It’s never clear how the clutter starts. Sometimes it’s your bad and depressive mood piling things up around your home, and other times your emotions are influenced by all the mess that surrounds you at your home. But before searching for the reason, you must start decluttering your surroundings and eliminating the stressor. These 10 rules will enlighten you on how to do just that and help you get your bearings.
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1. If you haven’t used it in a year, you don’t need it.
Slaves to our belongings, we tend to cling to them living silently by the moto “I might need it some day.”. But if the years are passing and that day hasn’t come, you actually don’t need it, and it’s only occupying a space for something you actually use.
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2. Call reinforcements to help you with deciding what to do.
The best option you have, if you know that you’ll have a hard time saying goodbye to certain things, is to call friends or family members to help. Besides being the voice of reason, they can also bring fun and make the whole process much easier.
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3. Take one step at a time and don’t be disorganised.
Start with a plan and stick to it. The best way to go is room by room, that way you won’t have to return to the same place again, but will move forward by checking off duties from your list. This way you’ll be organised and monitor your progress efficiently.
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4. Add some vibes and beats to help your moves.
The easiest way to not be too concentrated on decluttering and thus avoid anxiety is by playing some feel good music. It will take your mind off the process partly and help you not be too focused on emotions but on being practical. And if you use some moves, the better.
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5. Make it a habit and don’t break it.
You have to be very firm about keeping your home decluttered, or you’ll end up in the same mess again. Put things back in their place when you’re done with them. If something gets broken, stained or torn, consider throwing it away. Designate one day of the week for cleaning and never pressure yourself to do more than you can handle.
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6. Decide the fate of your belongings and don’t change your mind.
This is probably one of the hardest parts of decluttering, right after starting the process itself. The best way to do this is to designate boxes for what to do with your unwanted things. If you decide to throw them away call professionals to do it for you, like Pink Junk rubbish removal and collection services. That way you can’t go to the trash and change your mind. What you’re not throwing away, consider donating to those less fortunate, and helping someone else besides yourself by decluttering.
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7. Using furniture with extra storage can keep you organised.
No matter the size of your home, using smart furniture can have its benefits. Firstly, it will help you keep your place in order because of its storage place, for example a shelf under the coffee table is ideal for stacking magazines on, or the storage place under the stool is great for table cloths or sofa covers. This kind of furniture is popular by the day and designs are keeping up with new trends and styles.
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8. Recycle your life by recycling your things.
Paper is something every home probably has in abundance. And while some paper trails are important like contracts or bills, others like newspapers, magazines and advertising materials are ready to leave your home. Pack them up for recycling and be proud of yourself for helping your environment in the process.
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9. Learn how not to buy the things you don’t really need.
Being an impulsive buyer is a problem for your wallet as well as for keeping your place decluttered. So try this strategy to avoid buying too much. When you visit a store, don’t restrict yourself at the beginning and place everything you think you need in the shopping cart. When you’re done, take a good look at all the things you’ve chosen and ask yourself if you really need them. If you conclude you have no real need for some item, take it back to its place on the shelf. Soon enough, your cart will carry only the things you really need.
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10. Create a different home for improved habits.
If you rearrange your furniture, you will create a different order and refresh the look of your home. Now, your old place looks new and you want to keep it that way for a long time. If your budget allows it, buy some new piece of furniture or repaint the walls. This will symbolise the new beginning for you, free of clutter and emotionally healthier.
In the end
They say that rules are meant to be broken, but when it comes to decluttering you might want to print them out and hang them on a wall, since they’re golden when it comes to taking control of your life and starting fresh.
