5 things you can do right now to tidy up

I think one of the reasons many people have qualms about practicing minimalism is that going through your belongings can take forever. If you have a garage packed full of stuff, this is true, but you can make small changes that don't take much time and make a huge impact. Try one of these five ideas this week when you have an hour or two. I promise you will notice a difference in your home.

Get rid of your movie cases

One of the simplest ways to tidy up a messy console or shelf in your family room is to recycle all the DVD and Blu-ray cases and put all the discs in one big zippered CD holder. Andrew and I did this years ago when we were first married and living in a small condo, and it was life-changing. You don't have to keep track of cases or worry about your kids stepping on them and breaking them, and you save so much space. We got rid of an entire bookshelf years ago when we did this.

What to do:

•  First, put all your movies in one room and go through them. Ask yourself when you last watched it and whether you even like it anymore. In today's Netflix and digital world, you may not need to hang onto some movies. Donate or sell all the movies you no longer need. Donate all VHS tapes as well, especially if you don't even have a working VCR. While it may seem tempting to keep these and transfer them to digital copies, this can be costly and take a lot of time. Ask yourself if it's really worth it.
• Throw away any discs that are bent, broken, or scratched.
• Buy a big zipper case (depending on how many movies you own) and slip all your movies into the sleeves. I alphabetize mine so it's easier to find certain movies, but you could also organize them by genre or season (if you have lots of Christmas movies, for example).
  
  

Stop keeping the boxes things come in

I always laugh when I see people selling a used iPhone or pair of shoes in the original box. There's no point keeping the original box unless you plan to take something back brand-new because you don't need it anymore. If you're keeping your phone box or any other box something came in, go through your home and recycle it immediately. You'll find you have extra space already.

Go through that box of cords in the closet

I remember reading once that everyone has a box of cords and chargers in a box in the closet that they're afraid to get rid of, and it made me laugh out loud. It's so true! Keep the phone charger, maybe put an extra one in your glove box, and then get rid of any cords you don't recognize or that go to phones or electronics you don't have anymore. You probably won't need them later.

Give away your college textbooks

If you actually use the textbooks you bought in college regularly, you can disregard this one. However, I know very few people who read them again, and they go out of date pretty quickly. If you have a dictionary or an encyclopedia lying around, get rid of this, too. That's what Google is for.

Donate all the duplicates you know about

Andrew just bought a brand-new bathroom scale that's supposed to tell you your BMI and weight. This means that the old bathroom scale will be donated tomorrow. If you got a brand-new TV or blender or really anything for Christmas, put the extra items in a box and take it to a thrift store or someone who needs it. There are very few things you need to keep two of in your home.

There are many more ways you can unclutter your home, but these are some quick ways to make an impact in just a few hours. What tips do you have that take a short time to implement?