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With all the decluttering methods out there, you have options for how you are going to go about battling all the junk in your home. But they do all have basic tenets and requirements in common. Whether you move through the space in bursts, store items you might want to hold onto but aren’t sure about, or follow rules governing how you determine whether to toss or keep things, there are a few things you’ll need: Here’s what to pick up before you start.
You need boxes for decluttering
No matter what technique you’re following, you need boxes. You need at least three, maybe four: One for things you’ll keep, one for things you’ll throw, one for things you’ll donate, and maybe one for things you’ll sell. You can get big ones or small ones, depending on the volume of items you have to go through or whether you’re working on small areas one at a time. Try these:
Four foldable fabric boxes with lids, $39.99
Four stackable plastic boxes, $34.99
You need labels for decluttering
Those boxes and the spaces you’re organizing could benefit from some labels. You need to be able to easily recognize what is for keeping, what is for donating, and where the things you’ve decided to keep should be stored. Try these:
Six reusable dry erase sticky notes with two pens, $14.90
120 chalkboard labels with a chalk pen, $8.99
Reusable ones are best for the actual decluttering process, as you can write notes or make specific designations, then change them when new needs arise. For labeling the storage of things you keep, you need something a little nicer. Try the chalkboard labels above, which still reusable but look sharp on containers.
You could also try a label maker, which produces labels that aren’t as retro as you’re imagining. With most label-makers these days, you can get decorative label paper and some even print in color, so you can customize your labels to look exactly how you want.
You need trash bags to declutter
You’ll be throwing away and recycling a lot, so buy your trash bags in bulk and make sure you have the ones that are appropriate for your city’s waste disposal. In general, try to use opaque ones when possible, so you can have a sense of finality when you make the decision to toss something out and can’t see it anymore once it goes into the void. You can get 56 30-gallon black bags from Hefty for $15.41.
Other potential decluttering needs
Consider your space and plans before you start. Are there high cabinets? You might need a step stool. Are some spots not only disorganized and cluttered, but actually dirty? You might need rubber gloves. Do you plan to sell some of what you’re getting rid of online? You might need a simple background. (I use a faux fur rug for all my Poshmark sales.)
Taking notes on the needs of your specific project and making sure you get it all in advance will stop you from running into barriers or holdups, which can derail motivation and stall your progress altogether. Plus, once you have everything you’ll need, you’ll likely feel a little more of a push to get started, so stocking up before you begin is a win-win.
Lindsey Ellefson
Features Editor
Lindsey Ellefson is Lifehacker’s Features Editor. She currently covers study and productivity hacks, as well as household and digital decluttering, and oversees the freelancers on the sex and relationships beat. She spent most of her pre-Lifehacker career covering media and politics for outlets like Us Weekly, CNN, The Daily Dot, Mashable, Glamour, and InStyle. In recent years, her freelancing has focused on drug use and the overdose crisis, with pieces appearing in Vanity Fair, WIRED, The New Republic, The Daily Beast, and more. Her story for BuzzFeed News won the 2022 American Journalism Online award for Best Debunking of Fake News.
In addition to her journalism, Lindsey is a student at the NYU School of Global Public Health, where she is working toward her Master of Public Health and conducting research on media bias in reporting on substance use with the Opioid Policy Institute’s Reporting on Addiction initiative. She is also a Schwinn-certified spin class teacher. She won a 2023 Dunkin’ Donuts contest that earned her a year of free coffee. Lindsey lives in New York, NY.
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