Episode #152 - Spring Decluttering: How to Tackle Seasonal Clutter with Less Stress 🌸🎧

Hey there, welcome to Organizing with Ease, the podcast for busy moms, professionals, and families who just want life to feel a little more, well, easy. I'm Diana Moll, a professional organizer, and I know firsthand how overwhelming clutter and chaos can be. That's why each week we're breaking it down step by step, little by little, with simple tips, real life stories, and expert advice to help you create a home that feels like a sanctuary. Plus,

I'll bring on some amazing guests to share their best organizing, productivity, and lifestyle hacks. So grab your coffee, take a deep breath, and let's get started. Spring is the season of renewal, but before we bring in the fresh, we need to clear out the excess. Welcome back to Organizing with Ease. We're kicking off the first episode of our April Spring into Simplicity series. Spring is here, everyone. The flowers are blooming, hopefully where you are.

The days are getting longer and for many of us that means a strong urge to what? Refresh and reset. There's something about this season that makes us want to clear out the old and make space for the new. But sometimes knowing where to start can feel really overwhelming. Are you shaking your head? Are you smiling? Are you saying, yes, that's me, that's me. You're absolutely right, Diana.

If you got winter coats still hanging in your entryway, hopefully you don't need to use them. Here in the 305, we definitely put away our jean jackets, holiday decorations shoved in the garage, or maybe some seasonal clutter just piling up. Today's episode is for you. We are going to be talking about the best way to declutter seasonal items without stress. How to break free from that quote unquote just in case clutter. and a step-by-step approach to making seasonal transitions easier. And of course, I've got a weekly challenge and a book recommendation to keep you inspired. Why does seasonal clutter build up? Well, let's just be honest. We've stored items away for quote unquote, just in case, only to forget about them until next year or later, five years later. But why do we struggle to let go?

For many seasonal clutter accumulates because of, ready? I've got some bullet points on this one. The quote unquote is the what if mentality. We hold onto things thinking we might need them again. Even though studies show that 80 % of stored items are never used. Institute for challenging disorganization. Have you ever kept a stash of gifts in your closet for that just in case? Well, I. can tell you I definitely did. I had a whole section dedicated to gifts for those unexpected moments, those last minute birthdays, hostess gifts, teacher appreciation, you name it, I had it. It felt like a safety net, like I always wanted to be prepared. But over time, I realized something. Most of those gifts just sat there. Some...

Some I have to say actually got forgotten because I was like, what? Others weren't quite the right fit when the time came. And honestly, I found myself going out to buy something more personal. Anyway, it was part of that what if mentality. What if I suddenly needed a gift and didn't have one? What if I couldn't find something last minute? But you know what? I was holding on to stuff for scenarios that really, if ever happened. And the truth is that there will always be opportunities to get something thoughtful in the moment, rather than stockpiling for that just in case moment and that situation that may never come. So I had to let go and I really did get rid of my gift stash, really did. And now I only keep. maybe one or two gifts as a backup. And even then there are things that are universally useful, like a really nice candle or a beautiful notebook. Letting go of that what if thinking has freed up both space and mental clutter. Now I give a gift, it's intentional. It's chosen with the person in mind. Not that I didn't do that before, but I'm just saying.

It's not just because of that I happen to have something sitting in my closet moment. So if you have a just in case gift stash, I want you to take a look at it. Challenge yourself. Are those items truly being used or are they part of a mindset that's keeping you holding onto things unnecessarily? So if you can, just pick out a few items to maybe re-gift with intention.

And notice how it feels to release that what if and embrace a more thoughtful clutter-free approach to gifting. Now let's move on to a lack of a decluttering system. Without a routine, things pile up year after year. Without a structured way to swap seasonal items, your storage spaces will always feel packed. Are we saying what?

What are you talking about? So yes, so now that it's coming through the holidays, we do celebrate Easter. I did go through my Easter bins. I only have two. I have now scaled them back since last year down to one with decorations and I'm feeling really good about it. Will I go through them again? Absolutely. And it's a nice feeling to know that I have already downsized from last year to this year. Emotional attachments that worn out holiday sweater, that childhood Easter basket, or maybe that ski jacket that you had still from college and you think that your kids might be using it, but you have to agree, the kids are like, mom, that's not in style. That's really like an old style look. And you're right, and they are right. Sometimes we keep things because they remind us of a moment in time and not because we actually use them. Think about this.

