With the fast-paced, busy lifestyles that most of us lead, it’s easy for our living spaces to become cluttered and overwhelming. The accumulation of belongings over time can make it difficult to find serenity and focus in our own homes.
However, with a clear plan and some determination, you can embark on a decluttering journey to transform your surroundings into a peaceful and organized haven. Well…. it may not become a “haven” on your first try, but you can definitely create a more simplified space that is pleasing to be in and lots easier to maintain.
Here are a few practical steps to help you begin the process of decluttering and make a fresh start.
1. Learn to Recognize What Clutter Is.
Before you can get rid of clutter, you have to be able to identify it! Here is my definition of clutter:
Clutter is anything that is not serving a purpose in the season of life that I am in right NOW.
Clutter does not begin just when we allow items in our homes. Clutter begins when we allow items in, AND over time, these items no longer serve a useful purpose. Our lifestyles and interests change as our lives evolve. We let these unneeded items accumulate, and they naturally become clutter. Here are a few examples of what I mean.
- Yarns from when you loved to knit – but you are no longer interested in that hobby.
- Professional office attire that no longer suits your current casual work environment.
- Rollerblades that you once loved, but you are older now – and let’s face it – your bones are not as strong as they used to be.
2. Set Clear Goals.
Before diving into decluttering, take a moment to define your goals.
- Consider the purpose of the space you want to declutter and visualize how you want it to look and function. For example: Do you want your bedroom to feel calming and serene? Do you what your kitchen to be simplified and efficient?
- Setting specific objectives will provide you with a clear direction and motivate you throughout the process.
3. Start Small.
- Break down your decluttering project into manageable parts. As much as you want to get it ALL decluttered as fast as you can – jumping in to tackle entire space can be overwhelming.
- Choose a specific area to begin with, such as a closet, a desk, or a bookcase. It could even be one drawer. Each small area that you complete will motivate you to continue!
4. Sort and Categorize.
- Once you’ve identified the area you are going to declutter, begin by sorting your belongings into 3 categories:
Keep, Toss and Donate/Sell. - Grab 2 trash bags: 1 for discarding items, and 1 for recycling. Toss any broken items or items that you no longer use (and not in good shape to donate) in the appropriate trash bag.
- Grab 2 boxes or bins: 1 for items to keep and 1 for items to sell or donate.
- Reduce the duplicates: things like extra spatulas, etc.
- As you handle each and every item, ask yourself whether it serves a purpose for you now, brings you joy, elicits a negative feeling, or holds sentimental value. Be honest with yourself and let go of items that no longer add value to your life. Let go of items that stir up any negative feelings. This can be tough, I know, but with practice, it really does get easier.
- Try to avoid “just in case” reasoning. You may think you should keep those expensive boots just in case you might wear them next winter. But they hurt your feet and you have not worn them for an entire season. Chances are you won’t wear them next season either. Put them in the donation box. Say bye-bye to the boots and hello to the extra space in your closet!
- Take your filled donation box straight to your car once you’ve finished decluttering. That way it will be ready to drop off on your next drive.
- If you are selling items, give yourself a deadline to do this and write the date on the sell box. If that date comes and goes and you haven’t found time to list your items or take to a consignment shop, I encourage you to go ahead and donate them. Let them be a blessing to someone else!
5. Evaluate items you are saving to pass along to the next generation.
- Depending on your current season of life, you might be storing items to pass along to others one day. If so, ask your heirs if they are interested in these items, and be prepared for them to say no. Be gracious and realize that others may not share the same feelings about certain items as you do.
- You may choose to let go of some items now, rather than keeping them for others to make decisions about down the road. This can be very difficult, so don’t make any rash decisions. You can always revisit these items on a future decluttering pass.
6. Organize your Keep items.
AFTER purging your clutter, it’s time to organize what remains. Always Remember: you should NEVER EVER ORGANIZE CLUTTER. Organized clutter is STILL CLUTTER!
- Group similar items together and assign them designated places to be stored based on how often you will use them – keeping accessibility in mind.
- You may choose to use bins, baskets, shelves and drawer dividers to maximize your space. It bears repeating, that every item important enough to keep should have a designated place to “live.”
- Label containers even if you know what they are being used to hold. It helps others who live in your home to quickly retrieve items and put them away when tidying up.
7. Consider adopting the One In-One-Out Rule.
- If you buy something new, pledge to get rid of something else to limit items in your home.
- This practice will help prevent clutter from building up again and helps you to be more aware of your consumption behaviors.
8. Establish Regular Decluttering Routines.
This is a must! Decluttering is not a one-and-done task. Simplifying should become a part of your lifestyle.
- Set aside time each week or month to assess various spaces and make necessary adjustments. Each time you declutter an area, it gets easier to make decisions about what to keep and what to let go.
- By maintaining this habit, you’ll prevent clutter from creeping back into your life and enjoy a consistently tidy environment.
When decluttering, it is essential to go at your own pace. Remember to celebrate each milestone and the progress you make along the way!
Follow these steps and you’ll be well on your way to creating a harmonious and organized home that brings you joy and serenity! It’s what you deserve!
Your journey may be challenging at times, but the rewards of living in clutter-free spaces are well worth the effort – I promise!
❤️ Angie
P.S. To help you continue on your decluttering journey, I have a free 7 Simple Steps a Week guide for you. Just sign up below!
You might also enjoy these videos: 7 Ways To Jumpstart Your Decluttering Journey, Simplify Your Closet and 10 Easy Things to Declutter.
