Letting go of your personal belongings for a successful decluttering can feel intimidating. How do you know what to keep and what to toss? What if you need that skirt in a year? How on earth do you get started?
If you have asked yourself these questions and more, read on to learn how to declutter and increase your peace.
Why Should You Declutter?
Decluttering your home is about far more than simply following the latest Instagram trend. This is a chance to take stock, freshen up your space, and improve your surroundings.
According to experts, decluttering can also be useful for reducing stress and anxiety: It seems as though a tidy house really does offer a tidy mind!
Try these top tips to reduce clutter in your environment:
1. Start with a sweep. Decluttering can be overwhelming, so start with a single, initial sweep of your home.
Grab a box or bag and literally walk through your house from one end to the other. If you spot anything that is broken, garbage, or simply no longer needed, bag it or box it up. By the time you get to the other side of your house, you will have made a serious start.
2. Work section by section. Rather than trying to tackle the whole house at once, take things section by section - this can be a whole room if you’re brave, or a small, manageable area such as a cupboard, closet, or drawer.
Take two boxes with you - one for trash, one for charity - and work on that single area until it is done. You can then repeat this whenever you have a few spare minutes.
3. Be ruthless. When you are decluttering, only keep the things that are useful to you.
This can be hard, especially if items have sentimental value, but ask yourself whether you use or wear it. Does it even still fit? Does it improve or enrich your life? Does it even work? If the answer is no, it has to go.
4. Move stuff away from the house. Once you have decluttered an area, remove anything you don’t want from your house. Avoid simply letting it sit in the garage for months or years.
Fill a bag or box and place it straight in the trash or in your car ready to donate.
5. Work together. Don’t face decluttering alone - get the whole family involved!
Agree on a schedule with your partner and tackle different areas at a time. You can even get kids involved - this can be a great way to thin through the toys they no longer play with - and get more space around the house.
6. Avoid buying more. Once your declutter is complete, you’ll be amazed at how much spare space you have in your house. Resist the urge to fill this space with more stuff! You don’t want to end up in a relentless cycle of decluttering, buying, and decluttering again.
Before you make a purchase, ask yourself a few key questions:
Do I need this?
Where will it live?
Do I already have something similar?
How many hours did I work for this?
Over time, you will train your brain out of the need to buy more stuff and can truly enjoy a tranquil, decluttered home.
Decluttering is a major chore, but one that can transform the look, feel, and vibe of your home, giving you more space to play and relax. By breaking the chore down into smaller tasks, you can tackle even the messiest area with confidence!