Having a house that is tidy and clutter free is a wonderful thing, entering a room that is free from junk can have an immediate calming effect. Whilst it is very possible to declutter your home, it can be a tremendously stressful experience, so just how can you declutter without feeling like you are losing your mind? Here are our 6 top tips to help you.
1. Work out what sort of declutterer you are
It is important to work out what is the best plan of action for you. Are you the sort of person who can get stuck in and tackle a large chunk of the clutter at once or are you better of setting some time aside every day and doing just a little bit. Once you have worked this out you are well on your way to decluttering.
2. One job at a time
Start with a drawer, a shelf or a cupboard and empty it completely, clean it and then declutter as you put things back. If you empty it one item at a time it will be easier to be distracted. This method works particularly well for those people who prefer to do a small amount of decluttering every day.
3. Be ruthless
If you don’t think you need it, if you don’t know why you kept it, then bin it. If it doesn’t fit, get rid. Throw out all paperwork except that which you really need to keep. And when you have put these things in the bin or a charity bag, make sure they leave your house!
4. Storage
Whilst buying new storage boxes and baskets might seem like a great idea, do not buy anything until you have decluttered. If you get rid of lots of clutter you will not need as much storage as you first though, it may then be tempting to fill up all that empty storage with more clutter.
5. Maybe Pile
It is inevitable that you will end up with a quantity of items that you are not certain about, your maybe pile. In some cases, this could be just a few ornaments, but for many people this could be clothes, books and maybe even some furniture. If this is the case, consider putting your maybe pile into storage for a short while. Give yourself a deadline, if after that time you have not needed the items then get rid of them, only returning to your home those items you actually need.
6. Rules and Routine
Once you have managed to declutter you will want to keep it that way. Put a few simple rules and routines in place to stop the clutter from building up again. Simple things like going through your paperwork once a week, tidying the surfaces every few days. Pretty soon these new rules will become things you do automatically. You may get a bit of clutter building up occasionally, its only normal but you will be able to sort it out before it gets out of hand again.
