30 THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN APRIL TO SIMPLIFY YOUR HOME AND LIFE

Decluttering is an ongoing task as the clutter invades our space on a daily basis. Here are 30 things to declutter in April to create a clutter-free home and life.

DECLUTTERING IN APRIL

April is the month of growth and regeneration. It’s when the weather begins to change and, for some of us, when our homes take on the freshness and colour of Spring.

I like to keep my home clutter-free because it functions better for our family like that. We enjoy our home more and I can relax and unwind from a busy life and overwhelming world.

However, clutter keeps invading our space and I like to tackle that clutter regularly so it feels manageable. That’s why I try to give myself some little projects and things to declutter in April (and every other month) so I can stay on top of our stuff without stress and decluttering taking up much of my time.

Little and often is a great motto for many things in life and decluttering is no exception!

I thought it might be fun to share some April decluttering projects and things to get rid of in April with you in case you’re inspired to declutter with me!

Are you ready? April decluttering here we come…

30 THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN APRIL

Here’s a list of 30 April decluttering projects to keep your home and life clutter-free and simplified. I hope they help!

1. Clothes and closet

One of the first things to declutter in April is to sort through your wardrobe and declutter clothes, shoes, and accessories you no longer wear or need.

Think about doing a seasonal wardrobe switch where you put away last season’s clothes and bring out pieces that are more suited to this season.

• Can you ditch the big, heavy coats and thick sweaters?
• Maybe you need to bring out some lightweight jackets, make use of more layering and find your sandals?
• Perhaps it’s time to bring in a little colour and add a new piece to your capsule wardrobe?
• Do you have somewhere else to store your out-of-season clothes so they’re not taking up space, front and centre, in your wardrobe? I pack mine away in storage bags under our bed. Every season I check what’s in there and swap things around. It’s exciting to pull out pieces that I’d almost forgotten I had!

Enjoy planning your clothes for the coming season. Here are some more tips on how to get your wardrobe ready for Spring which I hope you might enjoy!

2. Kitchen cabinets

Declutter kitchen cabinets by removing expired food, unused appliances, and duplicate utensils.

If you have time and energy, why not give your kitchen a spring clean at the same time. It’s easier to clean the inside of cupboards, drawers and your fridge when it’s empty of stuff.

Decluttering the kitchen doesn’t have to be a big task. It might feel daunting when you look at ALL your cupboards and ALL the stuff in them, but kitchen decluttering is a great example of how to make decluttering easier by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable chunks.

Declutter one drawer whilst you’re waiting for the kettle to boil, one cupboard whilst you’re overseeing your kids make cupcakes.

3. Pantry organisation

Organise your pantry and food storage cupboards by sorting through food items, getting rid of expired goods and arranging items neatly on shelves.

I like to take this time to really look at the items in my cupboard. Sometimes we acquire foodstuff because it’s a gift from others, it was on special offer and felt too good a deal to miss out on, or we liked the look of trying something new.

I know from my own experience that these items can just end up sitting in our cupboards and even get pushed to the back as we reach for the familiar, tried-and-tested. This happens particularly when you’re in a rush and don’t have time to experiment with new recipes and ingredients, or you have picky eaters to cater for who prefer eating what they know instead what they don’t!

Getting rid of food doesn’t mean throwing it away. Depending on expiry dates and condition, you could donate it to a food bank, or repurpose it as a consumable and clutter-free gift to someone who would enjoy it more.

Or, of course, you could take the opportunity to experiment with some new recipes and see if you can incorporate these ingredients into a tasty meal!

4. Fridge cleanout

One of the next things to declutter in April is to remove expired or unused food items from your refrigerator and wipe down shelves and drawers.

After I’ve been grocery shopping and my food is waiting to be put away, one of my routine homemaking tasks is to pull everything out of the fridge and give it a good clean. This way I ensure the inside of the fridge gets a regular wipe down but I can also check for food that’s past its best.

I can also see which food needs to be eaten as soon as possible so I put this to one side to use up first. It’s actually one of the ways that I enjoy making dinner more – to create what my family calls a ‘thing’ dish, out of random ingredients that need eating up!

5. Home office desk

Declutter your home office desk by clearing off clutter, organising paperwork, and tidying up cords and cables.

Decluttering boosts productivity in so many ways. With less stuff, it’s easier to prioritise, focus and find what we need. Our work space also becomes clearer, tidier, less visually distracting and easier to clean.

Give your home office, study area or desk a little April declutter to set you up for a productive, efficient and focused month ahead.

6. Books and bookshelves

Ah books, I love you but you do take up space! Declutter bookshelves by removing books you no longer read or want to keep. Donate or sell books to free up space.

Decluttering bookshelves can be tricky. Books are like old friends and reading takes us to places that the real world can’t!

