16 Things Everyone Should Declutter In September

September brings a reprieve from the heat of summer. Schedules slow down in some ways but pick up in others ... like those back-to-school events and fall festivities. Still, it's a good idea to set aside time for seasonal decluttering. Because it's a period of transition, September is an ideal month to let go of the last remnants of summer and usher in the coziness of autumn. But instead of just packing up the summer gear, take time to sort through it and get rid of unwanted items.

In a way, September is a lull before the storm. The next few months bring lots of holidays and celebrations that leave you with little time to clean, let alone declutter and organize. Taking time now to sort holiday items, hosting supplies, car safety gear, and warmer clothes prepares you for those busy months. If you have school-age kids, you'll likely have schoolwork, water bottles, and homework areas to declutter as well now that school's back in session.

It's never easy to part with warm-weather clothes. Seeing that souvenir T-shirt from your coastal getaway may make you nostalgic for your summer vacation, and those flip flops are so easy to slide on. But September is the time to start transitioning your wardrobe to cooler-weather options, so you're prepared in case the temps drop suddenly. 

Pull out all your summer clothing, shoes, and accessories to declutter your closet like a pro. If you have anything you didn't wear at all this summer, consider putting it in your donate pile. Check for stains, tears, broken zippers, or other damage that makes the clothing unwearable. For what's left, consider the fit, style, and appeal of each piece. If you live in a mild climate, it's a good idea to keep some warmer-weather clothes in your rotation, but other summer clothes can go in storage. 

There are plenty of mistakes everyone makes when organizing their closet, including mixing clothes from different seasons. Since September still has some toasty days, it's smart to keep some short-sleeved shirts and lightweight clothes on standby. But the real focus of this September clean-out task is checking fall clothes. It's possible that some of last year's warmer-season clothes went into storage with stains, wrinkles, or damage as well as items that are no longer your style.

Go through your fall wardrobe to only keep the favorite, properly fitting pieces. It could be time to say goodbye to cool-weather items that have already seen two or three years of rotation, either due to wear or no longer dovetailing with your style. Set aside any items that need a little work, like boots that require some polish or jackets that need new buttons — they can go back in the closet once the repairs are done. Be careful with sweaters — they're best folded to keep them from stretching and becoming misshapen. If you spot a few favorites that have pilling, now is also a great time to pull out that depiller (you can also use a disposable razor).

Your shed is likely an overlooked storage spot that's begging to be decluttered. It's the place where you toss those gardening tools and empty nursery pots once you're done planting. Maybe you have half-used seed packets that have been sitting around (most seeds have a shelf life of one to five years). Outdoor sheds can also tend to be a dumping ground for items like kids' toys, camping accoutrements, grilling gear, and holiday decorations. But you can't wait too much longer to declutter, or the cold temperatures may discourage you from checking this task off your list.

Empty your shed (or other backyard storage areas). Toss items that are broken or never get used. If you haven't utilized something for over a year and don't foresee an immediate need for it, consider donating it. Getting rid of duplicates that you don't need can also free up space. If you've been holding onto items like plastic nursery pots, leftover pavers, or bags of soil, be honest with yourself about whether or not they'll be used. 

Another outdoor area that's perfect for your September cleaning list is any collections of lawn games and other outdoor toys. Unless you live in a hot climate, this time of year starts to get a little chilly for water-related activities, like sprinklers and kiddie pools. However, fall is still full of potential for outdoor activities without sweating the second you step into the backyard. This decluttering task prepares you for those fall adventures.

Children tend to outgrow toys as they go through different stages, so look for items that no longer hold your kids' interest. Your preschooler may not enjoy push toys anymore, for example. It's also important to inspect outside toys for cracks, sharp edges, and other damage that makes them no longer safe to use. For the water toys and other summer gear, decide if they're still in good condition and if your kids will still be interested in them next year before storing them. Stuff for older kids and adults has more longevity: For instance, cornhole isn't something everyone is going to tire of within a single summer. But if you and your family haven't pulled out that crochet or beach tennis set for multiple seasons, or they're broken or incomplete, then it might be worth decluttering your collection. 

