Summer is the perfect time to declutter and refresh your home. With longer days and warmer weather, it’s easier to tackle those areas that have been piling up with stuff over the year. Decluttering doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By breaking it down into manageable projects, you can enjoy a cleaner, calmer space in no time. Ready to refresh your home? Why not try these 10 summer decluttering projects to refresh your home? Let’s go!
10 SUMMER DECLUTTER PROJECTS FOR YOUR HOME (AND LIFE)
Here are 10 summer decluttering projects to help you get started.
1. Start With The Entryway
The entryway is the first place you see when you come home so it’s the gateway to your home and a calmer, less stressed mind. It’s also the first impression for guests. A cluttered entryway can make your whole home feel chaotic.
Clear the clutter in your entry way and hall to kick-start your summer decluttering.
Clear out shoes and coats: Put away winter boots and coats and colder weather items you don’t need for this warmer summer weather. Store them in closets or storage bins until you need to bring them out for a seasonal wardrobe switch.
Organise mail and keys: Use a designated basket or tray for mail and keys. This keeps them from piling up on tables and counters and helps avoid losing them!
Add storage solutions: Consider adding hooks, a shoe rack, or a small bench with storage to keep everything in its place. There are lots of ideas on the internet to give you inspiration but clever storage in a busy, tight space can really help your entryway stay clutter-free and functional. Just make sure your whole family know where everything is kept and can put things away when they’re not in use!
2. Tackle The Living Room
The living room is often the heart of the home, where you relax and entertain. I like to keep our own living room clutter-free to make it more inviting and more usable by all the family.
Declutter surfaces: Clear off coffee tables, end tables, and shelves. Only keep items that you use regularly or that you love. It’s no good having stuff on display if you don’t feel good about it or need it. It’ll just gather dust and you might have to keep moving it around if you need that space.
Sort through books and magazines: Donate or recycle books and magazines that you’ve read or no longer need. Perhaps set a reminder on your calendar or phone to do a regular declutter every month or two. It’s amazing how quickly some types of clutter can build up and doing a little bit, often, is a great way to tackle clutter build-up.
Organise electronics: Tidy up cords and cables as these can make even a decluttered room look a little busy. Use cord organisers or clips to keep them neat and out of sight.
3. Simplify The Kitchen
The kitchen is one of the busiest rooms in the house and, for us, a gathering spot for family and friends. A decluttered kitchen makes cooking and cleaning much easier and enjoyable.
Clear out the pantry: Throw away expired food items and donate anything you won’t use. Can you organise what’s left by category or use containers to group similar foods together?
Streamline your utensils: Go through your kitchen utensils and gadgets. Donate duplicates and anything you haven’t used in the past year.
Tidy up countertops: Keep countertops clear of appliances you don’t use daily. If you have space, store them in cabinets or pantry shelves to free up space and take them out when you use them. It may feel a bit of a nuisance to begin with, but personally, I’d rather do this than having them sitting out on my worktop getting in my way. What do you do? Let me know in the comments!
4. Refresh The Bedroom
A clutter-free bedroom is essential for a better night’s sleep. Can you find ways to make your bedroom a peaceful retreat, especially if the weather is warmer and sleep feels more difficult.
Declutter your wardrobe: Go through your clothes and donate anything that doesn’t fit or that you haven’t worn in a year. Organise the rest by type or colour.
Simplify nightstands: Keep only the essentials on your bedside tables, like a lamp and alarm clock. Store other items in drawers or elsewhere. I try to keep my phone out of the bedroom for an overnight digital detox otherwise, honestly, I don’t trust myself to not take a peek at emails or social media.
Organise under the bed: Use storage bins or bags to store items under the bed. Make sure to only store items you really need as it’s a common cause of hidden clutter, out of sight and out of mind.
5. Clean Out The Bathroom
A tidy bathroom can make your morning and evening routines much more streamlined.
Sort through toiletries: Throw away expired products and anything you don’t use. Organise the rest by type (e.g. skincare, haircare).
Clear out medicine cabinets: Dispose of old medications safely. Keep only what you need and use regularly and make a note to replace any low stocks.
Organise towels and linens: Fold towels and linens neatly. Check that bedlinen fits the size of beds you have currently. Donate any that are old or worn out or that can’t be repurposed as cleaning rags, pet blankets or as dust sheets for DIY and painting!
6. Organise The Home Office
A clutter-free home office can boost your productivity, help you stay focused, limit distractions and reduce stress. All helpful tools to better manage work-life balance.
Sort paperwork: Go through your papers and shred anything you don’t need. Organise important documents into labelled folders, either paperwork in a storage container, or digitally on your computer.