If you struggle with decluttering books, use the space you have available to help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of. If you have too many books to fit the allocated space, then it could be time to say goodbye and pass them on.

If you find you have a pile of books on your bedside table, still waiting to be read from last month, can you find a way to create time to read more? If you read 10 pages a day, how many books would you be able to read in a year? Time may be tight for you, but if something’s important, we tend to find time for it.

7. Magazine and paper clutter

Sort through magazines, newspapers, and mail, recycling or shredding items you no longer need.

Decluttering paperwork should probably be on every monthly decluttering list because it builds up sooooo quickly. From junk mail through the letterbox to paper packaging around our food, I think we would all benefit from some simple, effective strategies to deal with the daily influx of paper.

• You could keep a box handy for paper recycling as a quick way of getting rid of unwanted paper waste.
• Create one place in your home where all paperwork is placed until you’re ready to action it.
• Action paperwork once a day or once a week at most.
• If you have magazine subscriptions, put aside time in your day or week to read the magazines, otherwise they’ll just pile up.

For more tips and to learn about my own system for managing paper, try this article on how to declutter paperwork for some ideas.

8. Bathroom cabinets

Another of my ideas for things to declutter in April is to declutter bathroom cabinets by removing expired medications, old toiletries, and unused beauty products. Take a look at your make-up too and check its condition.

If you have time and energy, you could spring clean your bathroom too. It’s one of the best places to start spring cleaning to give you a little boost of motivation to carry on elsewhere in the home!

9. Junk drawer

We all have one or two of these! Tackle the junk drawer in your kitchen or workspace by sorting through items and decluttering unnecessary items.

My husband’s nightstand drawer is full of random stuff that he throws in there for safe-keeping and because he doesn’t know where else to put it.

Although I’m often tempted to declutter this drawer for him, I hold myself back. It’s a great example of how to manage clutter when you live with a hoarder and how to avoid confrontation!

10. Under the bed

Declutter under the bed by removing dust and organising items stored beneath it.

As I mentioned earlier, I do store my out-of-season clothes under the bed. So, each time I lift up the bed to swap my clothes around, I also do a quick check to see if there’s anything I can declutter too.

11. Medicine cabinet

Organise your medicine cabinet by checking expiration dates and disposing of expired medications and supplies.

Decluttering your medicine cabinet doesn’t just ensure we have medicines for when we need them, that will work effectively and how they’re intended, but it’s a great project if you’re struggling to declutter and let go of stuff.

There’s very little emotion attached to a bottle of cough syrup or sticking plasters so the decluttering decisions you’re making will be more with your head, not your heart.

Consider how difficult it is to declutter old photos for example. Decluttering is both about getting rid of stuff and letting go and they pose different problems that require different approaches too.

12. Toys and toy boxes

Declutter kids’ toy and toy boxes by removing broken or unused toys and organising the remaining toys into bins or baskets. Ask your kids if they’d like to help.

There are some wonderful benefits to removing excess toys and letting your child’s imagination and creativity come alive instead.

13. Linen closet

Declutter the linen closet by sorting through towels, sheets, and linens, and discarding worn-out or mismatched items. Take a moment to double-check that you have the right bedlinen for the size of beds you have.

We recently bought a larger bed for my daughter and I discovered that we still had fitted sheets that no longer fit any of the beds in our home. Not only did this take up space but it wasted time when we kept trying to change the bedding with sheets that were too tight and small to fit her new mattress!

14. Hallway and entrance

Declutter the hallway or coat closet by removing out-of-season coats, shoes, and accessories, and organising items neatly.

Your hallway is one of the first spaces that guests (and you) will see as you all walk in through the front door. It’s the gateway to your home and sends out messages about what the rest of your home might look and feel like.

I don’t know about you, but I want my home to feel inviting, calming and relaxing so I try to keep my entrance way and hall set up to make that happen.

Everything has a home to be stored in, I reduce unwanted stuff that takes up space, and I keep it as organised as possible by checking it regularly and encouraging my kids to put their things away the moment they walk in through the front door. This doesn’t always happen but it becomes more habitual with time and repetition.

What does your hallway say about your home?!

15. Shoe rack

Declutter the shoe rack by removing worn-out or unused shoes and organising the remaining pairs. Do you have out-of-season footwear that can be stored elsewhere?

16. Bedside table

Declutter bedside tables by clearing off clutter, organising books or magazines, and tidying up items stored in drawers (I wonder if my husband will ever read this!).

This is also a friendly reminder that, as tempting and easy as it might be, your bedroom is not a dumping ground for stuff that you don’t know where else to store.

Your bedroom is your quiet, peaceful haven for a relaxing evening and restorative sleep!

17. DVDs and CDs

Declutter DVDs and CDs by removing movies or albums you no longer watch or listen to. Perhaps with modern technology we don’t have so many of these taking up space as we used to, but it’s a good idea to check anyway.

