CLEAN

While we all know that minimalism is “in” right now, thanks to Japanese cleaning guru Marie Kondo and her “Tidying Up” show on Netflix, decluttering your whole house can feel daunting.

Instead, start small with these tips for tackling the areas that tend to collect the most dirt and clutter.

1. Purge your refrigerator weekly. The day prior to garbage collection, clean out your fridge of all leftovers and expired foods, and wipe down the shelves to prevent stickiness and mold from leaking containers.

2. Add order to kitchen cupboards. When organizing cabinets, place everyday items such as cups and dishes in easily accessible cupboards, and store things that you use less frequently, like fine china, on the harder-to-reach shelves.

3. Categorize your pantry. Store your food by category, such as breakfast or baking, with the items that are most-used placed front and center. If you have kids, set up a snack zone, so they don’t rifle through other shelves. Pro

4. Organize the junk drawer. Eighty percent of Americans report that they have at least one junk drawer in their home, but the average household actually has three of these catch-all drawers.

5. Declutter your linen closet. To make the linen closet as functional as possible, utilize adjustable dividers to sort textiles and fold sheets into pillow cases to ensure bedding sets stay together. Additionally, ensure your linens are protected from potential damage by installing shelf liners.

Whether you tackle it as part of a purging effort or to simplify your life, the best way to handle decluttering is in stages.