The Top 4 Tips for Decluttering Your Home
We often begin a new year with high energy to take on all of our home organization and decorating projects at once, however, here we are, 2 months into the new year and what have we actually accomplished? Often, we’re delayed in accomplishing our tasks because we’re inclined to hang on to certain things in an effort to feel like we’ve gotten our money’s worth, but, there is a cost to keeping the clutter around that really begins to add up! Decluttering around the house improves your lifestyle and overall wellness because a well-organized home can boost your productivity levels. Keep your home in tip-top shape by tackling your clutter regularly with these top 4 efficient tips that you can start today!
Make an Itemized To-Do List—Researchers suggest categorizing everything you have by type before you start your decluttering mission. The categories you create from this first organization step will inspire the list of decluttering tasks you need to begin. If there is anything that needs to be decluttered, but doesn’t belong in a particular category, ask yourself if it is even necessary to keep. This decluttering philosophy, developed by Emily Ley helps narrow down what to keep in your home. By writing the items down and seeing the list in front of you, it’s easier to gauge how much time each category will take to strategize a plan from there. This is an important step to start with, in order to ease any anxieties you have about the large task at hand and break it down into smaller, more do-able tasks that feel less overwhelming.
Ask Yourself If You Love It—If you’re having trouble separating or sorting items into the piles, ask yourself if that unsureness is due to the fact that the item does not spark any joy and/or if you don’t actually use it. Sometimes we may accidentally keep things because they remind us of a time that we were happy, but the item itself doesn’t make us happy. A strong exception to this rule is if something were to have sentimental value that sparked other emotions. The majority of the time, the items you get rid of will never cross your mind again and you will wind up feeling lighter—both physically and emotionally! Another rule of thumb is to organize sentimental items that you DO want to keep, into one place or storage bin, keeping all of those items together.
Donate—Not only is donating to your local charity of your choice or donation center, a practical approach to clearing out your clutter, it’s also bound to make you feel better! There’s nothing like knowing you’re helping someone in need who is likely going to cherish your item(s) more than you currently are now! Look at taking trips to the donation center as your community give-back and remember the impact you’re making on the greater good, while also clearing out your home!
Create Proper Storage for Everything—Organization always starts with the proper storage. When you’re tackling a project, be sure to determine what form of storage would be best. Do you need totes, decorative bins for shelves that allow for easy access, under-bed storage, or a new closet organization system? No matter what your situation, there’s so many great options out there. Consider purchasing a label maker so that you can properly label your boxes/bins. While organizing, think long-term and how will it be easiest to find items as you need them.
