When it comes to getting organized, one of the key elements is decluttering. However, the very idea of getting rid of your possessions can be very daunting, and many don’t know where or how to start. As with any other process, it often helps to have some steps to follow. Consider these 7 simple steps and strategies to help you start your decluttering journey and take steps toward living a clutter-free and organized life.
1. Create a Plan
It can be overwhelming to think of all the work involved in organizing and decluttering a home.
Take some time before you start, to consider what your goals are, why you want to declutter, and the end result that you want to achieve.
Think about the benefits that you will gain when you put in the effort to declutter and then create a more organized home.
Visualize what your home and spaces will look like and how they will function after removing excess clutter.
Use a dedicated planner to list all the areas of your home that you want to declutter, set time goals for getting each area done, and track your progress.
2. Start Small and Simple
To gain momentum in the paring down process, to start with the easy things.
Pick a small area that you want to declutter like a drawer or cupboard, and begin by getting rid of things that don’t hold much emotional attachment.
Once you have decluttered one small area, move on to another small area, and so on, until you run out of energy or motivation.
Check off each small area that you successfully declutter on your planner. Doing so will lead to a sense of accomplishment and provide motivation for you to keep going when the decision-making becomes tougher.
3. Lose the Duplicates
One relatively easy decluttering task involves getting rid of unnecessary duplicate items.
So for every area that you declutter, take a moment to gather up all your duplicate items from that space such as articles of clothing, dish sets, kitchen tools and utensils, and books. Then sort through them, keeping only your favorite colored piece or the one that is in the best condition.
4. Nix the Guilt
An empowering decluttering strategy is to get rid of things you’ve been holding onto out of guilt. It doesn’t matter how much you paid for that stylish coat if it’s not being used.
Unwanted gifts are something else you should part with, and that includes children’s toys that don’t get played with.
These things are yours and take up precious space in your home. The decision of whether to keep them is also yours. Take the time to mentally thank the items/gift givers for what they provided, and then decide to move them on.
Consider how you want to get rid of the items; you can sell them to recoup some of the cost, or donate them to others who would use and enjoy them. You will be surprised at how you actually wont miss them afterwards.
5. Document Your Nostalgia
Nostalgia is a powerful emotion that can lead us to hold onto clutter.
An effective compromise is to digitize your prized possessions and items of sentimental value such as greeting cards. You can scan the images of things like certificates or kids’ artwork into your computer and organize them into folders.
For three-dimensional pieces like trophies or prom dresses, take a photo of the item to add to your digital keepsakes.
6. Find a Place for Every Thing
While you are decluttering, look at the space you are working with and decide on a specific place for each item.
I love creating zones where things used for a similar purpose are stored together. Try not to overcrowd each zone.
One of the best ways to keep a home organized is to make sure all of your possessions have a designated place and to always return them there. Knowing where stuff belongs makes it easier to keep everything tidy and lowers the chance of clutter becoming a recurring problem.
7. Be Mindful About What You Bring Home
One important rule to set if you want to maintain your organized and de-cluttered home is to make a sincere effort to bring less stuff in. There’s no point in putting forth the effort to declutter if you undo all your progress by buying more stuff.
Setting a mindset to shop with intention is the first step to clearing out the clutter for good.
These tips aren’t the definitive last word on clearing out the clutter, and they won’t remove all of the difficulties from the process. Hopefully, though, they will serve as guidelines to help you begin your own decluttering journey.