Everything your child does is precious, but you only have so much space for those school projects and artwork. Now that school's in session, even more worksheets, drawings, and presentation posters will roll home. If you tend to shove all of the papers in a box to deal with later, you could have a large stash by now. Make way for the new memories by sorting through the items from previous years.

Throwing away a child's work can be emotional, and make you feel guilty with each page you toss. To make the process easier, start with items that don't have any sentimental value, like homework assignments or drawings that are really just scribbles. As you get into the more personal items, keep the pieces that are sentimental or make you smile. If you still have a lot left over, wait a few weeks and come back to the project to see if you're ready to let go of more. When storage space is an issue, consider scanning and storing the pieces digitally — save the files on your computer or turn them into a printed book.

A household command center is essential for keeping your family schedule in order, but it only works if the area stays organized. Every command center is unique to the family, but it often contains calendars, important paperwork, keys, meal plans, and other crucial items that you use almost every day. It's easy to let the command center go unattended in summer when you're not dealing with school schedules and your days are often more flexible. 

With the kids back in school or you simply refocusing after the carefree days of summer, it's time to make the center functional again. Start by removing items that migrated to the household command center over the summer that don't belong there, whether that's a pair of swim goggles, a bunch of vacation memorabilia, or other items. Make sure all of the paperwork and calendars are current. Replace any items that are damaged, like a bent file organizer or a clock that no longer keeps time. 

Creating the perfect homework station for your kids can help them focus on their studies. But those zones can also get messy quickly, especially if they get used in the summer for other activities, like playing with action figures or creating artwork. Decluttering creates a fresh desk area to set them up for success as the assignments start to increase this month.

Declutter the homework area by removing everything that doesn't belong. If there's old paperwork or learning resources that are no longer relevant, toss or donate those items. This is also an ideal time to sort through supplies like pens, pencils, rulers, and scissors, and get rid of any non-functional items. If you have older kids, check on calculators (and the corresponding chargers) as well as other tools they use regularly for homework.

Whether you pull out your fall decorations as soon as September hits or wait until closer to October, now is the time to go through those items and declutter any that you no longer use. Hauling the decor out early lets you take inventory of what you have, so you can plan your decorating strategy and decide what new items you want to add. It also gives you a chance to weed out things that no longer work, are worn, or don't fit your decorating style.

Retrieve all of your Halloween decorations and inspect all of the items for damage, tossing anything that can't be salvaged. Plug in any lighted, animated, or otherwise electronic decorations to make sure they still work. With what's left, decide if you still like the decorations or if you're ready to part with them. Old Halloween costumes can be sold or donated if they no longer fit or if your family won't wear them again.

You still have some time before the major holiday celebrations kick into full gear, which is why this is the perfect point to go through your hosting and serving gear. By the time you wrap up a family get-together or neighborhood party, the last thing you want to do is organize your servingware. It's easier to shove it in a box or cabinet until the next time you host. But that means you might have a disorganized collection of items that may or may not fulfill your hosting needs. Decluttering in September means you'll have an organized collection of the serving platters, utensils, and bowls you need long before the invitations go out.

Dust off those serving pieces before the neighborhood Halloween party or family Thanksgiving. Consider the types of events you'll host and what you'll serve to get an idea of what type of gear you need. Eliminate anything that doesn't fit with those needs. From there, group similar items together to keep them organized. If you're lucky, you'll have a hosting closet in your home where you can store the items in neatly labeled baskets, sorted by type or occasion. If not, consider dedicating a separate cabinet to the supplies.

When you're on the go in the summer, it's common for all of your gear to pile up in the car, whether that's camping chairs for the sidelines of baseball games or sand-covered beach paraphernalia. By September, your activities are often starting to shift, so those items might not be necessary. Winter weather conditions might seem far away, but you could find yourself driving on frosty roadways sooner than you realize. Transitioning your car from summer fun to winter safety is easier in September when the weather is still mild. 

On a clear September day, park the car in the driveway, and clear everything out of it. Remove the items that no longer need to be in the car, but check their condition first. If they're broken or no longer something you'll use, get rid of them. Take inventory of your car safety gear, including window scrapers, a first aid kit, jumper cables, a flashlight, blankets, and flares. You may need to replace items that aren't in good condition or that are missing. 

