In previous posts, we’ve discussed how serenity arises from overall health and well-being. Interestingly, it is also deeply influenced by our environment. A clutter-free home will completely change your life. It will improve your self-perception and how you experience daily life. Decluttering is such a powerful tool that I want to share my process and the tips I’ve learned along the way. These strategies and tips will also be helpful as we start our decluttering series next week!
How to Declutter
Take Everything Out at Once
One of the most important steps of completely decluttering a space is to bring everything out in the middle of the room. Whether it’s a closet, drawer, or a basket. Having every item out of our new clean space will help us more carefully choose the items that are going to go back into it. It’s a visual trick to show you how clean and tidy the area looks. In turn, you will be more mindful and aware of the items you put back.
Sorting it all out
Once everything is out, don’t get overwhelmed! This is the hardest part, but remember, once it’s done it’s going to feel so liberating and bring so much more peace and calm to your life.
First, make sure you have one:
1. Big black trash bag
2. A maybe box
3. A sell/donate box
My favorite way to sort is to pick out my absolute favorite items from the pile and immediately put those away. This will give you an idea of how many items you are keeping, and show you the excitement and enthusiasm, and how it should feel, to keep items that truly bring you joy.
Throw away items that are broken, torn or that will be of no use to someone if you were to donate them.
The maybe box should be tackled next. This box should be kept at a minimum when decluttering. When going through it, ask yourself if someone else could use this item more than you, and try to avoid using the thought of ‘maybe someday’. I realized I did this so much over the years, I ended up with boxes full of things I wasn’t sure about.
The sell/donate box should be dealt with as soon as possible. Donate or sell immediately if you have the time, as to not just move things from one area to another box to be kept in the garage for months.
Have one ‘Memory’ Box
But don’t just stuff everything in it. Try to get rid of multiple items from one single memory. For example, if you have 5 shirts from college, maybe just keep your favorite one and donate the rest. Keep one really good souvenir from that trip you took last year. Additionally, take pictures of items that are meaningful but that don’t have much use anymore in your life. You will still have the memory of the item when looking at the picture, and you’ll save a lot of space. This way of keeping items you love will also encourage you to buy less on trips and make more meaningful purchases in the future.
Have a Home for Everything
If there are piles of paper on your counter, cables on random tables, keys on the TV stand, and toys covering your floor, it’s time to make a home for each of these items. Having a container or basket for a designated category of items will make it easier to keep your home tidy and will allow you to find items quicker and more efficiently.
Keep a Binder or File System of Important Documents
Binders are a great way (and my favorite way) to keep important documents organized. There’s something about it that lessens my anxiety of accidentally losing something really important or not being able to find it in an emergency. If I have a stack of mail and don’t have time to sort through them at that exact moment, I will gently put them in the binder and when I have some time, I can go through and organize them.
Hopefully, these tips have helped you on your journey to decluttering your home. I will be doing a separate post on making a filing system for important documents that works for you and your family soon. Sign up for my e-mail list and I will be sure to share when this is out!
In the meantime, download the free simplified decluttering checklist below!