Clutter is the bane of most homes. Really.
When your home is cluttered it is easy to feel overwhelmed and frazzled and a cluttered home can easily become chaotic. Get a handle on the anarchy before it happens by decluttering your home. It will take baby steps, but here are a few ways to make a dent.
1. Have a yard sale. Tell the kids that they can keep the money from anything they sell (they will dig out plenty!) and then donate anything that is left over.
2. Use the rule “one in, two out.” For every new item that is brought into the house, insist that two items must leave.
3. Declutter one room each week. Taking care of the clutter isn’t easy and won’t happen overnight. Focus on one area at a time and work on it until it’s finished. Choose a room in your home and work on it until it’s finished then move on to the next room.
4. Start at the doorway of rooms. When decluttering a room, start at the doorway then work toward the right. Work around the perimeter of the room until you make it back to the doorway. Then work on the center of the room.
5. Set up “get rid of” boxes to use regularly. If you have a mudroom, garage, or a basement, set up bins or trash cans specifically for items to get rid of. These are items you plan to donate or give away. As you find something, throw it in the bin and when the bin is full, load it up and drop it off at a local thrift store.
6. Plan 10-minute clutter busting sprees every day. Set a timer for 10 minutes then use the “spree” to get rid lof some clutter. The short time won’t be overwhelming and you will make progress in small steps.
7. Try to change your attitude about holding on to things. Do you really need it? Will you ever use it? Think about how giving it away will help someone else as well as help you.
8. Set up a box for items that don’t have a place. Go through the box weekly and either throw away items or donate. If it doesn’t have a place in your home then chances are you don’t need it.
9. Set small goals to help you cut down on clutter. Thinking that you need to get rid of all the clutter in your home and one fell swoop is overwhelming. Instead, grab a plastic grocery store bag and fill it. Fill a bag at a time then get rid of each bag as it’s filled.
10. Check out “pay it forward” groups on Facebook for people who are in need. If you have something that will help someone, get it out of your home and into the hands of someone who needs it.
Decluttering your home is a big job and it will take time. Do a few things to cut the clutter as you can and stick with it. Eventually you will see a difference in the amount of stuff you have in your home.
Now to take my own advice! 😉
What are some tips that work for you for keeping your home clutter free? Comment below!Â
Leave a Reply