Have you heard about Allyson Cartwright? She’s a professional organizer based in Baltimore, and she recently shared some amazing tips for giving your home a fresh makeover this spring. Her advice has taken TikTok by storm, with her videos racking up millions of views!
If you’re looking to breathe new life into your space, you’re in luck. Allyson’s got some great recommendations for what to declutter. So, scroll down to discover her tips and kickstart your cleaning journey!
#1 I want you to throw away all of your old and expired beauty products. Lotions and makeup do expire and they can harbor some pretty gnarly bacteria. So give yourself permission to get rid of the things that you’re not using. Again, make sure you’re looking at safe disposal practices for your beauty products because some of the stuff can be hazardous to throw in the garbage can as well.
#2 I want you to go into your kitchen and throw away all the expired food that exists in your refrigerator, your pantry, and your cabinets. Take everything out, touch everything at least once and while you’re at it, give your cabinets and fridge a good wipe down. This old and expired food is just taking up space in your kitchen, and it’s making you much less efficient. So throw it away.
#3 Get rid of all of those random kitchen appliances that you never use, especially all of those extra blenders and food processors. Most of the time this stuff is taking up valuable real estate inside of your cabinets and on top of your counter so you’re better off without it. Ask yourself, ‘have I used this in the last six months?’ If the answer is no, you don’t need it.
#4 Head on over to your medicine cabinet and throw away all expired medicine both prescription and over-the-counter. Now I want you to be really careful when disposing of your medication both prescription and over-the-counter. A lot of this stuff is not safe to flush down the toilet or put in the garbage can. My advice is to grab a bag, throw all the expired medication in there, and then take that to a drug take-back program local to you.
#5 This is the one I am the most passionate about. So listen closely. Throw away the clothes that don’t fit you. It is so unhealthy to have clothes in your closet that you feel like you need to shrink or grow into clothes that fit you and make you feel good. Throw it away.
#6 Get rid of your extra suitcases and luggage. Luggage can be really expensive. So if you have extra luggage lying around, it can be really helpful to donate this to people who need it. Foster care agencies or shelters are a great spot for this. But thrift stores are good as well because it allows people to get luggage for a cheaper price than if they were to buy it now.
#7 Empty electronics boxes. You will not use these boxes again, you’re likely not going to sell that old electronics and if you are, you don’t need the box. If there’s any warranty or VIN number information, snap a picture and get that s**t out. It’s just taking up space.
#8 I want you to throw away all of the old birthday cards that are just collecting dust. I’m not talking about the Super sentimental cards given to us by loved ones who maybe have passed or that we really cherish. I’m talking about the birthday cards that we hold on to just because the purpose of that card was to deliver a message that message being a happy birthday, and once that message is delivered, it’s okay to let it go.
#9 Some of you guys need to listen really closely to this, but please throw away old socks and underwear. These are items that can be replaced pretty easily. Here are a few quick tips that can help you do this quickly today. Anything with a stain or a hole in it gets thrown out. Any socks that don’t have a partner, get thrown out as well. In my opinion, the easiest way to do this is to get all of your socks together and dump them into a pile on the floor. And then I want you to shop through and actively choose the ones that you’re keeping. Everything else gets thrown out. Repeat with your underwear and you’re done.
#10 Old mail. I can’t tell you how many people have piles and piles of old mail just taking up space in their houses because they’re scared of getting their identity stolen if they throw it in the garbage can. If that’s something that you’re worried about, buy a shredder and shred that s**t. Throw it away.
#11 Throw away all of your excess food storage and Tupperware containers. Almost every single kitchen I’ve ever organized just has too many. While you’re at it, get rid of any container that’s missing a lid or any lid that’s missing a container.
#12 I want you to throw away those wire hangers that you get from the dry cleaner. These hangers were designed to get your clothes from point A to point B not to store your clothes for the long term, they bend and break so easily. And overall, they’re just terrible at storing your clothes, so throw it away.
#13 Throw away all of your worn-out or excess towels. Now I understand that towels can be used in different ways. So if you’re planning to repurpose them, take them out of the linen closet and put them with the things you’re repurposing them for. For example, I know sometimes people like to cut up old towels to create cleaning rags for their garage or you know to use in their home. If that’s the case, take that action right now and put the towels with your cleaning supplies or in your garage.
#14 I also want you to throw away those thin plastic garment bags that the dry cleaner gives you. I know these give the perception of your clothes being protected from the elements in your closet, but they can actually trap some harmful gas that can cause discoloration in your clothes. So please throw it away today.
#15 I want you to throw away all of the excess cords, cables and chargers that you have. I’m not saying throw them all away. But you definitely don’t need 10 Micro USB cables, that random cord that you have no idea what they go to can go as well.