In our last post, we shared that clutter is the result of delayed decisions, so when you commit to making decisions about your stuff you can begin the decluttering process.
So, today I am sharing my top 5 decluttering tips to make it as simple as possible.
At Smartly Organized, we understand that life is busy and that it may currently feel unreasonable to expect you and your family to devote time to daily decluttering activities. But you’d be surprised how regular habits translate into meaningful progress.
Start with WHY
As with anything in life, motivation is key. What do you want to achieve and why? Write down exactly what you want to do in your house and why you want to do it. When things start to feel difficult and you begin to lose motivation, refer back to why you started in the first place. Having a clear understanding of what you want to accomplish will encourage you to work through the challenges to achieve the results you want and produce better and quicker results.
For example, you’d love to convert a room into a quiet reading room or “study”. But the family throws their extra belongings and seasonal “stuff” in there. It’s no longer a relaxing place. Dedicating time and energy to this project has a huge reward: you’ll be able to achieve the peaceful environment you wanted.
Other common decluttering motivators include Moving, Entertaining, Holidays, and Redecorating. These reasons tend to have deadlines providing considerable motivation!
Start Small
Don’t take on too much at first. Begin with a small counter and advance to a cabinet or closet. Small wins done consistently will lead to big successes. Start with the easiest rooms and work up to the ones that are more challenging. Finish one space at a time to remain focused throughout your decluttering process. Recognize that items may need to be relocated and you may not have immediate solutions. Use a laundry basket to corral items that need to be relocated. You can easily walk around your home and deposit them in their rightful homes.
Set up a staging area to segregate items in process. This could be an entire room, or just a corner, but keeping them separate will allow you to finish the larger area and see your progress. Just don’t permanently relocate clutter from one room to another.
Decision Time
Decluttering is most often associated with letting go of stuff. It’s the process of reviewing and deciding what to do with each item in the space where you are working. It doesn’t always mean letting go but it does often lead to that. The first most important question to ask about any item is “Do I need it?” Sort through the items and make two piles. Keep vs. Toss. This is a powerful first step and never fails to motivate even the most unmotivated.
Regardless of where you are working, you will also find items that belong elsewhere in your home. The combination of relocating these items and also letting go of others will create the space you need to organize what remains. Imagine your coat closet: set aside jackets your kids have outgrown for donation, remove sports gear that belongs in the garage, and throw out the broken umbrella. And, voila, the closet is less jammed, you can even hang your guests’ coats on empty hangers.
PRO TIP: If you are prone to want to keep everything, we suggest you declutter by category. This way you can review all items in context with other similar items you own. In the coat closet example above, collect all your coats in your home. Seeing them all together will likely lead to some easier decisions.
Expel the Expired
It’s hard to ignore the allure of a new lipstick or other product promising a new and improved you. But take a hard look. How many beauty products do you have sitting in your vanity cabinet that you haven’t used in forever? Did you know that make-up expires, especially mascara? Clear out the old products and while you’re at it let go of the ones you tried and didn’t like, or the half-finished products that were pushed to the side by new and improved promises. Take a close look at prescription and OTC expiration dates on meds, too.
Cleaning products also tend to linger in our homes far past their useful life. A quick pass under the kitchen sink and in the laundry room may offer up numerous products that need to be tossed. While you are at it, fridge, freezer and pantry food also expire so simply editing out the old will free-up space.
Editing expired items is one of the easiest decluttering projects you can do. You will be amazed by how much space you will make just by eliminating the old!
Do It With a Team
To some folks, decluttering and organizing is therapeutic and even energizing, to others it’s an overwhelming and stressful chore. If you find yourself more overwhelmed than energized you can call in help. We encourage you to include all family members (even young children) to create a sense of ownership and accomplishment. We have found that setting a clear goal (i.e. see the playroom floor), making it fun (crank some tunes), and setting a time limit lead to the greatest success. A fun reward at the end also helps!
Creating more space around your items give them room to breathe and makes you feel lighter. And, should you find yourself in need of some guidance, reach out to the Smartly Organized team to take away the stress of decluttering for you. We work with kids and parents all the time!
Ready to make the smartest move you will ever make in your home? Contact us today for more information on her professional organizing services
When you let go you create space for something better.
