Featured in Real Simple, The Uncluttered Life shares 5 items thrift stores won’t accept and the best ways to responsibly dispose of, recycle, or repurpose them. Discover practical tips for decluttering your home while reducing waste. Learn where to take unwanted items when donation isn’t an option. Make decluttering easier, more sustainable, and clutter-free!

We totally understand that cleaning and Friday evenings don’t go hand in hand, especially if you dedicate Saturday to your “cleaning day.” But, wouldn’t it be nice to get ahead? And not have so much to clean when you wake up? Turns out, if you do just a handful of quick tidying up around the home, you could set yourself up for a stress-free weekend. At least, that’s what these professional organizers said. Here are the seven things our pros do on Friday nights to get a head start on their relaxing weekends.

The process of decluttering can be downright draining, both mentally and physically. Deciding what to toss, what to donate, and what to keep “just in case” often feels like an emotional guessing game. But the payoff, a calm, organized home, is well worth the effort. Research shows that clutter can raise cortisol levels (especially in women), increasing stress and anxiety. And according to a study conducted by neuroscientists at Princeton University, physical clutter competes for your attention, making it harder to focus and get things done. That’s why we called in the pros—expert organizers who declutter for a living—to cut through the noise and help you figure out what actually deserves a place in your home (and what most definitely doesn’t).

The floor has a way of becoming a catchall in the home. Shoes get kicked off by the door, packages are dropped in the entryway, and bags land wherever we happen to set them down. One or two things may not seem like much, but they can quickly turn into piles that make an otherwise-tidy room feel way too cluttered. It may surprise you to learn that the solution isn’t necessarily having less stuff—it’s giving the stuff you have a proper place to land. But first, you have to know what shouldn’t be left on the floor in the first place, which is why we called up the pros.

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Practical Decluttering Prompts for Parents – Get Control of Kid Clutter – Toys, Books, Clothing

Getting organized can feel daunting—especially for parents of young children. Between toys that take up too much space, endless little pieces, and clothes that kids outgrow in a flash, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. One of the most common things we hear from The Uncluttered Life clients is, “I just don’t know where to start.”

The all-too-familiar clutter creep has a way of multiplying insidiously, especially in small spaces where every surface pulls double or triple duty. One minute, your nightstand is clear and Instagram-worthy, and the next, it’s home to several unread books, receipts (because why not?), lip balm, and more than one half-empty water glass. 

That’s where the “one surface rule” comes in. We asked organizing experts to elaborate on this popular rule and explain how and why the approach works. They also share the barriers to entry, plus how to use it in real-life spaces without overthinking it.

Toothbrushes aren’t just great for dental hygiene—they can also be the perfect tools for cleaning difficult-to-reach, often-overlooked areas of your home. If your toothbrush is looking a little worse for wear or you have spares taking up space in your drawers, consider giving it a second life during your next home refresh.

Below, cleaning experts told us their favorite ways to use toothbrushes around the house to have a cleaner home than ever.

The fall season is here and with it temperatures will start to drop. With the season's transition, clearing out seasonal items from porch spaces becomes a really important part of home maintenance. While several homeowners across America might feel tempted to leave outdoor rugs outside through cold weather, snow, and ice, professional organizers suggest that doing so can end up harming both the textile and the porch surface beneath it.

You may not be a morning person, but taking on a quick decluttering session before the day begins doesn’t have to involve setting your alarm for the crack of dawn. Even if you can set aside just a few extra minutes before or after breakfast, there are plenty of valuable household tasks that you’ll be able to take on that will have you feeling so much better about the state of your space. Below, Southern pro organizers have shared six of their top recommendations for ultra-quick tidying rituals that they swear by each day.

Whether you’re a self-proclaimed hoarder or a fervent organizer, chances are there’s stuff you hold onto just in case you need it at some point. While it may feel important to keep these items, they can end up creating clutter rather than serving a purpose. So, how do you actually get rid of “just in case” for a cleaner, chaos-free space?

