I was perusing my house lately and realized how much extra clutter I had acquired in the past year. I think that’s part of why I love visiting hotels so much… having a nightstand with nothing but a lamp on it, or a beautifully empty bathroom countertop.

While I know that will never be my house (I admire minimalist so much because I am a lover of “things”), I still try to take steps toward de-cluttering wherever I can, so today I’m excited to team up with Seven Daughters Wine to share some of my tips for summer cleaning.  And yes, I realize it’s really called “spring cleaning,” but spring came and went and I didn’t have any time to get on it, so don’t Internet shame me. Scroll on down for my tips!

7 Tips for Summer Cleaning:

1. Can you live without it? This is a hard one for me, but can usually determine whether or not I really love something.  I’ve heard that the best way to clean out can be to divide your tasks in segments, and remove everything from that area (take everything out of drawers, the closet, cabinets, whatever you’re working on).  Then sort through it before putting it back.  The truth is, you can live without a LOT of the “things” that clutter your house, so remember to really curate your home with pieces that you love so much you can’t live without them.

2. Find something you forgot you had? Maybe that’s a sign you don’t need it. I’m a major victim of this! “Oh my gosh I forgot about these jeans…” which also means I haven’t thought about them in a year, so clearly I can live without them.

3. Switch it up. When you get bored, try switching things up before you buy something new.  I like to try moving around throw pillows, coffee table books or accent chairs if I’m feeling décor stagnant (is that a phrase? Does that even make sense?).

4. Donate.  This is something that always makes me feel better about clutter purging, knowing that if you donate the items it’s going to help someone else out there who needs it more than you.  The easiest thing for me to apply this to? Unworn clothing and books I know I’m not going to read again.

5. Whistle while you work.  Music can be a huge motivator, and making a killer playlist can make all the difference for me.  Currently this playlist is my jam! Can you picture me dancing around my house to Robyn? Because it happens. And in my mind, my rhythm is a showstopper.

6. Set reasonable goals.  Depending on the size of your housing, it may not be attainable to fully clean out in one day.  Break it up into rooms and tackle one room per weekend or look at your calendar and mark off days you know you can clean out.

7. Treat yoself. Determine a prize that you can work toward once you complete your summer cleaning checklist.  For me, a favorite prize is a tall glass of vino on the patio and watching the husband cook dinner for me.  Why is he cooking dinner for me?  BECAUSE I JUST CLEANED THE ENTIRE HOUSE. #winning

Have a great tip that I missed? Please share!  I’m always looking to expand my OCD/Type-A clean house strategies.

Thanks so much for reading! XO –