Tidy up the desk: Keep only essential items on your desk. Use drawer organisers to keep small items in their place.
Manage cables: Just like the living room, use cord organisers to keep cables tidy and out of the way.
7. Declutter The Garage
The garage often becomes a catch-all for items that don’t have a home. Clear it out to make room for your car and other essentials that you might not want or be able to store in your home.
Sort and categorise: Group items into categories like tools, sports equipment, and gardening supplies. Get rid of anything broken or that you no longer use. If you’re not sure about something, make a note of it. Put a reminder in your phone or calendar to assess whether you still need it in 2 – 6 months. There might be exceptions to this such as seasonal decorations or high value, specific-activity items like camping gear. Be honest and realistic though in deciding what and how much to keep vs how much you actually do use and need these items.
Use storage solutions: Install shelves, pegboards, or storage bins to keep items organised and off the floor.
Create zones: Designate specific areas for different types of items, making it easier to find what you need.
8. Simplify Outdoor Spaces
Of all the summer decluttering projects I’ve listed here, don’t forget about your outdoor areas. A clutter-free yard, garden area, balcony or patio can make summer more enjoyable for the kids to play, you to sit out with a book, gardening or having friends over.
Clean up the patio: Clear off tables and chairs. Store or get rid of any items you don’t use. Tidy up your garden like you’d tidy up your home.
Organise gardening tools: Use hooks or a storage shed to keep gardening tools organised and easily accessible. This will make garden maintenance much more enjoyable!
Tidy up toys and sports equipment: Store outdoor toys and sports equipment in bins or a storage bench. Even better if it’s something your kids can easily use to tidy up their own toys.
9. Streamline Digital Clutter
Digital clutter can be just as overwhelming as physical clutter. Take some time to organise your digital life. Even if you can’t trip over or see it every day, digital clutter is still clutter that distracts you and might stop you finding something important you really need.
Clean up your computer: Delete old files, uninstall unused programs, and organise your remaining files into folders.
Sort through emails: Delete or archive old emails. Unsubscribe from newsletters and promotional emails you don’t read.
Organise your photos: Go through your digital photos and delete duplicates or fuzzy, random and poor-quality shots. Organise the rest into folders or albums. This can be a HUGE job as it’s so easy these days to take photos on our phones. Set a reminder to do this once a week or month and make the task feel far less overwhelming.
10. Create a Maintenance Plan
Once you’re clutter-free with these summer decluttering projects, create a maintenance plan to keep it that way. A little bit of regular decluttering and organising can keep your home ticking over whilst you get on with making the most of your summer!
Daily habits: Spend a few minutes each day tidying up. Put things back where they belong and deal with mail and paperwork as it comes in.
Weekly tasks: Set aside time each week for larger tasks, like cleaning the fridge or doing a deeper tidy of a specific room.
Monthly reviews: Go through each area of your home once a month to ensure it stays clutter-free.
CONCLUSION
I hope you enjoyed these simple summer decluttering projects for your home and life! Decluttering your home this summer can make your space more enjoyable, have fun and your life less stressful. By breaking it down into simple, manageable projects, you can create a more organised and peaceful environment.
More importantly, your home will be a space that you can really enjoy being in and embrace a fun, happier and more joyful summer. Maybe you could add decluttering to your summer bucket list this holidays?
Start with one area and work your way through your home, and you’ll be amazed at the difference it makes!
I’d love to know if you’re working on any summer decluttering projects? What does summer look like for you at home? Has it changed over the years if your kids have grown up and left home? How does your home change over the summer months? Leave a comment below and share your thoughts…
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Antonia Colins is the creator of Balance Through Simplicity – a website and blog helping busy people declutter, organise and simplify their home and life. She has over 20 years of experience in juggling work and family life and supporting individuals through home adaptations and enjoying their home more. In her spare time, you can find Antonia walking, gardening or planning her next travel adventure! She lives in the UK with her husband and teenage kids. Read more about Antonia.
Laura A
Sunday 21st of July 2024
Hi Antonia, I think these projects are all well thought out, though some (like the garage) don't apply to me. However, where I live we have currently had unrelenting weeks of above average temperatures, sometimes over 30 degrees Celsius. My home is too hot for energetic work except for early in the morning, so that's when I run the dishwasher, do laundry, etc.
Would you consider writing an article on decluttering projects and strategies for when it's too hot to move much? And any other tips you have for home organization (and meals) when it's so warm. I've been eating a lot of sandwiches, but that gets a bit old no matter how I mix it up. LOL
Stay cool!
Balance Through Simplicity
Monday 22nd of July 2024
Hi Laura, thank you for your comment! Yes, I'll certainly add this on to my list of articles. Great idea!