While many of your cosmetics and personal care products remain consistent year-round, others change slightly with the seasons. For example, insect repellent is more of a summertime need, and while sunscreen is important year-round, you might want to change the SPF. As you spend more time indoors, your summery glow might fade, which could mean your old foundation is out, and some people like to change their lip colors and eye palettes for the fall. 

To declutter your cosmetics and personal care items, inspect each product for changes to the color, consistency, or smell. Exposure to high heat or direct sunlight can cause products to separate and decrease the efficacy of active ingredients. The personal care items that went to the beach or on vacation could be damaged because of that. Check the expiration date on all products, especially sunscreens, which might not provide enough protection if they're old. From what's left, decide if the products are still your style, or if you're ready to retire them.

The entryway tends to be a dumping zone as you come into the house. By the end of summer, it could be full of summer camp art projects, flip flops, and sun hats. Decluttering that space and prepping it for fall gives your entryway a reset. Clearing out the hall closet or mudroom makes way for fall jackets, rain gear, and boots that you'll need. It's also a chance to create a welcoming space for any trick-or-treaters due next month and all of your holiday guests.

Check the items in the entryway to see if they still belong. If you have leftover summer gear, evaluate if you want to keep all of the items before moving them to an appropriate storage area. Empty out the coat closet to remove random items that migrated there, and check for hangers to hold your fall and winter gear. If there is no coat closet, another option is to clear the clutter by installing an entryway shelf.

Whether you're packing lunches and snacks for kids or simply resetting your own lunch habits for the fall, decluttering your food storage stash makes that easier. During the summer, those containers are ideal for taking snacks on the go. Despite being reusable, food storage containers, water bottles, and lunch boxes can deteriorate over time, especially with lots of use. Between cracks in the containers and missing lids, you can end up with a messy collection.

Inspect the containers, lids, and seals to make sure they're still in good condition. Then, match up the lids and containers to check for mates. If there are certain containers you never use, move them to your donate pile. For lunch boxes, inspect the closures and linings, and consider how much they get used. If your child moved on from their character lunch box, consider donating it to clear up space.

Decluttering doesn't always involve physical items. In this case, going through the digital photos you captured this summer is a perfect September activity. Photos and videos from vacations, festivals, and other summer events can add up quickly, taking up space on your camera and laptop. Before long, you could have thousands of photos from several months or years, all in one large file. Dealing with the photos from each season helps keep the project more manageable.

Set aside time to review your summer photos (and reminisce on the good times). Delete blurry or duplicate photos or images that you don't care to save. Retrieving the photos later is easier if you organize them into files based on the event or subject matter. Decide which summer photos you want to print and display on your wall, or pick your favorite images to include in a printed book that you can display on your coffee table.

Summer is an ideal time to move your houseplants outdoors so they can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. But before long, you'll need to transition them back to their indoor spots for the winter months. Before you reach that point, it's helpful to thin out your potted plant collection. Some of the plants may not have fared well outdoors. Or perhaps you got a little too enthusiastic and took on more houseplants than you want to care for. 

Line up your potted plants and check for any that are dead or not looking healthy. Empty and clean any vacant pots where the plants have died — since it's September, it's the perfect time to refill those pots with seasonal mums. Or, you can tuck the empty pots in your recently decluttered shed until you're ready for spring planting. Large plants may need to be separated — keep a part and share the rest with another gardener. If there are plants you don't enjoy raising or that are more work than you anticipated, donate or sell them to curate a collection of houseplants that bring you joy. 

Your pantry probably still houses some on-the-go snacks left over from summer adventures, like that half-eaten packet of trail mix. Those snacks can go stale if not sealed properly, and some food items have a short shelf life. Recipes and preferred foods might change as fall approaches, as well. Soups and comfort foods might feel more appropriate as the weather cools. You might also need to get rid of fresh pantry items that are no longer good, while replacing them with preserved ingredients and aromatic spices often used in fall.

Go through all of the food in the pantry, first checking the expiration date to toss anything that's no longer good. For partially opened containers, make sure the contents haven't gone stale. Then store in airtight containers. This will lock in freshness and prevent your pantry from becoming a pest attraction as the weather cools and rodents and roaches try to make their way indoors. Finally, toss, compost, or donate any food items that your family won't foreseeably eat. Once you get everything decluttered, here are some tips on how to keep an organized pantry.