Many of us have old collections of things that feel important from times, interests and hobbies gone by but just sit there now gathering dust.

18. Electronic cables

Tidy up electronic cables and cords by organising them with cable ties or cord organisers. This could be a useful thing to declutter in April which we often put off or ignore. Messy, tangled cables are one of the culprits for making your home still look cluttered even after you’ve decluttered!

19. Home décor

Declutter home accessories by removing knick-knacks or decorative items you no longer love or want to display.

This could include any seasonal décor too which needs to be put away or warm, snuggly blankets that aren’t in regular use if it’s sweltering outside.

20. Outdoor equipment

Declutter outdoor gear such as gardening tools, sports equipment, or camping supplies by sorting through items and discarding damaged or unused items.

Be honest with yourself about how often you use these items and could you borrow or get them on loan if you did need them? Ask yourself some decluttering questions to help you identify what to keep and what to get rid of.

21. Desk drawers

Organise desk drawers by removing clutter, organising office supplies, and clearing out old or broken items.

Keeping your desk drawers neat and tidy will help you find what you’re looking for and know when you’re running low on items like stationery and need to restock.

Drawers are also good hiding places for hidden clutter. You might not be able to see the stuff inside them but it’s still there.

Pro tip: If you struggle with too much clutter, you could think about choosing furniture without drawers!

22. Craft supplies

Declutter craft supplies by sorting through materials, donating unused items, and organising remaining supplies into bins or containers.

Better organised craft supplies make the best use of space and feel easier to use.

You might enjoy this article on how to declutter art and craft supplies for more creativity and joy.

23. Holiday decorations

Declutter holiday decorations by sorting through items and discarding broken or unused decorations. Depending on when Easter falls, it may be time to clear away those bunnies and eggs!

24. Travel accessories

Another idea for one of the things to declutter in April is to declutter travel accessories such as luggage, bags, and travel-sized toiletries by removing damaged or outdated items.

I also find it’s helpful to put all travel items together so they’re easy to find.

My daughter went on a school trip abroad recently. When she was packing her bags we found it frustrating that I couldn’t remember where I put the luggage labels, toiletry bags, containers and plug adaptors.

Now I’ve put them all together so if I get whisked away by my husband for a weekend away then I can easily find what I need and go. (I really hope my husband is reading this after all!).

25. Kitchen gadgets

Declutter kitchen gadgets by removing duplicates or items you no longer use and organising remaining gadgets in drawers or cabinets.

Have a long hard think about whether you really do need everything you own. Do you need 3 potato peelers and 10 wooden spoons?

This was actually one of the problems we found when my husband and I first moved in with each other. We combined two households into one so had many duplicate items to accommodate or deal with.

26. Cleaning supplies

Organise cleaning supplies by sorting through products, disposing of expired or unused items, and arranging supplies neatly in cabinets or closets.

This may seem an unexciting decluttering project but it will make cleaning more fun, easier and less onerous which must be a win!

27. Bathroom countertops

Declutter bathroom countertops by clearing off clutter, organising toiletries, and wiping down surfaces.

Flat surfaces are notorious clutter hotspots and removing items off tables, worktops and surfaces can instantly make a room both FEEL and LOOK more spacious.

This is always handy in bathrooms where the space tends to be smaller and the surfaces are easier to wipe down if you don’t have to move lots of stuff first.

28. Home office filing system

Organise your home office filing system by sorting through paperwork, shredding or recycling documents you no longer need, and filing important papers.

Dealing with the influx of paper clutter like we mentioned above is one thing. However, you’ll reach a blockade if you don’t have an organised filing and storage system to hold your paperwork once you’ve dealt with it.

29. Car cleanout

Declutter your car by removing waste, organising items in the glove compartment and boot/trunk, and vacuuming the interior.

Perhaps now the Spring days are brighter and longer (for some of us anyway), you might be able to enjoy some trips out in the car?

30. Digital declutter

Declutter your digital life by organising files on your computer, deleting old emails and digital photos, and organising digital documents into folders.

Digital clutter is an example of invisible clutter that you can’t really see, touch or trip over, but it invades our space and clutters our minds in the same way.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

I hope you enjoyed this list of 30 things to declutter in April. Tackling these April decluttering projects can help you start the season with a clean and organised home and set you and your home up for a fresh start and renewed energy.

Leave a comment below to let me know what you’re decluttering this April. I’d love to hear from you!

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I’m Antonia and on this blog I share practical inspiration to simplify your home, time and life. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest! You can also subscribe to Balance Through Simplicity and receive regular simplicity tips straight to your inbox for free. Make sure you never miss an article plus you’ll get a copy of my free Declutter Starter Kit as a welcome gift!