What You May Find in the Linen Closet

 Worn out sheets and linens

Linens for beds in sizes you no longer own

Towels past their prime

Cleaning rags ready to be retired

Tablecloths that you'll never use

More sets of linens than are needed

Decluttering the Linen Closet

To declutter the linen closet,, start by sorting linens by purpose or by the room they are used in.  This will give you a better idea of how many items you actually have.  Go through and remove any items that are no longer used, or are stained, or damaged.  Next decide how many of each kind of linen you actually need.  This might be different for each family.  Once you've sorted what you are keeping, neatly fold and arrange those items and get rid of the ones not needed.

What You May Find Under the Kitchen Sink

Excess cleaning supplies

Fire extenguisher that need to be replaced

Items you no longer need

Empty or nearly empty cleaning supplies

Dectluttering Under the Sink

 There may be some fairly dangerous types of clutter hiding under your kitchen sink.  Cleaning chemicals and household items may seem like they will last forever, but can actually lose their ability to clean over time.  Be sure to dispose of these items properly. If your cleaning supplies have changed in scent, consistency, or color, they may need to replaced. Make sure to remove any damaged containers as well. Tidy up under sink by storing items for similar jobs in bins to organize them.

What You May Find In Your Clothes Closets

Clothes that no longer fit

Clothes that are damaged or no longer worn

Clothes that you no longer like

Accessories that are no longer wanted

Shoes that have seen better days

Decluttering the Clothes Closet

One of the biggest clutterers in our closets are items that are rarely or never worn.  One of the most common excuses is that we may one day fit into clothes that aren't fitting right now.  Unless there is a definite day in the future when that will happen, you might be better off buying new clothes when new goals are achieved.  We sometimes also keep clothing, shoes, and accessories that we don't really like.  Let go of these items to make room for ones that you love.

What You May Find in the Pantry

Expired food or food that has gone bad

Small appliances that haven't been used in years

Food that you don't like and will never eat

Items that you like but no longer want to eat

Decluttering the Pantry

Decluttering the pantry works best if you start by removing everything.  Shelves will need to be wiped down anyway, and having everything out will make the job that much easier.  Sort out any items that have expired or gone bad and throw them away.  Take out food that you will not eat and make arrangements to donate it.  Go through other items in the pantry and get rid of items that are only taking up space.  Some use the one year rule of thumb.  If you haven't used it in a year, let it go.

What You May Find in the Utensil Drawers

Too much of any one item

Items that are dull or damaged beyond repair

Items that are never used

Odds and ends that found their way in.

Decluttering the Utensil Drawers

I was a little shocked when I recently dug into my utensil drawers.  They were overflowing but not with items that I actually needed. To declutter your utensil drawers,  start by sorting through the entire drawer.  Remove items that are not needed or are damaged.  Wipe out the drawers thoroughly and replace the items you actually need.  Consider using a utensil caddy to separate items and make them more easily located.

What You May Find in Junk Drawers

Menus for restaraunts

Rubber bands that are wadded together

Batteries that are past their prime

A variety of items that may make your head spin

Decluttering Junk Drawers

Junk drawers are made to hold those miscellaneous items we can't seem to find other places for.  This can make decluttering difficult.  I like to start by removing everything and doing a quick sweep for trash, then items that have a home elsewhere in your house.  Finally, sort through and organize those remaining necessities.  Try a drawer organization system to keep this clutter drawer more thoroughly organized.

What You May Find on Bookshelves

Books you no longer want

Stacks of magazines

Old library books that are way past due

Books you borrowed from other people

Decorative items that you'd like to replace

Papers that need to be sorted, shredded, or filed

Decluttering Bookshelves

To declutter, remove all the books and decorative items so that shelves can be dusted.  Get rid of items that you have no intention of reading or using.  For magazines containing single articles or recipes that you wanted to keep, clip the items out to save.  I've even been known to take pictures of recipes with my camera phone so that I limit the paper in my collections.  Consider donating items that are still in good condition but need a home other than yours.

What You May Find in Storage Areas

Old items that are no longer needed

Items that belong to other people

Treasured items that are in danger of being damaged

Old clothes

Accessories for items you no longer own

Papers that can be shredded or discarded

A scary assortment of stuff

Decluttering Storage Areas

Storage areas can take a long time to declutter.  I recommend setting aside an entire day or series of days dependin on the enormity of the task.  it's also a good idea to have help.  There may be items that are heavy or bulky that need to be moved.  Give yourself an incentive, like preparing for a garage sale, to get yourself motivated. Be sure to throw out trash, donate other items, and repackage any damaged boxes.