Do you think that spring cleaning is something you do at the end of the year? In fact, doing water work in the freezing cold at the end of the year, or cleaning up the house at the end of a busy year, is both mentally and physically taxing. Autumn is the best season for decluttering and tidying up, when it’s sunny and cool and the windows can be fully opened for ventilation. If you let go of unnecessary items in conjunction with changing clothes, you can welcome the new year in a relaxed manner by just doing your usual cleaning at the end of the year. This time, we will provide you with a “Location-specific Autumn Decluttering Checklist” that summarizes the criteria for discarding items without hesitation.
[Closet] Standards for clothes that should be parted with immediately when changing clothes
This is the perfect time to thin out your clothes as you put away your summer clothes and take out your fall/winter clothes. Don’t hesitate to let go of any clothing that meets any of the following criteria.
- Clothes I never wore this summer: 99% of the time I won’t wear clothes I might wear next year. There is a clear reason why you didn’t wear it (it doesn’t fit your body type, it stings, etc.).
- T-shirts with crooked necks and hems, innerwear with visible pilling: It is no good to downgrade it to loungewear. Having too many loungewear can be the culprit and overwhelm your storage space.
- Shoes that have not been worn for more than a year or shoes with worn heels: The cleanliness of your feet is directly connected to your health and mental health.
- Winter outerwear that you thought you might not wear next year at the end of last season: A heavy coat that doesn’t make you excited the moment you take it out is a sign that it should be discarded.
[Kitchen Pantry] Clearing out expired and surplus goods
Food stock shelves and cupboards are black holes where unnecessary items can accumulate without you even realizing it.
- Dried goods, seasonings, and retort food that have passed their expiration date: In particular, thoroughly check the leftovers of somen soup and dressing that you stocked up on in the summer.
- Disposable chopsticks, ice packs, and plastic forks I got at a convenience store: Keep only what you use (about 5 of each) and throw away the rest.
- Convenient cooking appliances and lunch boxes that you haven’t used in over a year: If you no longer use appliances that are too troublesome to wash, take them to a recycle shop.
[Living room/Documents] Papers and mysterious codes that reduce noise in the space
Miscellaneous objects scattered around the living room cause visual fatigue (brain fog).
- Outdated home appliance instruction manuals/old pay slips: Manuals can be viewed online in PDF format. Shred receipts that are out of warranty.
- ``Mysterious USB cables and AC adapters’’ that I don’t know what device they are for: If the terminals are old and you don’t use them, send them to the local government for small home appliance collection.
- Books/magazines that have been left unused for more than half a year: Let go of them, and when you really want to read them, read them again at the library or as an e-book.
When getting rid of things, instead of just throwing them in the trash, you can greatly reduce your guilt by using flea market apps, home delivery purchases, and local donation services. Let’s live a light and comfortable autumn life by setting deadline rules such as ``If it doesn’t sell within a week, I’ll take it to a recycle shop.''
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