never wear?

• BONUS: Peek at the family’s winter coats and donate any that have been outgrown or are no longer needed now before winter hits. Someone will be so grateful that you did this one!

Garage Decluttering

• Any big toys the kids have outgrown should be cleared out in the fall, before the holidays. It’s the perfect time to donate them, and you don’t need to store them all winter if the kiddos will never use them again.

• Clean up, repair, and purge your garden supplies so they’ll be ready for you in the spring. Nothing kills spring planting motivation faster than being ready to plant and finding everything a mess from the prior year.  

Living Room Decluttering

• Do a quick sweep and lighten the clutter by purging outdated magazines. Look for books you know you’ll never read again and pass them along to a new home. 

• At some point, you find that you have accumulated a lot of throw blankets or afghans. Gently used items such as these are often nice to donate to a nursing home.

Bedroom Decluttering

• Everyone gathers different kinds of clutter in the bedroom. Set the time on your cell phone or microwave for 15 minutes, and try to find as many things as you can that can be removed. Start with the floor, the flat surfaces (dresser top), or inside the drawers. 

Bathroom Decluttering

• Chances are you’ve got some beauty products that are never touched lurking in the bathroom. Sometimes you buy a product and don’t like it but don’t want to get rid of it because you spent money on it! Keeping them around to clutter up the bathroom isn’t doing any good. Get rid of old make-up too! 

It shouldn’t take too long to tackle all the spaces on the list, and your home will both feel a bit lighter when you are done.