The Easiest Way to Declutter
When decluttering, focus on items your family will use every day. It’s also important to save sentimental items for last – these can be more difficult to sort through and discard.
Once your house is decluttered, create a system to keep it that way. For example, make sure each person has a personal zone, and that anything left in the common areas is put back in the zone before leaving.
1. Start with a clean sweep.
Clutter is often the result of things being strewn about or not having an easy home for them. It’s important to get the basics in place before moving on. Having places for items like books, electronics, toys, clothes, towels, and more will help prevent them from ending up on surfaces that you don’t want to deal with or looking unkempt.
One of the quickest and easiest decluttering tricks is to do a surface sweep. This involves visually scanning all of the surfaces in your home for clutter (think keys, mail, dirty cups, etc.). Once you’ve done that, set aside a few minutes to return everything back to where it belongs. This will instantly make the area look cleaner and help you keep it that way!
Another great way to declutter is by focusing on one room or area at a time. This makes it easier to manage your time and doesn’t feel as overwhelming. Plus, you can really see your progress. It’s also a good idea to take before and after photos of each room or space you declutter. This will serve as a reminder of how much your space has changed and motivate you to keep going!
It’s also helpful to have a clear vision of the overall look and style you are trying to achieve in your space. This will make it much easier to decide what you should or shouldn’t keep. For example, if you have a minimal decor style in mind, it will be easier to get rid of old, out-of-style furniture.
Lastly, don’t be afraid to ask for help when it comes to decluttering. Whether it’s asking a friend to help or hiring Junk Removal Dawsonville Ga, having someone who can support you can make the process go much more smoothly and quickly. It’s also a great idea to have a timeline or a goal for how long you want to work on a project.
Whether it’s 30 minutes or two hours, spending just a few minutes each day working on your clutter can help you feel like you are making progress and will eventually lead to a more organized home!
2. Get rid of things you don’t need.
When decluttering, it is important to get rid of things you don’t need. This will make the organization process much easier as you will have fewer items to deal with. You can start by sorting your things into piles – pile 1 for trash, pile 2 for donation, and pile 3 for items that you aren’t sure what to do with. It can also be helpful to set aside a box or bin for items you may want to sell.
When deciding what to keep, think about the items that bring you joy or spark happy memories. If the item doesn’t do either of those things, it’s likely time to let it go. This rule applies to everything, from a drawer full of old toiletries that you never use to the pile of toys taking up half your living room floor.
Once you’ve gotten rid of the items you don’t need, it is important to get them out of your house as soon as possible. This will help you avoid the temptation to take them back out later (which will just make the clutter return). It is also a good idea to put them into storage so that they don’t end up back in the space where they were originally decluttered.
If you’re short on time, it can be helpful to break down the decluttering process into small projects. Try working on one project a night, such as one drawer in your kitchen, or one corner of your bedroom. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and will also save time by preventing you from returning to the same spot multiple times.
Streamlining the process will also make it easier to tackle bigger tasks. You could even hire a professional organizer to guide you through the process.
When you’re ready to get started, it can be a good idea to get family and friends involved. Having someone to talk to about your clutter and to offer encouragement can be motivating. It’s also a great way to get other people’s opinion on what should stay and what should go. Taking before and after photos of the space can be another great motivational tool.
3. Donate or sell things you don’t want.
Clutter can be emotionally heavy and even if you don’t need it anymore, it can feel hard to part with items that have sentimental value. That’s why it can be so helpful to give things away or sell them as you declutter. Not only does it make the process faster, but it also reinforces a conscious mindset that you’re more intentional about what you’re bringing into your home in the future.
Decluttering top tip: When you start to struggle with getting rid of something, try to view it as a new opportunity. Is there someone out there who would benefit from your belongings? Donating items to charity is a great way to get money back, and it’s good for the environment. Similarly, selling items on sites like eBay can be an easy way to get rid of stuff you no longer need while also making a profit.
Another great option is to donate or give your belongings to friends and family. This can be a fun and social way to get rid of things, and it can also help you avoid the temptation to just put them back out again (which will set your decluttering time back a lot).
Professional organizers often recommend starting with a quick-win space such as the bathroom, because it’s likely that most of this clutter is actually just old toiletries that have built up sentimental attachments over time. From there, you can move on to other areas of the house, such as the kitchen or bedroom closets.
It’s also useful to start with small areas, such as a drawer or shelf, so you can feel proud of your progress. You can then use the ‘before and after’ technique, which is a great motivator. Alternatively, it can be helpful to have a friend or family member come over and help you see what your home looks like to them, and how you could improve it. This can be particularly helpful when it comes to clothes and other items that are harder to let go of. They may be able to provide the extra push you need to make that final decision.
4. Organize your belongings.
Having items around the house that don’t have homes tends to make everything feel messy and chaotic. The easiest way to declutter is to sort, eliminate, and then organize your belongings. This isn’t always easy, and it requires a lot of time. However, if you take it slowly and don’t try to do it all at once, the process can be easier.
It is often tempting to binge-watch TV or scroll through Instagram while decluttering, but these habits can actually make your clutter worse. Instead, try to schedule time each week or each weekend to declutter a room or drawer. This will help you keep on track and save time in the long run.
To start, empty out a cupboard or drawer and dump all of the contents on a table or floor. Don’t worry about putting things back into their original places just yet, as this will come later. Once you have everything laid out in front of you, start placing like items together. For example, if you’re working on the playroom, you might create piles of toys cars, dinosaurs, dolls, etc. This will allow you to see how much of each item you have and if you really need it.
When you’re done, place items that don’t belong in your home in the trash or donate bins. Then, put the items that you want to keep into storage. Be sure to label the storage containers so you know what each one contains. This will help you find things more easily, and it will also be easier to keep the storage areas tidy as well.
Assigning homes for your belongings is important because it helps you to keep them organized and out of sight, where they’re not as likely to get messed up. Store the items you use frequently in places that are easy to access, and the less-used items up higher or in a harder to reach space. This will ensure you’re not tempted to grab those items from their home and just throw them in a random spot. The more you do this, the better your home will look, and the easier it will be to maintain in the future.
When decluttering, focus on items your family will use every day. It’s also important to save sentimental items for last – these can be more difficult to sort through and discard. Once your house is decluttered, create a system to keep it that way. For example, make sure each person has a personal zone, and…