The Ultimate Decluttering Guide
There comes a time when we all need to take stock of everything that we have. And, for many of us, that means we simply have too much. A good declutter isn’t just about a bit of a tidy up, it is much deeper than that. It is really looking for what you love, and you need, and ultimately, decluttering is actually good for your mind too.
It is easy to look around and start to feel disheartened or overwhelmed. Even more so when the declutter is spurred on by something like a big move. And in between googling ‘moving and storage company near me,’ you are trying to pack boxes and hope for the best. Or perhaps you aren’t moving any time soon, but you really want to make space in your home. And not to replace that space with new things, but just to create room in your home.
The problem begins because many people don’t enjoy decluttering, but once you get into it, it can be gratifying. If you need some help find that spark of passion for getting you started, then here is the ultimate decluttering guide.
Photo by Sarah Dorweiler on Unsplash
The Benefits You Will Get For Decluttering
Less Debt
This is an exciting one because many people buy things they don’t need. But not many people look at those things as a debt. When you are spending money, you don’t need to or getting into the habit of putting it on your credit card; it can be a downward spiral. Less spending on ‘stuff’ automatically means more money in your bank account.
Stress
There is a strong link between having too much in your home, and more clutter than you’d like and higher stress levels. When you look around and can’t see the ideal starting point, or you can’t find something when you are in a rush, then stress will creep in. It has been said that decluttering and clean is a form of self-care.
Less Cleaning
Many people find that cleaning is already a chore. The more that you have, the more chance you’ll need to spend more time than usual cleaning. This becomes worse when you need to clean under and around things you don’t even like in the first place.
Less to Organize
This one can be a little bit wonderful. When you have less ‘stuff,’ you naturally have less to organize. If everything has a place, and you know where everything is, then things as simple as putting blankets, letters, or toys away will be simple. And everyone in the house will be able to follow the simple instructions and organization process.
Time
When you spend less time cleaning and tidying up, you will have more time to do the things that you love. If you have been putting off starting a book or learning to complete watercolors because you always have so much else to do. Then a declutter can help you make room for those things.
Decluttering Tips
When you are faced with a room that needs to be cleaned and decluttered, it can be hard to know where to start. But consider this process like eating your favourite cake or pie. You would take it bite by bite until you have your fill. Taking your time and doing it over time will mean that you will be able to see results as you go and appreciate your hard work.
Bag It Up
Each time you decide to dive into the declutter, make sure you are filling trash bags with things that you can donate each week. This gives you time to truly determine what you want to keep and why. As well as giving the items a chance at another life, you will be helping to combat fast fashion, and someone might find a bargain too.
A Thing A Day
If you don’t want to spend money on a skip or do some heavy removal, then you can simply remove one item a day that you don’t love, use or need. At the end of a year, you will have removed 365 things that you just have no need for. If you want to speed up the process, you can, of course, double that up and remove twice as much. Or you can mix it up and do 1 thing on a weekday, and doubles at the weekend. Once you find you are having no issues picking a single thing, or even two things, then it is time to set yourself challenges like ten items once a week. Make it fun.
5 Minutes Slots
The idea of cleaning has many people considering the fact that it might take hours and hours. But, if you allocate time slots to getting certain things done, like mopping the floor. Clearing out a drawer in the kitchen. Giving the toilet a scrub. You can use your favourite song as a timer or use an egg timer. Whatever makes this 5 minutes fast and effective is perfect.
To-Do
Setting goals can go a long way to helping you reach the vision of your home you have in your mine. A checklist of things you’d like to give away or sell. Plus, an idea of which room you’d like to have completed first will help keep you on track.
Music
Here are some great cleaning playlists from various streaming platforms. You can use one of these or simply create your own to keep you motivated.
Clothing
There are a couple of things you can do with clothing that you don’t wear anymore. If you have friends that are the same size as you, you can arrange to swap items that you don’t wear anymore with each – this increases the lifespan of the clothing and gives you a wardrobe refresh. If you have pets, you can create some toys out of your old clothing – this is great for clothing that can’t really be donated due to wear and tear. Of course, you should keep the clothing that you love, but anything that isn’t getting a monthly outing should be reconsidered.
12-12-12
This can be an exciting challenge. You have to select 12 items that aren’t where they should be in the house and put them back. Select 12 things that you want to donate this week and have them bagged up and ready to go. And, finally, select 12 items that need to hit the trash. You can mix this up and lower the number to find something more in your comfort zone.
4 Boxes
This is especially useful if you are moving or need to make quick work of your decluttering plans. You simply grab four boxes, and put them in the room you are intending to blitz. Label them with Move, Keep, Donate, Trash. Once you have your boxes ready to go, you simply go through each and every item that is in the room and add it to the box. You can make this a slow process if you want to take your time and really consider what you are keeping and why. Just make sure that the boxes are a good size but not too heavy to move when the time comes.
No matter which of the options you choose to get you started on decluttering, you are bound to find something that works for you. While it is easy to let the overwhelm or stress put you off, try to visualize the end goal and work towards it.
