How to declutter and organize your apartment?

One week ago I filmed a video on how I am organizing and decluttering my small apartment, the video is up on my Youtube channel (CLICK HERE TO WATCH). While filming that video I realized that many times we collect and keep things that we do not need and want, which only takes up space, makes our apartments look more busy and messy. So how to declutter and organize your apartment?

There are certain things are the ones that prohibit our apartment look neat and more minimalist. They make the dust gather together with these things. I decided to write down a list of the most popular things that we intend to collect without realizing but what you need to get rid of to make your apartment look beautiful, more spacious, and minimalist!

I am not saying that this applies to all people, but these are the things I noticed in my apartment and that I have had the problem with my whole life (and have seen people around me have these products in their houses as well). Do these apply to you?

Old planners and agendas

I have always loved to write down my ideas and plans (or to have a planner to write them down). There were years when I started to write down my plan in January but then the whole year it stayed empty but it is not what it is about. It is about collecting these agendas and journals, which I did and I remember once I had them collected for 5-7 years! That means 7 agendas just piling up, never touched again!

I think one of the reasons why I had them for so many years is because I was scared to throw them out and think some people can find them, read them maybe even come to my address or so on. You can always burn them, or shred them if that is the case.

Another reason people may hold onto them and not declutter their agendas is because of the information in these agendas (or the information they think they may need). In that case, each new year, go over your old journal/ agenda and write out the important information you need. If you have some permanent information that you will always need (like phone numbers, addresses and so on), make a separate journal only for that and that way you will not need to write it down each year from one agenda to another one!

Fashion, sports etc. magazines

Magazines and newspapers! I remember to have those piled all around me in every house I have ever lived! We pay for them, we buy them, we order them and we do not want to throw them out because it feels like throwing out money!

Firstly, do think if you need that magazine or you can read it online (because many magazines are a waste of money). If you do need it, I am not saying to throw out it right when you read it or every month you buy a new one! I am saying to only be reasonable of them and do not pile five years worth of magazines in your house!

I would suggest buying some beautiful basket or box to collect them in, and every time it fills up- throw the oldest ones away! Also if you think there might be some interesting information in, just go over it and pull the pages out. For example, recipes or style ideas, etc. Get separate folder or notebook to keep them in and that way you will not feel like you throw out a piece of important information that you may need one day (but be realistic about this one, and think if you are actually interested in those recipes, styles or whatever information it is).

Bottles and jars

I do not know about you, but these have always been the problem in my household- always the feeling that we need more jars in case we cook something and need somewhere to put it in. Okay, It did make sense and we used a lot of jars that we kept because I lived in the countryside and my granny and mother have always been excellent cooks! Again though- be reasonable and if they start piling up that there is no space and you start piling them up on the floor- you have a problem!

I live in a small apartment now and we have kept only the prettiest bottles that many times are wine bottles or beer bottles (sometimes from our trips) and even then we keep them where they do not bother us, as well as a design element to freshen up the interior in the kitchen (which is not the most exciting one for us). I have kept a few jars as I have found them to be very useful to keep my makeup brushes in and thinking to use some for my cold coffee!

Our grannies tought us the best things but sometimes they do not apply anymore in modern world we live in! But if you want to apply the jar collecting to trendy world- they do work great for ice coffees or smoothies!

P.S. I also keep a few jars because I used to make a body scrub at home and I am hoping to return to that one day! If you are interested in recipe of homemade body scrub (only 2 ingredients)- READ HERE!

Greeting cards

Greeting cards and letters are the tricky one- because we feel like throwing out greeting cards we are going to hurt our family or friends. We do not want to seem unthankful and bad! Obviously, a few cutest, prettiest and sweetest greeting cards from your granny, kept in some box or envelope will not hurt not you, not your aesthetics! But what if we hold onto every single one of them, even the ones which have only your name and Happy birthday on them?

If you have too many greeting cards and letters in your house piling up. Firstly, I would suggest you get them out from envelopes (at least the greeting cards) because I feel like they take a lot of space and make it all look uglier. Get some beautiful basket or the metal box (maybe even something that goes great with aesthetics of interior) and keep only the prettiest and more meaningful in the box. Whenever it fills up, go over them and do some decluttering. This way you are also going to actually look and read them from time to time giving a lot more sense for you to have them!

Boxes and packaging

Boxes and all kinds of bags are another tricky one. Except if you live in your own apartment and house- you do may need them! Like me, when I was in my parents’ house, I mostly threw them out except a few bags that seemed useful. When I started to rent apartments, I kept the boxes I could because I knew I will need them whenever I move out again (and I learned it from that one time when I threw all the boxes out).

The same happens to me now. I keep all the boxes possible, almost all of them. I keep the ones that are of good quality and that have a reasonable size as well. Then if there is some very pretty one, I use it to keep my Christmas things in it, magazines, etc. Other boxes and bags I try to keep all in places where I do not see them and where they do not bother me (and try to keep them all together). For me, it is underneath beds and in our closet!

Candles?!

Yes, candles. People love to gift and buy candles for each other! Even if it is some simple, blue candles from the supermarket. Your aunt or grandma thinks it is a good idea, you try to push out that thank-you-smile and then put the candle away and forget about it! That is how all these rainbow candles pile up in your apartment or house, not helping aesthetics nor minimalism!

What I suggest you for this is, either get some pretty box or basket to throw them all in! Or just try to burn them every evening when you have dinner, for example. Or even when you have a bath! This way you will not feel guilty, you will use them up and also your everyday life will seem a bit more luxurious with candlelight everywhere! You could also melt them all together in beautiful rainbow tie-dye candle (it is in a trend right now).

Did my tips give you some ideas on How to declutter and organize your apartment? These were the things that I tend to collect and pile up in my apartment and need to declutter from time to time, which products do you find the most in your house and that you think should declutter without guilt?

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