Decluttering Tips
If you’re like many people, the post-holiday clutter feels a bit overwhelming. Clutter is an inevitable side effect of the holiday season, and of life! But decluttering can help you feel a breath of fresh air, and less stress too! You may feel overwhelmed on where to begin, we’ve gathered some tips we think you’ll find helpful in completing your decluttering!
from: Ultimate Academy
Start Small
Trying to declutter your entire house, or even a room, all at once can feel overwhelming. You don’t have to do it all at once. Breakdown your decluttering into the easiest parameters for you. This could be by area, room, etc. Don’t burn yourself out by trying to do everything all at once.
from: Real Simple
Recognize the Cost of What you are Keeping
You’re not going to start liking something you already don’t like. Many times we keep things because we feel we’re wasting it if we get rid of the item. This isn’t always the case, there is a cost to keeping items. There is the cost of space, time, and effort. If you aren’t using it, won’t use it, or don’t like it - you’re costing yourself! Give that time, money, space, and effort back to yourself!
from: Good Housekeeping
Allocate a Specific Amount of Time to Declutter
Start off your decluttering adventure by allocating a specific amount of time to work on decluttering each day. This could be 10 minutes, 30 minutes, or even an hour. Do what works best for you and your schedule. Giving yourself a set amount of time helps the task seem less overwhelming and more manageable. Allocating a specific amount of time can also help you stay focused on the task at hand.
from: guardian storage
Keep a Box in Your Closet
This one is simple and easy! Put a box in your closet, when you’re getting ready and you put something on you don’t feel good about, put it in the box. Once the box is full, donate it! Doing it in the moment, rather than all at once, can help you remember whether you really like an item of clothing or not!
from: Go Load Up
Touch it Once
A lot of clutter is made up of things you need to do something with. This could be holding on to items to fix, sew, donate, recycle, etc. Stop doing this by using the touch it once rule. For example, if you have a pair of pants that need mending, give yourself a set date to finish the mending by. Once you get to that date, if you haven’t done it you’re not likely to do the task. Time to remove the item from your home and move on.
from: iStock
Invite Your Children to Help
This may sound counterintuitive, and it may be true in the beginning. But inviting your children to help with decluttering areas of the home where they have things, helps give them a sense of control and responsibility. Decluttering your children’s toys or clothes without them can make them begin to hoard, because they feel they cannot trust that their prized possessions won’t be given away. Does this mean they’ll be good at it immediately, or they’ll agree to get rid of what you want them to dispose of? No, but it’s a learning experience! They’ll eventually get the hang of it!
from: It's My Favorite
Try the “EX” Test
This is a fun mind trick to see if something is really important to you. When decluttering and having a hard time deciding about an item, ask yourself: “would I contact an ex I despise to give the item back to them?” If the answer is no, then get rid of the item! Pretty simple, but helps you work through some of those tough decisions!
from: Stocksy
Don’t Buy Containers or Organizers Until You’ve Purged
We all love to buy great new bins and baskets to store our things in, but if you start doing this before you declutter you may run into some problems. You could end up talking yourself into keeping something you don’t really need, not having things fit, needing more bins - or less. Purge and then go out, get your containers, and organize.
from: Northwestern Mutual
Try Out the 90/90 Rule, Hanger Trick, or Washi Tape
These three rules all have a way of helping you see what you’re actually using and what you may need to get rid of.
The 90/90 rule is looking at an item, then asking yourself if you have used the
item in the last 90 days or will be using it in the next 90 days. If the answer is no, get rid of the item. Do what is best for you and adjust the time frame as what works for your lifestyle.
The washi tape rule works fantastic for cluttered drawers! Stick items in your drawer with a piece of washi tape. Then, choose a set amount of time to reevaluate. When you use an item, take the tape off the item. After the set time (90 days, 6 months, etc.), get rid of any item that still has tape on it.
The hanger trick works wonders on your closet! Again, pick a specific amount of time (90 days, 6 months, a season, etc). Hook all of your hangers from behind, when you’ve worn a piece of clothing hang it up the right way. After your set time, donate what hasn’t been used - you’ll know because the hanger will be hanging backwards!
We hope that you find some of these decluttering tips helpful in your journey to a cleaner home! By the time you’re done cleaning, you’ll be in a home you are happy to be in, and hopefully feel less stress and anxiety. Once all the extra, unnecessary, stuff is gone, only the best is left - we hope you feel the same! Let us know what your favorite tip is!