Every time I go on Pinterest, I am drooling over organizational tips and posts. I used to be so organized. Of course, that was back when I was still single, and then newly married. Once I became a parent, organization sort of flew out the window. As a family, we have acquired so much stuff- it's kind of unbelievable. We live in a small house- a little craftsman style bungalow, and though I love the style of our home, there are a few downsides, like no basement, and the tiniest closets you've ever laid eyes on. We've had to be pretty creative with our storage, and have sent countless tubs and boxes to our in-laws' homes for attic storage, as well.

2016 is the year I am taking back our living space. We have a new baby joining us in April, and we have to make room for her to live here with us! We know that within the next year or so, we're going to have to move to a larger home, but in the meantime, we're ready to de-clutter, reorganize, and make our space functional for our soon-to-be family of four.

Here are a few ways that you can de-clutter and reorganize your home right now...

1. Get rid of old magazines.

Do you really need old magazines lying around the house? The answer is no. If you're holding onto them for inspiration or for favorites recipes, ditch them. Get on board with Pinterest for DIY and everything in between when it comes to inspiration for your home or garden, and even recipes. Type up the recipes you want to save, and save them to your computer. You can recycle the magazines, or donate them to schools or classrooms, which usually need magazines for creative projects.

2. Clean out the cabinets.

I recently went through our laundry room cabinets, and couldn't believe that there were mostly empty bottles of detergents and cleaning supplies in there from 3+ years ago! Yikes! I tossed all of those bottles, and then reorganized the cabinets, using one of laundry products, the other for cleaning products, and then leaving an area for folded cleaning towels, rags, etc. I couldn't believe how much waste space there was in those cabinets, simply because we hadn't tossed the old stuff.

3. Toss old medicines and toiletries.

This one sort of goes along with cleaning out the cabinets. The other day, I was sorting through things in a bathroom cabinet, and came across a box of breast pads that I used when I was nursing B... 4+ years ago! I won't want to use those with Baby S, so they needed to be tossed. Same thing goes for lots of old medicines, and toiletries. We wind up with so many bottles of stuff that we can't see straight anymore- and kids double and sometimes triple that amount! Check and see how to safely dispose of medicines before just throwing them out, though. There are a lot of medicine take-back programs available through doctors offices. 

4. Get rid of or store old clothing.

Oh, this one is hard, and I should know because I almost never want to clean out my closet. I have a love-love relationship with my clothing, shoes, and handbags, and never seem to want to let them go. I'll hold onto items for 10 years... on the chance that I might one day wear something again. Some items never go out of style, so hold onto those, and the clothing that you normally wear. Otherwise, if you haven't worn something in 1-2 years, it's probably time to let it go, or store it. Seasonal items can be stored in seasonal clothing tubs. I like to store my summer stuff, and switch it out once spring rolls around. Sweaters and heavy vests, etc., can be easily stored and brought back out when you need them,

5. Toss or store children's toys and artwork.

I hate having to go through my son's toys and artwork. He's five years old, and still sort of in between the little kid stage and big boy stage. He brings home countless paintings and drawings from preschool each week, and they are beautiful, but clutter up the fridge. I made a special box to store his best pieces in, and the rest, we simply recycle. I can't possibly hold onto all of them. As for the toys, we do a toy clean-out 2-3 times a year. We hold onto the things we think Baby S might play with, and store those. Some of the toys go to the playroom at grandma's house, and the rest, we either donate, or consign. There's a super cute consignment store near our neighborhood, and we love to share our gently used toys with them.

Tossing or storing these items will help you make space for happier, more organized living. It's so nice to have shelves and cabinets that aren't stuffed full, or attacking you when you open the cabinet doors! Stay tuned for even more ways to de-clutter and organize your home this year!

How are you planning to get organized in your home this year?