11 tips for Decluttering Quickly and Efficiently
If you have ever felt the pleasure and peace of a clean and spacious home then I know you’ve experienced the freshness, light and air that a simple home conveys. There is nothing better for the mind than to walk into a decluttered space after being out and about, knowing that you don’t need to face tidying up as soon as you enter your front door. The aesthetic that it creates is pleasing to the eye, the mind and your levels of stress.
I’m sure you have experienced the dread of coming home knowing that your home is cluttered with the chaos of paper, books, clothing, dishes and kitchen items, and toys if you have children.
For the past ten years I have been consciously simplifying, reducing and decluttering my physical environment and I’ve learned a number of ways to get on top of the physical detritus that builds up in my life. Of course, you have to occasionally take stock of the possessions that you own, give them a stable home and maintain them.
My top 11 decluttering tips:
1. Start with just 5 minutes.
If the thought of tidying fills you with dread, focus on one small area for just 5 minutes; for example, a pen or pencil pot, an area of a shelf or surface. Tell yourself that it is only for 5 minutes; however, continue if you get into the flow or feel the need to complete the task. Let your motivation lead you. Often when we start a task, we will see it through to completion. The magic of decluttering is that you will see instant results in that small area you have chosen. Tackling a large space can be quite overwhelming and frustrating but taking small steps will help you shed light on your efforts.
2. Set a routine for certain areas and use triggers; for example, as soon as you get up in the morning, make your bed enough for it to look tidy, you don’t need military-taut flat surfaces to pass inspection. If you have finished using a dish and cutlery, put them straight in the dishwasher or wash it up. Don’t leave it out on a surface. Have a place for certain papers so they don’t lie on your surfaces, place them in a designated area ready to be processed for reading, recycling or the garbage. The art of tidying-as-you-go will reduce the dread of tasks multiplying into mountains of chores.
3. Empty an area such as a drawer or cupboard, lay it out and ask the following questions:
Do I need this?
Does it still work?
Is this in its right place?
Do I have more than one of these and is that really necessary?
Do I actually use this?
Would I prefer this object or the space it would create by not having it?
Clean that shelf or drawer. Then, sort the items using the next tip.
4. Make quick, gut decisions. Have a donation and recycling bag ready. Look at each item and ask the questions in tip 3, then make a decision to donate it, offer it to someone outside of your household, recycle it or put it on the street for passers by (if that is allowable in your neighbourhood).
5. Be ruthless. Most of the stuff you have, you will probably never use. Have one or two good pens and get rid of the other 20 cheap pens. If you haven’t used it in the last year, get rid of it. Don’t hold onto broken items that are collecting dust. Most of the stuff you possess is probably replaceable for a small sum of money if you do ever decide that you really need it in your life again.
6. Articles, old magazines and newspapers. Cull them! If you must, cut out what you want from all of the papers and put them into one ringed folder and recycle the scrap paper. I pretty much guarantee you will probably never look at them again. Even better, take photos with your smartphone and store them digitally.
7. File your important paperwork: bills, tax-related correspondence and anything that is legally needed for the future. For birth certificates, ownership records etc. Store them safely in a fireproof lockable box, safe or bank depository and have printed copies certified and signed by a Justice of the Peace or other legal professional.
8. If you really can’t decide, store it in a box with other undecided possessions and put it away out of sight. Label the box with a sticky note with the date the items were stored so you remember how long they have been out of your sight and mind. You will soon know if you really need it or not and eventually, after time, you can make another decision as to what you wish to do with that possession.
9. Remember that everything you possess needs a home, and whenever it is used, it needs to return to that home. Avoid surfaces such as shelves, furniture tops, tabletops and floor space unless your item adds some pleasing aesthetic to your house and makes you feel good. Drawers, cupboards and other closed storage are great for hiding things but difficult for finding things when they are crammed full. Try and only fill about a third of the space and it will appear less cluttered and be easier to locate items with more ease.
10. Admire your newly organised surroundings. Make sure they are aesthetically pleasing to your eye and contain only the functional stuff that you need to get on with life. Go out into nature and the world and enjoy it in your own company or with friends and loved ones. Come home to a beautiful, clean, relaxing space where you can enjoy recreation and fun, rather than the dread of clutter and cleaning. Be excited by what you have created!
11. Be resourceful with what you already have and make use of it well, rather than it being hidden away under piles of other stuff. Many of the items we have can serve multiple purposes and we just don’t use them properly until we need to.
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