Clutter is just what? Delayed decisions. So let's stop procrastinating and start creating space for what truly matters. Simple way to prevent seasonal clutter from building up is by using the seasonal swap method, a strategy designed to help you rotate, store, and refresh your home every season. Here's how it works. Step one, hack away what's out of season. Before bringing out your spring items,

Pack up heavier winter coats, boots, and holiday decor. Then you want to declutter before you store. You want to really ask yourself, did I use this last season? Will I realistically use it again? And then you want to refresh your space for the spring by swapping heavy, dark winter decor with lighter colors, fresh flowers. always brightens at any home and of course, open spaces to match the season's energy. So here's a stat, you ready? Homes that use a seasonal decluttering system report 30 % less clutter year round. How about that? 30 % less clutter. So now let's go into letting go because of that just in case items. If you're struggling to let go, try asking yourself,

Did I actually use this last season? If not, it is really time to donate it, discard it, give it to your neighbor, to family member, because if you really didn't use it last season, will you honestly use it again for the next season? Hey there, I just wanna take a quick break from today's episode to share something really exciting with you. If you've been feeling overwhelmed by clutter, struggling to keep up organizing your home or just wishing you had a simple systems in place to make life easier? Well, guess what? I've got something special for you. I'm hosting a free live webinar card, Spring Into Order on April the 15th at 12 p.m. Eastern time. And you're invited. We're gonna talk about the real benefits of spring cleaning, practical decluttering tips, easy organizational systems and time saving techniques. So if you've been saying I need to get organized, this is your sign. Register to the link. below in the show notes and save your spot before it fills up. All right, now back to today's episode, but seriously, don't wait, let's spring into order together. Would I repurchase it, this item today? Ask yourself that question. If you wouldn't spend the money on it now, why keep it? Does this still fit my lifestyle? If your needs or style have changed, there's no reason to hold on to outdated items. So here is a springtime story. Are you ready? I was working with a client who had six large bins of spring and Easter decorations. But every year she only displayed about a third of them. The rest, well, they all stayed in storage. We went through her items and she realized she was keeping things out of guilt because those were the memories, not because she loved them. By the end of our session, we had cut her decor collection in

kept only what she truly enjoyed and guess what? Donated the rest. A beautiful home is a collection of things that serve a purpose or bring joy, not a storage unit of unused memories by Nate Berkut. If decluttering seasonal items feels overwhelming, where do you start? Well, we're gonna start by an easy step-by-step decluttering guide. You ready? So I'm gonna break it down into again, four small

Steps. We're gonna start where? We're gonna start small. We're gonna choose one category. We're gonna either choose maybe those winter clothes, the holiday decor, those seasonal linens. What if we maybe even had seasonal covers for our pillows to declutter them first? Then we're gonna do that one year rule. If you didn't use it last season, consider letting it go. Then we're gonna donate or we're gonna recycle it.

Pass along unused seasonal items to possibly shelters, secondhand stores, or actually local schools that can benefit. We want to store them smartly using labeled bins, vacuum sealed bags, and clear containers to make future rotations so much easier. Homes that follow a seasonal decluttering routine have 60 % fewer storage issues compared to those that Don't, and that's from the home organization's trends report. And so how can you use the fresh start method? By applying this to your spring decluttering that you're gonna be doing because I know that you are truly now inspired to get ready into the spring mode. We're going to, of course, we're gonna find and store it. We're gonna identify those seasonal items that are ready to be stored or donated.

We're going to then reduce and evaluate. We're gonna ask ourselves, do I truly need this for next season? Then we're gonna go into the systemize and we're gonna harmonize. We're gonna store items in labeled bins for easy future access. And then of course, we're going to what? We're gonna build a habit of seasonal decluttering to stay ahead. The challenge of the week is to pick one seasonal category to declutter, whether it's the winter coats, the holiday decor, or seasonal clothing. Think about donating, discarding, and also storing those items properly. So if you're wondering what I'm going to be tackling for this challenge for the week, and that is going to be actually my winter clothes. Yes, I do like to go through them, and I'm taking that on this week because I need to make more space.

It seems as though my guest room closet is where I store the majority of my winter clothing. I'm gonna go through there, because I know that we're gonna have upcoming guests and I wanna be able to make even more room for them to hang up their clothes. But I will be taking out my coats, I'll be taking out my sweaters, I will be looking at my pants. I too will be asking myself these questions as well. Am I gonna wear it again? Do I still like it? Does it still fit my lifestyle?

Do I like the look on how it looks on me? So everything that we've discussed today, I too will be doing it. And I'm really excited about it because that means that I can then go into my spring clothes. For those book lovers, I have a background recommendation. It's called Outer Order, Inner Calm by Gretchen Rubin. It's a practical guide on decluttering with intention and how having a tidy home can improve mental clarity and happiness.

People who regularly declutter their spaces report 30 % lower stress levels and higher daily productivity. That's from the Journal of Environmental Psychology. Spring cleaning isn't just about dusting and mopping, it's about resetting your home and getting ready for a fresh new season. And let's be honest, some areas always need a little extra attention. And this is the perfect time to tackle those forgotten spaces.

But don't worry, I've got you covered with my spring cleaning checklist. But of course, it's not just about the cleaning, but it's about refreshing your space in a way that makes your home feel lighter, more functional, and ready for the new season. So if you're ready to give your home that seasonal reset, grab my checklist, I'll link it in the show notes. Let's welcome the new season with a home that feels fresh, clear, and truly ready for all the good things ahead. For next week's episode 153, the Spring Refresh Plan, simple ways to make your home feel new again. We're gonna be talking about how to make small impact changes for a fresh feel. The easiest way to refresh your home in under 30 minutes. The one habit that makes spring organizing effortless. Ready to refresh your home for the spring? Join me next week. Until then. step by step, little by little, let's keep making progress.

Keep shining.