Declutter And Organize Your Home Using The Four-Basket Method

Even when we clean routinely, decluttering and reorganizing always seems to make the to-do list. We are human magnets for stuff — buying and collecting, constantly out with the old and in with the new. Honestly, the minimalists might be onto something. But until we reach that enlightenment, an easy way to declutter your home is with the four-basket method. Simply sort through your items and decide if they are to keep, sell, donate, or throw away.

This technique works for all areas of your home, from the bedroom closet to the kitchen junk drawer. It's similar to the common three-container sorting of keep, donate, and toss, but the upgrade of the sell pile is an added incentive, as you can turn your clutter into coins. Organize a yard sale, advertise your items on Facebook Marketplace, or use a resale app like OfferUp to cash in on your old pieces. For the donate pile, it helps to research places in your local area that accept donations first so you'll know where to drop off your items. That way, you avoid one of the common decluttering mistakes of leaving your donation boxes to collect dust. Plus, you can always save this list for the next tidying session.

For a clutter-free home, start by laying out three baskets for the items you will keep, sell, and donate. Grab a trash bag or two for the fourth basket, throw-away items, and don't forget to recycle. If you don't have large baskets, utilize whatever you have on hand, like storage bins, cardboard boxes, or laundry bags, or simply create piles on the floor to sort the items. Just ensure each container is clearly labeled. If exhaustion or post-lunch cloudiness hits or someone comes to help, it's clear what's going where.

Then, take it one room at a time and organize your items accordingly. Stick with one section within the room before you move on to the next so the process doesn't become overwhelming. For example, if you're in the living room, you can start with the TV stand, then the coffee table, and make your way around the room clockwise, decluttering every nook. For a bedroom, you can tackle the larger areas first, like organizing your closet, and then gradually move to the smaller stuff, like a shelf, or start with the small things and make your way to the major ones.

Once everything is sorted, you now have to deal with each pile. The keep items will go back to their respective places. It's best to dust and sanitize the furniture or storage area before placing everything back. Thanks to your pre-sorting research, you know where to take the items to donate. The trash bags can be easily discarded, and then, you can work on marketing your sellable goods.