Clutter Be Gone!

Tips and tricks on how to reorganize your space.

It’s time to attend to those messy drawers and countertops. Now that we’re stuck at home, we need to make sure that our space is ideal since that’s all we’re going to be looking at for a while. As someone who has had much experience binge watching decluttering videos, I have compiled a list of tasks that I tested in my own space. This is most definitely inspired by the tidying up guru, Marie Kondo.

1. Create a checklist

After you make a commitment to tidying up your space, write down a list of the specific places you want to tackle:

• Bedroom closets, drawers, shelves, etc.
• Kitchen cabinets, pantry, etc.
• Dining room
• Bookshelf and desk paperwork
• Sentimental items such as childhood toys and your favorite sweater
• Miscellaneous items

Try to follow the order you lay out, and once you start on a specific space, don’t move on until you are done.

2. Empty it out

Empty out all the items in that space so that it is all laid out in front of your eyes. Throw all your clothes on your bed, empty out the drawer of sharshafs and sijadas, that coat closet with all the abayas you haven’t seen in years, have all books and papers in front of you, etc. This will make it easy to do the following step.

3. Sort through it

Grab item by item and ask yourself if it has any significance taking up space in your home and in your life – this may get emotional. I like to create three piles. One for items I will be keeping, another for items I am definitely giving up, and the last pile for items I am unsure about and will revisit at the end of the specific task (remember, don’t move on until you are done).

4. Repackage

Now that you know what you get to keep, make sure everything has a purpose, and yes, giving you joy is a purpose. Keep only the abayas you love and use, keep the books you appreciate and lay them out so that they’re visually appealing, hang that sentimental photo you found while decluttering, label all the kitchen items (especially that spice cabinet), and make sure that the bag full of bags is set aside in a proper space (I know we all have one of these). Allow everything to serve a purpose and allow your space to make you feel light and welcomed.