We tapped three pro organizers for the answer—plus, they share common items we’re guilty of holding onto, so you know exactly what to toss.

Amid the busyness of everyday life, some clutter is bound to accumulate in your home from time to time. However, if it’s been a while since you last organized your space, the prospect of organizing everything can seem overwhelming.

In these scenarios, tackling a small area or surface can be a great way to get started without needing to devote your entire day to deep-cleaning. To help you kick off the process, we spoke to decluttering experts about areas of your home that you can organize in just 30 minutes.

A place for everything and everything in its place is the ultimate organizing goal in most homes. But for many of us, that feels more like a fairy tale than a mantra we actually live by, due in large part to the amount of clutter and stuff we hold on to. (And according to a professional organizer quoted in a Los Angeles Times article that went viral in 2014, households have around 300,000 items!)

"Think about how much space your stuff takes up, the guilt that comes when getting rid of it down the line, and the peace it steals from you when you don’t have a place for it," says Ryen Toft, founder of Simply Luxe, a professional organizing company based in San Diego. "At what cost do you hold on to something? When it no longer serves you, let it go.” 

Decluttering a home doesn't necessarily require expensive containers, custom cabinetry, or a big trip to a specialty storage store. For anyone trying to make a home easier to maintain, inexpensive organizers sometimes offer the most practical place to start, particularly in the small spaces that tend to become cluttered first.

Most of us store cleaning supplies wherever there's room—I know I do, especially in a New York City apartment. Under the kitchen sink, in whatever cabinet has space, even using storage as decor. But where your sprays and scrubbers live has a real effect on how often you actually use them, how long they last, and, in a few cases, whether they damage your home.

Transitioning your front porch from summer to fall may involve swapping summer flowers for a lush fall wreath, adding cozy pillows and blankets to outdoor rocking chairs, and stacking pretty pumpkins alongside vibrant mums. But before you start decorating for fall, you’ll want to get your porch ready by removing a few last remaining pieces of summer. Ahead, we spoke with organizing experts to learn what you should remove from your front porch before fall so that it’s in tip-top shape for the season ahead.

A place for everything and everything in its place is the ultimate organizing goal in most homes. But for many of us, that feels more like a fairy tale than a mantra we actually live by, due in large part to the amount of clutter and stuff we hold on to. (And according to a professional organizer quoted in a Los Angeles Times article that went viral in 2014, households have around 300,000 items!)

"Think about how much space your stuff takes up, the guilt that comes when getting rid of it down the line, and the peace it steals from you when you don’t have a place for it," says Ryen Toft, founder of Simply Luxe, a professional organizing company based in San Diego. "At what cost do you hold on to something? When it no longer serves you, let it go.” 

"Rotating seasonal clothing throughout the year can make even a small closet feel significantly larger and more functional," says Najah Ayoub, chief marketing officer of Piece of Cake Moving and Storage. Not only does this help you better see and access your weather-appropriate clothing, says Cathy Orr, cofounder of The Uncluttered Life, but it can also "free up 30% to 50% of your closet."

Linen closets are one of those spaces in the home that can become surprisingly cluttered. Before you know it, the shelves are overflowing with things that you don't necessarily need. Organizers say it's time to toss these linen closet items that are just taking up space.

In a memorable scene from HBO’s Sex and the City, Carrie Bradshaw scoffs upon being asked if she has a rolling pin in her apartment.

“Are you kidding me?” she scoffs. “I use my oven as storage.”

But is this really so outlandish? If you’re dealing with a small kitchen or general lack of pantry space, you may be wondering if your main kitchen appliance really is a viable storage solution for your cooking gear or other items. To find out, we spoke to an organizing expert about whether you should actually store things in your oven.

Maintaining a curated kitchen countertop isn’t easy, especially if cabinet space is limited. With tools, foods, cookbooks, and decor to consider, storage next to a stove can start to look pretty tempting.

