As of: February 26, 2024, 2:55 p.m
By: David Holzner
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Over time, many things accumulate in an apartment.
Decluttering helps to shed ballast.
But some things are often overlooked.
A tidy home not only creates space, but also peace and well-being.
In order to maintain order in your own four walls, occasional cleaning out is essential.
But often we don't do this as thoroughly as we would like.
We'll focus on the obvious areas like the living room, kitchen and bedroom.
However, we often overlook certain areas where all sorts of rubbish has accumulated over time.
If you're planning a large-scale cleanup soon, don't forget these five areas.
Often forgotten when tidying up: clothes and wardrobe
Cleaning out regularly creates order.
Make sure you dispose of garbage correctly.
© Westend61/IMAGO
If you're about to put dirty laundry in the laundry basket while tidying up, it might be worth taking a look in the closet too.
The closet and dresser drawers are often hiding places for clutter.
But out of sight is not out of mind.
Just because you don't see the clutter behind the closet door doesn't mean it doesn't exist.
Organize your wardrobe.
Do you find pieces there that you haven't worn in a year?
And isn't that seasonal, but because you don't like these things anymore?
Now would be a good time to clean out your wardrobe.
Clothes that have holes or are otherwise damaged should be thrown in the trash.
If they are still usable, they can also be handed in to a clothing collection point.
There are now numerous second-hand portals where you can sell your old clothes.
This also makes choosing your outfit in the morning easier.
Shed ballast: bookshelf
Sometimes it's hard to part with books.
Certain novels have memories that you don't want to miss.
But when bookshelves are overflowing, it's time to make room.
But before you throw away your books, consider whether they can be donated.
Contact libraries, schools or non-profit organizations.
Maybe there are even a few old treasures in your collection that you can give to an antique dealer.
You can also give your books as gifts to friends or leave them in one of the many public bookcases.
There are also some online sales platforms where you can turn old books into money.
You probably won't earn much from it, but at least you'll get rid of the heavy books.
Untangling tangled cables: electronic devices and cables
Old PC cables and broken electronic devices should be disposed of in designated locations.
© Zoonar/IMAGO
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It exists in many households: the drawer with the cables.
Tightly interwoven and difficult to untangle.
A real mess of cables.
There you will mainly find old charging cables for devices that you probably no longer own.
Maybe a few dusty USB cables and broken connections for TVs and DVD players.
Most of these things you will never use again.
Sort out strictly.
Check what still works and whether you really still have use for it.
The rest has to go.
It is important to dispose of electronic waste correctly.
Check with your supermarket.
Since July 2022, electronic devices can be disposed of in many discounters and drugstores, reported
verbraucherzentrale.de
.
A snake for the salad
So-called cable snakes (promotional link)
are a simple, cost-effective and, above all, attractive solution for tidying up the tangled cables
.
The cables can be hidden in bundles; different colors help to identify the cables inside.
For example, white for TV and receiver, black for PC, printer and desk lamp.
Digital tidying up: smartphone and PC
In a digital world, even virtual rooms can quickly become crowded.
Regularly cleaning out your smartphone and PC is therefore just as important as tidying up physical rooms.
Control your apps.
Delete outdated applications that you never use or those that are not good for you to use.
Organize the remaining apps into folders by function.
For example, create a “Finances” folder in which you store all relevant apps.
Turn off notifications for apps that you rarely use and that only distract or annoy you.
Also take a closer look at your emails.
Your email inbox may say a lot about your personality.
Do you receive a lot of messages from newsletters you once subscribed to but never read?
Get taken from the distributor.
This is usually done using a button at the bottom of the email.
Mark unwanted emails as spam and empty your spam folder regularly.
You can also clean out your social media apps.
If you regularly see content in your feeds that annoys you or makes you feel bad, unfollow this page.
You can find everything about household and garden tips in the living newsletter from our partner Merkur.de.
Clear out effectively: basement or attic
Areas that are often forgotten when clearing out are the basement and attic.
Things often collect dust or mold there for years.
Some people are surprised when they find something during spring cleaning that they can no longer remember.
Start by thoroughly going through these rooms and sorting through items.
Use systems like the 3-box method to create more order.
To do this, divide the items into three categories.
Things that are broken and therefore belong in the trash, things that you want to give away or donate, and things that you want to keep.
If you don't need the things you want to keep for six months, they will also be given away, recommends
schoener-wohnen.de
.
Decluttering your apartment doesn't just mean getting rid of physical objects, but also freeing yourself from mental burden and making space for new experiences and opportunities.
To successfully declutter, follow this basic rule: If you haven't used it in years, you probably won't need it in the future.
Things that have emotional value for you are the exception.
Items that are broken or useless belong in the trash.
You can pass on or sell used clothes, fully functional electrical appliances or books to the next person.
You might even be able to make some money with old treasures.