By Here are 10 ways to declutter your home:
Have a rule of – “One sort of stuff In, One sort of Out”
Are you ready to declutter?
It can be overwhelming to know where to begin when you have a bunch of stuff that doesn’t serve you anymore.
Figuring out where to start is the toughest part, but we suggest you follow the “One sort of stuff In, One sort of stuff Out” rule while decluttering your home.
It is a productivity mantra that most people have lived with for many years . This means that before you bring something into your home, you have to get rid of another thing. This way, you are controlling exactly how much stuff enters your space.
When it comes to getting disposal of electronics and batteries, be cautious
Getting rid of electronics, batteries of all types, and other wasteful battery-operated products is the first step toward building a waste-free lifestyle.
Recycling electronics is an environmentally friendly thing to do. Millions of tons of e-waste are produced each year, and unlike plastics or household goods, recycling this waste material is beneficial for the environment.
Many electronics and batteries contain deadly substances like lead and mercury, and we need to ensure we dispose of them properly and safely. We’ve looked at some of the problems of batteries—their toxic nature, their build-up in landfills, and their associated danger to humans and wildlife.
Consider making your storage areas more appealing
Sometimes we don’t realize we’re surrounded by creative, functional possibilities for storage space. It’s as close as your local flea market or swap meet, or as simple as a walk through your neighbourhood. Be inventive and use those same creative instincts when it comes to adding storage to your space.
Just a quick reminder: Before you start planning your storage area, it needs to be as accessible as possible. That means taking out any cupboards that are too high, and maybe even an internal door or two.
It’s worth trying to lose as many internal walls as possible – at least as much as you can!
Don't be afraid of seeking help
We would like to encourage you to ask for help while decluttering your home. Decluttering is much easier when it is something that the whole family is involved in.
You can even make use of social media. If you’re having trouble decluttering your home because you don’t know where to start, try posting it on social media handles. Do this by posting a sign that simply says,
“Can you help me declutter my home?”
People are likely to have suggestions on how to clear out the clutter in areas that you’re not sure how to tackle. This is much more effective than just throwing away everything indiscriminately, and will make the job much easier for you.
Pay close attention to the surfaces
Let’s face it, clutter is not fun. And the easiest way to spot the difference is by giving special attention to surfaces.
Consider your home’s surfaces: countertops, tables and desks, and nightstands and dressers. When you’re decluttering any of these areas, consider how it affects the surface space available.
How do you arrange your belongings—the stuff that you don’t mind having on display?
Do you have too much on display?
Too little?
Are some things covered while others are left out in the open?
The answers to these questions can help clean up your home. Surfaces in our home are like magnets for clutter. They aren’t very practical in terms of what they can store, and they offer temporary storage space only. If they aren’t cleared off and cleaned frequently, surfaces can quickly become a nightmare of scattered objects and unsightly mess. When we declutter our homes, we sometimes forget this one important fact: change where you keep things, and you can prevent surface clutter!
Remove duplicates if any
When you’re decluttering your home, it’s important to get rid of duplicates without forgetting about their sentimental value. You can do this by storing photos or other duplicate keepsakes in an album or box, then placing that container in a visible spot—one that is easy to access but isn’t always visible. Do the same with duplicate items—separate them and store them away for later retrieval, while getting rid of the extras right away.
Yes, it’s a bit tedious, but getting rid of duplicate or unnecessarily similar items is one of the most satisfying parts of decluttering. It feels great to have those unused items out of your home, but it feels even better to reduce the clutter around your space as a whole. And if you’re concerned that there’s someone else who might want that duplicate, don’t be. In most cases, we can find another use for these items – specifically by giving them away!
Trash and Donations should be kept separate
Ultimately, separating trash & donations as you go is an important tool to keep you motivated as you declutter. With the donations pile growing as the hour’s pass, it can be easy to throw something in that pile simply because you “want” to get rid of it. Avoid that pitfall.
At the end of the day, decluttering is all about getting rid of items that you don’t need, and donating to charity things that you do. However, it can be hard to know whether to donate something directly or just throw it away. To be clear, there are no hard-fast rules about this; it will ultimately depend on your preferences. But if you feel like it helps to separate your donations from your trash when decluttering, then by all means use bins for this purpose!
Your goal is to put each donation and trash item in its pile. To do that, start by grabbing a bag or box to fill with items that need to be donated. If you find clothes, then you’ll want to grab another one for trash. Be sure to separate things like electronics and paper goods from the clothing—otherwise, the boxes will get too heavy and it will become too much of a hassle.
Consider your overarching goal
Although there are many different things that you need to keep in mind, your overall goal with decluttering should be to create an environment that makes you feel more comfortable and happier. By creating an environment where you can be productive, focus more on the things that matter, and generally just enjoy living, you will have accomplished your goal of decluttering.
Whether you’re clearing out clutter for aesthetic or functional reasons, there’s one guiding factor to think about: YOUR GOAL.
Why are you decluttering?
To reduce stress in your home?
To save money as part of a budget plan?
To focus on what matters most?
Deciding on a reason can help keep you motivated as you go through your process. It’s easy to have the “I should clean up” mentality, but taking time with the decision will reinforce a sense of purpose behind the work that you do.
All in all, the key to a successful decluttering experience rests on whether you approach your home cleanup with a particular set goal in mind. This way you can make an effort to clear every possible item from your house while ensuring that things don’t end up on the floor or in boxes at the end of it all. Ultimately, if you manage to keep items organized and don’t fall into the trap of purchasing more during your efforts, then you can wind up with a more organized home with little to no extra money spent.
Create a natural decluttering system
There are natural declutterers that you can use to reduce the amount of stuff in your home. When there is less stuff in your house, you can live with less stress. Decluttering is the process of eliminating excess clutter in our lives. It removes the unwanted debris that has accumulated over time.
The list of reasons to do decluttering naturally is long, and the benefits are plenty.
Learning how to do decluttering naturally is important if your goal is sustainability. One of the most important aspects is having an “eye for value”. We all have things that we shouldn’t need or use anymore but we keep them anyway because they have sentimental value. Junk drawers are a great example.
Natural decluttering is a lot less stressful than traditional decluttering. Make this a weekend ritual and have a fresh start to your Monday morning!
Recycle or Reuse?
When you’re decluttering, you have to ask yourself,
“Should I throw this away or should I reuse it?”
It’s a tough question. It’s even tougher when you don’t have any more space in your home.
It’s time to say goodbye to all your stuff. Your constant friend, whose company made you feel so good, so you never wanted to let it go… But right now, it’s an encumbrance. It weighs you down and stops you from working.
Recycling or reusing items is good for our environment which is an awesome bonus when you’re decluttering. It is the best way to remove unused things.
Conclusion
This article is intended to give you enough information, to make an informed decision on whether or not it’s right for you to try home organizing of your own. We can all benefit from less clutter in our homes, but some are more amenable to the changes that come along with it than others.
Decluttering your house is the first step of many, many steps you will need to take to start living your life with some degree of sanity. People who hoard are not only unable to throw things away, but they also live in a state of illusory abundance. They think that there is the value where there is none; that objects that are damaged or long-unused can be miraculously transformed into working conditions; that discarding anything precipitates its irreparable loss. Living like this will trap you—and anyone who lives with you—in an unpleasant holding pattern of disorganization and clutter.