If decluttering were an emotion, it would surely be called as ‘overwhelm’. And the feeling that hits immediately after decluttering the entire home is that of a victory. But irrespective of how organized and clutter-free your house looks, you must always be wondering how great it would have been if there was no clutter in the first place. Well, you can’t completely eliminate clutter if there are humans living in your house but you can definitely cut back on it by being a little more cautious about a few things.
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I have always believed in the saying that ‘Clutter attracts more clutter’ and if you can somehow manage to stop the accumulation of clutter, you’ll be able to live a more peaceful and simplified home life. After all, it doesn’t feel good to toss away the junk only for it to come back again.
So if you have been looking for ways to stop accumulating clutter, here are a few practical tips that can help make your life a bit easier:
1. Quality Over Quantity
I grew up believing that it’s always better to buy cheaper items as it helps save money. My Mom used to buy inexpensive kitchen appliances, clothes, containers and utensils which would barely last more than a year. It took us years to realize that in our quest to save a few dollars, we were wasting our money in the long run. Had we bought a good quality kitchen appliance that would last a good five years, we could have saved up at least a few dollars even if we had spent twice the money. Besides, good quality items lead to less wastage which in turn leads to less clutter.
Similarly, a few branded apparels always work better than a closet full of clothes that you don’t even wear. I remember living in a time when I would buy 3 shirts for $10 only to find out that they didn’t even last for three months. My closet right now has a few good $10 shirts that I have been wearing for years now.
Investing your money in cheap stuff can surely save you money in the short run, but it’s bound to be costly in the long run besides causing too much clutter in your home.
2. Stop Buying Things On Impulse
In my experience, the tendency to buy things on impulse is often the major cause of clutter. A couple years ago, I used to be this person who would step into the store to buy a pair of heels only to find myself buying a dress, a bracelet and a few accessories too. Impulse buying is a harmful way to waste money besides adding up to clutter. The best way to stop impulse buying is to always shop with a specific list of items that you need. Carry only a limited amount of cash to the store so you don’t end up spending money on clutter. And if you still feel the urge to buy something on impulse, sleep on it to think if you really need that thing.
3. Set Strict Limits On Stuff
It’s important to be firm with the amount of stuff that you allow in your home. If you have received a gift on Christmas and would like to keep it safe for a few years, make space for it by getting rid of an old item from your keepsakes box. Avoid the temptation to buy anything that you can do without. You can also try to follow a ‘One In, One Out’ rule for your home which can help avoid accumulation of duplicate items. So if you’re planning to buy yourself a new pair of shoes, the ‘One In, One Out’ rule means that you need to get rid of an old pair of shoes first before you get the new one.
4. Have A Daily Decluttering Routine
Clutter accumulates because we allow it to, which is why it’s important to include a few good habits in your daily decluttering routine:
– Do not sleep without doing the dishes in your kitchen.
– Ask your kids to spend 10 minutes each day to keep their toys back into the toy chest.
– Spend 10-15 minutes every day in clearing clutter off the flat surfaces.
– Make your bed the first thing after you wake up.
– Return things to their original places after using them.
Depending upon the size of your home, you can add as many tasks as you want to your daily decluttering routine. But make sure that you follow it if you really want to stop accumulating clutter.
5. Embrace Minimalism
Minimalist Living has certainly changed my life ever since I started practicing it. In my case, having an attitude of gratitude really helped in embracing minimalism to the fullest and my home feels like a much happier place. In order to build a minimalist lifestyle, you can start by cutting down on stuff you allow into your house. Get rid of unnecessary décor items, paper clutter and switch to digitization wherever possible. And don’t forget to find joy in the limited stuff that you own.
6. Keep, Sell, Donate, Throw Away
The most important way to deal with clutter is to sort your stuff into categories every month or so. Whether you’re sitting to declutter your closet (or kitchen, garage, bathroom, living room or bedroom), always make it a point to sit with four baskets to toss your stuff in – each for stuff that needs to be kept, donated, sold away or trashed. No matter which container you put your stuff in, don’t hold on to what needs to be donated/sold/thrown away for too long if you want to stop accumulating clutter.
Just as prevention is better than cure, stopping clutter is better than having to deal with it every day. Of course, it won’t be easy to stop the clutter before it starts but once you get a taste of the minimalist lifestyle and the associated benefits, you’ll keep looking for more ways to cut back on clutter.