These 10 items will get you closer to a clutter free home, and free up serious space on your shelves.
10 THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN AUGUST
1. Suitcases & travel bags
As you grow older you upgrade your luggage – bigger sizes, better quality – but you always keep the old ones “just in case” (no pun intended).
Donate your excess suitcases, carry-on bags, backpacks, and cosmetics bags, and let someone else benefit from you unburdening yourself.
A great way to do this is to fill one up with toiletries and hygiene products and drop the whole lot off at a local shelter that’s helping re-home people. 🧳
Think of all the extra space you’ll save just by getting rid of one or two cases, and the lives you could bless.
If you’re donating your old bag because it’s just plain tattered and you need a new one, this is the carry-on case I use. It comes with a rechargeable and removable battery pack. You can get 20% off your first purchase by clicking the referral link.
And you can find affiliate links for the packing cubes I use here, and the compression bags here.
2. Beach cover-ups
Kaftans, sarongs, shawls… They’re delicate and flimsy and only worn a few times a year, if even.
You deserve to feel your best at the beach (or pool) so declutter the ones that don’t suit you, that aren’t in good condition, or that are surplus to requirements.
3. Hats & sunglasses
A lot of these are picked up inexpensively on sun holidays and then rarely see the light of day again.
And I get it – they’re easily damaged or lost (so long, blue sunglasses) so you don’t want to splash out on quality ones. (Personally I buy my sunglasses at the local dollar store.)
Stick to the ones that you like and that actually suit you, and set the rest free.
(And if the sunglasses are expensive, invest in a good case for them. No-one wants their expensive sunnies getting scratched in their bag.)
4. Travel ID & documents
If you no longer need it, you can go ahead and (safely) dispose of it. We were able to get rid of a lot of our visa documentation when our green cards came through.
And for anything you’re keeping, check the expiry dates. The time to discover that your passport has expired is NOT standing in line at the airport. 🤪 If you’re close, get your renewal application in.
If you realise you’re missing something, track it down or order a new one.
Then go ahead and put all your travel documents, including your passport, in one place. I keep mine and my family’s in a large plastic envelope, making it much easier to grab and go.
Also, this advice may not apply to many but learn from my mistake: If you’re crossing borders with your child and they have a different surname to you, be sure to bring a copy of their birth certificate and, if applicable, your marriage certificate. I keep that stuff in my travel envelope too.
Here are some extra travel hacks I’ve learned over the years:
5. Laundry supplies
One of the worst things about traveling is all the packing and unpacking. No-one wants to face into Mount Washmore when they return from a trip, so let’s make things a little easier.
Declutter all but your most used laundry supplies so you can streamline the whole process.
Then take the time now to clear away the piles of clothes that need washing, drying, folding, or ironing. When you come home with a full case of dirty clothes and can throw them straight into the machine, with no backed up piles of laundry, you’ll be extremely grateful.
And here are some additional tips to make laundry as pain-free as possible:
I use Grove for all my ‘green’ cleaning needs, including laundry supplies. If you’re new to them, you can use my referral link to grab a free cleaning set with your first order. (It’s seriously impressive.)
6. Beach towels & bags
As with hats and sunglasses, these can be cute and inexpensive… A dangerous combination when you’re trying to curb your clutter.
Whittle down to the ones you actually need and use, and declutter the rest.
7. Foreign currency
You’ve probably got some foreign coins or bills you brought back from a previous trip that you thought you’d use again next time you traveled there.
And now they’re just collecting dust. 💸
Exchange them or donate them.
Or, if you truly intend to use them on your next trip, put them with your passport or in your suitcase so you don’t forget them.
8. Food
No-one wants to return home to mouldy bread and sour milk.
This is a great category to practice some natural decluttering – using stuff up.
Before you leave for your trip, make a concerted effort to use up anything that would go bad before you get back. 🍎🍞🥦
No food wastage, and space for all the groceries you’ll buy on your return.
Bonus tip: Make a quick list now of all the immediate things you’ll need when you get back, like milk for your coffee, or bread for your morning toast. That way you’ll know exactly what to grab from the store without needing to do a full shop straight away.
Or you could always place an order and have it delivered on the day you get back.
9. Souvenirs
We’ve all brought back small mementoes from previous trips. The trouble is, they’re usually junk.
Then the truly special things in your home get eclipsed by postcards, mugs, keychains, and magnets.
If they’re not treasured items, it’s time to say goodbye. 👋
Feeling a little guilty? I’ve got you covered:
10. Holiday photos
Hear me out on this one. When you’re on holiday, everything is new and exciting. You snap photos of blue skies, beautiful buildings, and a view of your knees as you look out over the sea.
It’s wonderful to capture the magic. ✨
But the truth is, a short while after you return a lot of those moments will seem downright mundane. And you’ll have so many duplicates.
When enough time has passed, you won’t even remember where or why you took certain photos.
Choose a trip you took a few years ago and delete all the photos from it that don’t elicit the same excited feeling.
(A tiny caveat here: Think twice before deleting a photo of yourself just because you don’t think you look good in it. A few more years will soften your self criticism, and you’ll be glad you have pictures of what you looked like way back when to show your grandkids.)
Now, if you’re ready to take your decluttering to the next level, join the free 5-day challenge. It’s designed to jumpstart your journey to a clutter-free life.
PIN IT:
