Top Posts of 2016 - To Help You Declutter in 2017!

I know I'm a little late posting the top posts of 2016, but better late than never right?!

If you want to get organized this year and you aren't sure where to get started, these posts are a great starting point!

I'm going to share the top 5 posts that were published last year as well as the top 5 older posts that were still popular.  There's a bit of a pattern... can you find it?

Happy New Year 2017!

Happy 2017 everyone!  I hope you all had a great time celebrating last night!  We're on a spontaneous vacation and for the first time ever we celebrated with just our family, away from home. Nice way to start the new year right?!

Now it's time to look back on 2016 and look ahead to 2017!  If decluttering and organizing are on your list of goals or resolutions, you're in the right place!

Continuing to Declutter Sentimental Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 31}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm wrapping things up and sharing ways you can keep your home free from sentimental clutter in the future.

But first, let me say how proud I am of you for all the sentimental decluttering you've done this month! This series wasn't like some of my other decluttering series where you're decluttering a bit every day.  This one was the tough stuff.

Some of you may have only tackled one area of sentimental clutter and it may have taken you most of the month.  Others of you worked through several different types of sentimental clutter.  But whether you decluttered a lot or a little... I'm really proud of you!  And you should be proud of yourself.  Give yourself a big ole' pat on the back and a celebratory high five!

I'm sure you feel lighter after letting go of some sentimental items that have been weighing you down.  Hopefully you were also able to use, reuse, re-purpose, or display some items as well so you can give honour and respect to them and to the people and events these items remind you of.

Tips for Decluttering After Someone Passes Away {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 30}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're talking about decluttering after someone passes away.  This is probably the hardest time of all to declutter... everything feels sentimental because it belonged to the person you lost.

If you're in the position of decluttering after a loved one has passed away, first of all, I'm sorry. And I hope these tips help you through this painful time.

There are LOTS of different opinions out there and I think it's something that's different for each person and each family and each situation. What you keep and what you let go of, as well as how long you take to go through things, will be different from someone else. It's hard no matter what. You know yourself and how you deal with things, so tackle this in a way that you will be best for you.

I haven't had to personally deal with this topic so I asked my friend Danielle to guest post and share her tips and experiences on decluttering after a loss.

Tips for Decluttering Jewelry {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 29}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips for decluttering jewelry. I'm not talking about the easy stuff... cheap necklaces, earrings where you're missing one of them, etc. I'm talking about the really sentimental stuff... items you've inherited from your mom or grandma, gifts from your spouse or former boyfriends, etc.

Tips for Decluttering Toys and Stuffed Animals {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 28}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips for decluttering toys and stuffed animals. These can be either from your childhood or from your kids.  These days kids get SO many toys and stuffies and if you're not diligently decluttering them, they can clutter up your home.

Tips for Decluttering Photos {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 27}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, I'm sharing tips for decluttering photos. Now this is a huge topic and I could do a whole series just on this topic (actually I did that a few years ago when I was decluttering my photos!).

I'm not going to tell you what you should keep and what you should let go of... as always, that's totally up to you. But if you're ready to declutter your photos I hope these tips will help!

Tips for Decluttering Hand-Made Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 26}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering hand-made items. These can be gifts from friends, gifts from our kids, or things made by older generations.

Tips for Decluttering Journals and Diaries {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 25}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're decluttering journals and diaries. These may or may not be something you feel is clutter, depending on whether you look back at them from time to time and how much space you have. But if you've got years of journals and you never refer to them and they're taking up space you could use for something else (or just to have a less cluttered home), then these tips are for you.

Tips for Decluttering Inherited Items {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 24}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series I'm sharing tips for decluttering inherited items. Let me start off by saying, as with everything in this series, I'm not telling you that you have to declutter these sentimental items. It's entirely up to you what you let go of and what you keep. And if you have lots of space to store inherited items, or you actually use your inherited items, then they're really not clutter and you can keep them if you want :)

But if your home is cluttered with a lot of these particular types of items and the past is getting in the way of enjoying your present and your future, then it's time to think long and hard about what you really have space for and what is most important to you. These tips are to help you.

Tips for Decluttering Cards and Letters {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 23}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're decluttering cards and letters. These could be from old friends, parents, grandparents, boyfriends, kids, etc.  Most people have lots of these in their homes... especially if they like to keep sentimental items :)

Tips for Decluttering Cookbooks and Recipes {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 22}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series and today we're decluttering cookbooks, recipe boxes, or recipe binders.  If you're using all your cookbooks or recipes, then they're not clutter. You can skip today :) But if you're not using them and they're collecting dust on a shelf and taking up space you could be using for something else, then they're clutter.

Tips for Decluttering Old Calendars and Planners {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 21}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series, we're decluttering old calendars, planners, and datebooks.  Some of you probably just toss them at the end of the year, but many people hang onto them.  Sometimes for YEARS.  Today I'm going to share tips for decluttering them, as well as share some ideas for repurposing or displaying them.

Tips for Decluttering Items From Hobbies You No Longer Do {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 20}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering items related to hobbies we no longer do. Could be craft supplies, sporting equipment, fishing gear, gardening supplies, movie or music posters, or any other items you enjoyed in your spare time, but don't any more.

Tips for Decluttering Children's Work and Memorabilia {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 19}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering kids' work.  This can be artwork, as well as school papers, including school work, newsletters, report cards, awards, certificates, etc. Now, not all those things are necessarily clutter. It's up to you to decide what you want to keep, based on how much space you have and how often you or your kids will look through it.  And you can choose whether to declutter your own school related sentimental items, or your kids' items, depending on your life and what items you have.

By the way, I've got a special treat for you to reward all your efforts decluttering sentimental items this month!  Details are later in the post.

Tips for Decluttering Wedding Gifts {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 18}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering wedding gifts we don't use. I'm thinking especially of practical household items like small appliances, dishes or serving items you use for entertaining, wine glasses, candlesticks, vases, etc. Things you put on your register because you thought you needed them or they were too expensive for you to buy for yourselves, but you never use them.

{I'll cover hand-made items and inherited items later in the series so even if you got those items as wedding gifts, don't worry about them today.}

Tips for Decluttering "Former Me" Clothes {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 17}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering "former me" clothing. Think about those items you've been holding onto, even though you KNOW you will never fit into them again. They might be from when you were younger or single or before you had kids or before "life" happened.

Tips for Decluttering Formalwear {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 16}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering formal wear. Things like prom or graduation dresses, bridesmaid or flower girl dresses, and wedding dresses.  These are very special, but if we never wear them, then they are taking up space in the back of our closets that could be used for our daily clothes.

Tips for Decluttering High School and College Clothing {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 15}

Today in the decluttering sentimental items series we're decluttering our high school or college clothes. You know those sweatshirts or t-shirts you've been holding onto because they bring back so many memories? Even though they're tattered and torn or don't fit anymore. They could be clothes you bought with your school's crest on them. Or they could be uniforms you wore while on various teams or clubs.

Tips for Decluttering Ticket Stubs {Decluttering Sentimental Items - Day 14}

Today in the Decluttering Sentimental Items series we're focusing on decluttering ticket stubs! Whether you keep your tickets from theatre productions, concerts, movies, sporting events, or vacations, if you've got a collection of them, take time to go through them and decide which ones you want to keep and which ones you can let go of.