Don’t want to have a big spring clean this year? We don’t blame you. But chopping this task up into smaller chunks can take the pressure off this big job, and we’d recommend adding these 5 things to declutter in March to your to-do list.
Spring is the perfect chance to give your home some TLC, and decluttering is one of the best ways to do that. With a decluttering checklist and a cleaning calendar up your sleeve, you can rid your home of clutter and give it a new lease of life for the warmer months. However, decluttering your home can seem daunting, so it’s better to take things month-by-month.
To help you decide on the best things to declutter in March, we’ve spoken to some of the best decluttering experts in the business. And they’ve shared their quick and easy tasks that can help you prepare your house (and your garden) for spring.
Things to declutter in March
‘Decluttering in March is a great opportunity to refresh your space and prepare for the spring season, explains Ava Wilson, Chief Editor at Unclutterer. ‘Focusing on specific areas and items can help you streamline the process and make a significant impact on your home's organisation and cleanliness.’ So, this is what you can declutter in March.
1. Garden tools and outdoor furniture
It’s hard to avoid the call of the outdoors in March. You may feel inclined to revive your lawn after winter or uncover your best garden furniture for your sunny (yet still very chilly) morning coffees. But first, it’s always a good idea to declutter your garden tools and outdoor furniture.
Yes, you may have already decluttered your shed as part of your February declutter, but March is your chance to focus on the smaller things.
Ava suggests, ‘Check your gardening tools and outdoor furniture for any damage or wear and decide what needs replacing, fixing, or can be donated. You can also clean and prepare items for the upcoming gardening season.’
In fact, by taking stock of what you have and potentially getting rid of tools and furniture that no longer serve you well, you could even take advantage of the best gardening deals and snap up a bargain while you’re at it.
2. Your porch or hallway
Clutter can be a nightmare when you’re trying to bring your dream hallway idea to life. Before you know it, your hallway has become a department store that’s full of shoes, coats, school bags, keys, and countless water bottles.
However, organising your hallway or porch can help to bring order back to this chaotic space, and Nicola Rodriguez, AKA @essexhousedolly suggests giving your porch or hallway a complete overhaul in March.
She says, ‘March is a great time to declutter with the seasons changing. I recommend this time of year to declutter your hallway/porch area where you store winter coats, boots, scarves hats and put them away. This creates space for your spring items.’
To do this, you could organise your coat hooks and purchase shoe storage options that will keep them safe while also keeping your hallway free from clutter.
3. Your books
Whether you’ve turned your IKEA hack into a giant wall of bookshelves or you have random piles of books sitting around the house (like me), then March could be your chance to give your books the attention they deserve.
‘I think March is a great month to declutter and organise your bookshelves,’ explains Hester Van Hien from Tidylicious. ‘This time of the year is associated with new beginnings, so why not do some spring cleaning and clearing by having a book cull and then start reading a book that truly inspires you?’
Of course, bookworms often struggle to part with their books (both read and unread), which is why Hester has shared some tips on how to declutter your books.
‘One technique for deciding which books to keep and which ones to discard is to ask yourself in true Marie Kondo style if the book sparks joy. There are also some other questions you could consider. If you have read the book, will you read it again? If you haven’t read it, is it likely that you will read it one day soon? Would you buy it now if you saw it in a bookshop? Ask yourself lots of questions to avoid maybes. You only want to keep or discard with certainty.’
When you’ve decided on the books you’re keeping and the books you’re donating, it’s then time to put your bookshelves back on the shelves. But if you want to avoid a cluttered look, Hester suggests spreading them a little thinner.
‘You might want to add a bit of breathing space to your bookshelves by not putting books on top of other books and by leaving a bit of your bookshelf empty,’ she says. ‘You can leave this empty space as it is or add something decorative.’
4. Your linen cupboard
Most people have a cupboard dedicated to their linens, such as bedding, the best towels, and even cosy winter blankets. But if you’re obsessed with switching up your bedding for the different seasons or buying new towels to match your bathroom decor, it’s easy for this cupboard to overflow.
However, the chances are that this cupboard is also full of old blankets and crusty towels that no longer serve their purpose. So, March could be the perfect time to declutter your linen cupboard once and for all.
Ava says, ‘Sort through towels, sheets, and blankets. Donate or repurpose linens that are worn out or no longer needed. Then, organise your linen closet by category and consider vacuum-sealed bags for bulky items.’
If you have larger linens and bedding that need rehoming, this is the time to work out what to do with old duvets, can they be repurposed or recycled.
5. Kitchen cabinets
If you decluttered your kitchen cabinets last month, it may seem like a waste of time to declutter them again in March. But one of the best ways to keep on top of your kitchen cupboard organisation is to tackle these cupboards at least a month.
And this isn’t just for aesthetic reasons, either. This will also help you keep on top of expired foods to keep you and your family healthy.
But how do you do it? Ava suggests, ‘Go through your pantry and kitchen cabinets and dispose of expired foods and donate non-perishable items you won’t use. Then, organise your food storage areas, grouping items by category.’
This will make it easier to understand where everything is and what you need to buy in your next food shop. By doing this, you can also spend less time cooking and more time enjoying the lighter evenings and the warmer temperatures.
FAQs
What is the easiest thing to declutter?
Food is arguably one of the easiest things to declutter. Whether this food is in your fridge or your kitchen cupboards, going through and checking the expiry dates could result in a whole bag of expired food. Then, you’ll be left with a whole load of extra room for food that can be organised by category.
Of course, nobody wants to waste this much food, which is why organising your food and making a note of the expiry dates can help you use the food before it goes off.
What should you not throw out when decluttering?
Being too sentimental can be a downside when decluttering, but so can being too gung-ho. Try to avoid being too hasty when throwing out things you think you don’t need, as there are certain things you should never throw out when decluttering. These are:
- Sentimental photos
- Important documents
- Things that can’t be easily replaced
- Family heirlooms
- Things that don’t belong to you
So, what will you be decluttering in March?