But as you’re planning the perfect layout, it’s important to remember there are some things to never keep near your stove—and our experts are here to spill on exactly what those are, and where to store them instead.

Most people just starting out in their careers aren't thinking about retirement yet, but they should. Especially since the economy is unpredictable, retirement isn't a given.

You don't realize how much the runs to HomeGoods or Target add up until you're looking through your receipts and calculating just how much you really spent. This money could be much better spent saving for the future, even if it does feel like a long way off. People who cut the costs early on understand that small savings in a retirement fund can make a huge difference later on without taking too much current fun away. 

The start of the school year can be overwhelming. Your kids are about to take on new schedules, new after-school activities and probably new slang. To help make the transition a bit easier, it can be helpful to prepare before the school year starts.

But that is often easier said than done. So what systems can you set up over the summer that will actually stay in place during the school year?

Back-to-school shopping is expected to reach a record $146.8 billion this year, driven in part by college spending that crossed $100 billion for the first time. Families with K-12 students plan to spend an average of $864 each. For parents sending a student to college, that number climbs to nearly $1,438.

The basics take care of themselves. What takes more thought are which products are worth spending money on that make the rest of the year easier. The ones that help establish a good sleep routine, make a shared room feel like somewhere worth being and turn the daily grind of school into something a little more manageable.

Whether your kids are entering kindergarten or starting their senior year of high school, the return to school at the end of summer break is a huge transition—for them, but also for you. There are things to buy (backpacks, notebooks, all the snacks) and do (health forms to complete, sports teams to sign up for). Plus, there are new routines to be established.

The classroom door can be the hardest place in the world for a 5-year-old, and for the parent watching from the other side. Tears, clinging and nervousness are familiar scenes at kindergarten drop-off, and understanding kindergarten separation anxiety can make the difference between a bumpy morning and one that builds a child’s confidence.

Child development experts say a calm, consistent routine is one of the strongest tools parents have. The way you say goodbye, and how you handle the wobble that follows, shapes how quickly your child settles into the school day.

Summer heat, long days, and a surplus of outdoor activities can take a toll on everything from beach towels to patio furniture. As the season winds down, there’s no reason to bring those unneeded or damaged items into the fall. “A home should reflect the season a person is actually in, not the one they’ve moved past,” says professional organizer Kimberly Savel-Turek.

A household that seems like it’s stuck in a constant state of disorganization isn’t always the product of laziness. In fact, it’s often a symptom of being chronically busy. Being too busy sucks away the energy and time you need to put things away, but also properly organize your belongings from the start.

Cutting corners on organizing to save time may make things look a little cleaner on the surface, but these poorly designed systems won’t be effective in the long term. Here are half a dozen bad organizing habits it’s time to break.

While professional organizers certainly know what to get rid of during a household clean out, they’re also experts on what to keep to ensure that you don’t experience regret or inconvenience down the line. Here, four pro organizers located throughout the South share six categories of items that you won’t want to part ways with the next time you’re looking to declutter.

If you know Dean Bell, you probably know him from The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, or his endless travel adventures with fiancée Caelynn Miller Keyes. But after speaking with him, one thing becomes obvious: the version of Dean today is a lot different than the guy viewers first met on television.He's still chasing adventure. He's just doing it with more intention.Partnering with Chevron this summer, Bell has spent plenty of time thinking about road trips, not just where you're going, but how you prepare for them. His approach isn't flashy. It's practical. And it's advice anyone can use before loading up the car.Road Trips Start Before You Leave the DrivewayBell admits he used to throw a bag in the car and leave.

Summer is in full swing, which means ‘tis the season for road trips! Whether you’re traveling across the state or have an epic cross-country road trip planned, keeping your car clutter-free makes the ride infinitely more enjoyable. Between empty water bottles on the floor and kids’ travel activities all over the back seats, clutter can quickly take over the entire vehicle. Not only can cause unwanted stains and odors, it can lead to serious frustration.