It is surprising how easily a home can get cluttered with things and, before long, have no space in which to do anything. From junk mail to possessions, the amount we accumulate is staggering. Here are ways to declutter your home and keep it in order.
Get Ready
First of all, prepare yourself by making five areas for sorting out the clutter. One is for the items you’ll keep. The others include a pile for the trash, another for charity or thrift stores, one for reselling, and the final one for things you are unsure about.
Start Small
Decluttering can be overwhelming and very emotional, so start small. Places like the sock drawer, a food cupboard or a bookshelf are ideal. Don’t empty the entire house in a day. After you start to sort out what you intend to keep and what you’ll throw out, clean the area and then replace things tidily, you’ll feel you achieved something. Then go on to the next one.
Be Ruthless
If you no longer use something and it has no value to you, get rid of it. Donate it to a charity or resell the item. Yard sales and online services such as eBay can help you get money for things you no longer want, so that you can purchase things you really need in your home. Freecycle is a great site to get someone to collect unwanted items from you, saving you the cost of disposal.
Be sure to recycle old brochures and papers — don’t just dump them in the trash. Not sure about something? Place items you’re unsure about in a box and put it aside for six months. If you didn’t miss that item in that time, it’s likely that you never will. Only items you take pleasure from and use should come back into the house. Use this method to help declutter your house systematically.
Keep Order
Organization is the key to preventing clutter buildup. Handle mail once, placing the junk in the trash immediately. Use color folders to keep paperwork in order. Have a rule for one in, one out each time you buy something new, and you’ll be able to keep your possession pile under control.
Follow this simple process and take things one step at a time, and you’ll soon have a clutter-free home and feel more relaxed and organized.
