Get These 11 Things Decluttered In Time For Winter

Spring is the time when most people think about cleaning and organizing their homes, but autumn offers another chance to declutter and let go of things that no longer serve a purpose in your home. Same as in spring, when you're digging items out for the upcoming season and packing up the old, it's a good time to go through your things so you don't have to do it later. Head into the chillier months with less clutter and more space for all of the stuff that'll be added to your home for the holiday season.

Before you start sorting, a good idea to make things go more smoothly is to set up a couple of boxes and a trash bag. The trash bag is for garbage (you may also want a separate bin for recyclables). If you think you can make a few bucks from some of your stuff, set up one box for selling. Use the other box for donations that you can take to your local thrift store. Of course, you may also want to invest in some organizing supplies, like plastic bins with fitted lids (to protect your belongings from pests) and a label maker so you know what's in each bin.

Now is the time to not only declutter your warm-weather clothing before you pack it away for the winter season, but also to sort through your cold-weather clothing before putting it in your closet. Clothing that no longer fits can be passed down or donated. Items that are stained or ripped (and not in a way that makes them look cool) can go in the trash or be used as rags, depending on the fabric. If you have the time and energy, consider trying on anything you haven't worn in a while to make sure you still like it and will wear it during the season — if it doesn't spark joy, let it go.

Before Christmas, go through all your holiday decor. If you have more Christmas ornaments than will fit on your tree, sort out the ones you never use and let them go. You're probably in the process of putting away Halloween decor and getting out fall and Thanksgiving decorations, so be sure to declutter there as well. If you have Halloween items you didn't use this year, consider donating them so someone else can enjoy them. Decluttering before the holidays is a great way to ring in the new year!

When was the last time you organized your pantry? Now is a great time to review the dates on everything. You can also let go of any foods you no longer eat, perhaps due to a diet change or ingredient intolerance. Items you won't eat that aren't expired can be donated to a soup kitchen or local church. 

Organize items by expiration date, with the earliest in the front row, so you're more likely to eat them first. Here are some pantry storage hacks to help you out.

When you get new sheets, what have you been doing with the old ones? Are they just sitting in the linen closet unused? Sure, they may be a good backup set, but if they're stained, faded, or have holes, perhaps it's time to turn them into scraps and open up a little more room in the linen closet for the linens you do use. Consider some new folding techniques to make your linen closet look even more organized.

It's easy to end up with too many cups, glasses, and coffee mugs with all of the cute stuff out there. If it's getting more and more difficult to find room in your cupboard each time you put dishes away, it could be time to let someone else have some of those cute cups. If you have ones you really love but never use, move them to a display shelf so you can still enjoy them without taking up space in the kitchen cabinets.

The medicine cabinet can easily be forgotten in the humdrum of life. Pills that don't need to be taken daily sometimes expire before you get a chance to use them all. This is a good time to check expiration dates and let go of medications you no longer take. If you are letting go of any medicines, especially prescription drugs, do not flush them – instead, locate a drug take-back program in your area.

Winter is coming, and it's time to put away all of your outdoor equipment — from the fun stuff to tools used to maintain your yard and garden. Rather than tossing this stuff in the shed to worry about in the spring, clean it up and organize it now so it's ready to use whenever. Be sure that any equipment with batteries, gas, or oil is correctly prepared for winter storage. The shed is one of those spots that often gets overlooked when it's time to declutter.

Now is an excellent time for your kids to go through their toys. Depending on their ages, they're likely to get some new ones for the holidays, which can motivate them to let go of some of the old stuff they no longer play with. This is also an ideal chance to take a close look at the condition of their toys — toss anything that's broken or too dirty to clean again. If they have a lot of toys but little space, decluttering can also be about finding more storage.

If you're a candle lover, the size of your collection can easily get out of hand. There are so many scents, colors, and styles out there, and sometimes you want them all, especially for the different seasons. However, if you're running out of space for them, it's time to declutter. Not all candles are created equally, so let go of the ones that don't burn right or have a scent you dislike. To put more candles to use, here are some beautiful ways to decorate your home with candles.

There may be one, there may be more — but we all have that storage closet where we shove everything that doesn't have a home elsewhere. Now is a great time to pull it all out so you can actually see what's stored in there. Use the opportunity to reorganize the items and discard anything you haven't touched in a long time. If your closet doesn't have shelving and storage cubbies, you may want to invest in a closet organizer system to keep this space for things you don't use regularly but still want to keep.

Another one of those random spaces where we toss stuff that often gets forgotten about is the junk drawer. Much like the closet, the junk drawer becomes the catch-all for small things. Dump that drawer out. Check the dates and condition of batteries, let go of keys that go to nowhere, and weed out anything that you know doesn't serve a purpose in your home. If there are things you may need in the future that don't have a dedicated home, keep them in the drawer, but perhaps use a drawer organizer to sort them.