The Best Ways To Declutter Your Home
If your house clutter leaves you feeling anxious, overwhelmed or guilty, you’re not alone. “Psychology Today” in 2012 noted that excessive clutter can lead to stress. That’s because it bombards us with too many stimuli and draws our attention away from what we need to focus on. The solution? Declutter your home.
It can sound daunting, but decluttering is fun if you approach it in an organized way and divide up the task into manageable chunks.
Keep focused on the end game: with less clutter, you’ll have more space for you and your family, and be less embarrassed about your space when friends unexpectedly drop by.
Getting Started
Write down a list of rooms or areas that you want to tackle. You may even want to grade them from severe, average to least cluttered. Then concentrate on one room or space at a time.
If it helps to motivate you, consider committing to completion dates for each phase of your decluttering. Set aside more time for those challenging areas that need work, whether that’s the attic, your study, or the garage.
Sorting Items
As you go through your rooms and areas that need decluttering, it’s good to have a quick and easy way to decide what to keep and what to throw. Use three cardboard boxes and label each one, ‘Keep’, ‘Throw’ and ‘Store’.
Be honest with yourself: when was the last time you used this item? Had you forgotten that you even had it?
If it’s more than six months since you last set eyes on it, it’s time to part ways.
Getting Rid Of Items
Use The Professionals
To clear out large household goods, consider using professional trash removers to help you – click here for the range of items they will typically collect. This is a handy, low-cost way to get rid of that moth-eaten sofa, the old fridge that’s not working properly, or just general debris when you’re moving house or clearing out a rental property.
Declutter Your Home & Recycle
Put recyclable paper, glass, and plastic into your recycling bin for collection. Another option is to stash recyclable waste into bags to drop off at your region’s nearest recycling point. In some areas, your old electronics can be recycled for cash – but do your research first. Otherwise you won’t have a clear idea of how much your electronics are actually worth.
Other ways to recycle unwanted items in a good condition including donating them to charity shops, or posting on freecycle and upcycling sites.
Keeping Items
Any items you’ve decided to keep need storing neatly in their new home – for example, a drawer or container. You may want to label them.
Storing Items
Decide where your storage area is going to be. As you declutter a space using your ‘Store’ container, ensure you either label the item or put an inventory list on the top of the completed container.
Helpful Tips to Declutter Your Home
Struggling to part with something that you haven’t used in a while? Here’s a few tips to help you clear a path through the junk:
Remember The 80/20 Rule
We generally wear only 20% of the clothes we own 80% of the time. This rule also holds true for other possessions such as books, toys, DVDs, video games and computer parts. Keep in mind that you’re aiming to get rid of those items you don’t use 80% of the time.
Sleep On It
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and decluttering is a process that happens over time. If you can’t make your mind up, sleep on it. You’ll know the following morning whether that teapot your Aunty gave you is something you want to keep … or not.
