It’s no secret that a cluttered home can be stressful. Not only is it difficult to keep things tidy when your space is crammed full of stuff, but all that clutter can also be a constant reminder of everything you have to do. If you’re ready to declutter and simplify your life, here are a few tips to get you started.
Part 1: Mindset and Motivation
Think about why you want to declutter and why it makes sense to start now. Maybe you’re fed up with feeling like you’re constantly swimming in a sea of stuff. Maybe you want to simplify your life so that you can focus on what’s really important to you.
Whatever your reasons, it’s important to be clear about them before you start. Keep your goals in mind as you declutter so that you can stay motivated when the going gets tough.
Feel like procrastinating? Just breathe, and don’t rush yourself. Rushing yourself into doing something is actually one of the most significant factors of procrastination. If you need to do one room in a day, so be it. Begin with the simplest tasks to complete more per day.
Part 2: Application Tracker and Exertion
Once you’ve got your decluttering motivation sorted, it’s time to get down to the nitty-gritty and start decluttering your home.
Go through each room and make a list of the items that you need to declutter. Tackle one room at a time. Break each room down into sections and focus on each section one at a time.
Never be shy about asking for help even if you don’t live under the same roof. You might not know that what you need is also what they need and you’re actually being an inspiration to them simply by asking for their help. You’re making each other feel valued just by asking and lending help so don’t forget to return the favor when they ask you the same thing.
Step 3: Wrapping Up
As you go through your things, you’ll likely find that you have items that serve different purposes. Some things may be keepsakes you want to hold onto, while others may be items you no longer need or use.
It can be helpful to segregate your belongings into different piles as you declutter. This way, you can easily see which things you want to keep, donate, or toss.
One way to do this is to create three different piles:
Keep:
Items that you want to keep and continue using.
Donate:
Items that you no longer need or want, but that someone else could use.
Toss:
Items that are damaged, outdated, or that you simply don’t need or want.
Of course, you can always make more than three piles. For example, you may want to make a fourth pile for items that need to be repaired. Or you may want to make a separate pile for each family member, so that everyone can go through and decide what they want to keep, donate, or toss.
Just remember: the goal is to declutter, so don’t make too many piles! too many piles can make the decluttering process more difficult and confusing.