Clutter is inescapable given how busy our lifestyles have become, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be tackled with. Cleaning clutter is hard, more so if you have kids who are always on a lookout for ways to create more mess. It multiplies in a way that you might have already been through a daunting session of decluttering over the weekend but there might still be something more left to do.
My Mom has always been a passionate declutterer, but I never valued her decluttering efforts until I had to move out for higher studies. And trust me when I say that there’s nothing worse than walking into a hostel room full of junk after a busy day at college. It took me so long to master the art of clutter cleaning that I just can’t imagine going back to the space where clutter used to dominate. I just want to live in a home that is decluttered, neatly organized and simplified.
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We are all aware of the fact that clutter keeps us from living our best lives. And despite being aware of it, it’s hard for us to take a few minutes out of our busy schedules for getting rid of clutter. But given that we all know the value of a clutter-free house, it’s hard to imagine living in a pile of clutter forever.
Let me tell you that giving yourself a clutter-free home is very much an achievable dream and you can do so without spending an entire weekend on it.
If you’re a busy soul with a dream to have a clutter-free house, here are some simple failproof clutter cleaning tips that have always worked for me:
1. Start small before moving on to the bigger tasks
If you’re pushing yourself to declutter your entire room in one day, you might never be able to get there. It’s always the small projects that motivate you to go for the bigger ones.
So if you really want to get going, start with a small decluttering task. For me, it always begins with cleaning my skincare drawer as it’s the one area of my room that gets accessed the most during the day. You can start with cleaning the junk drawer or making your bed or just with mopping the floor. These small tasks will help you get into the rhythm of cleaning thereby preparing your mind for the bigger decluttering projects.
2. Use Timer
If you will try and do everything in one go, the idea of clutter cleaning will leave you scared and overwhelmed. Start by breaking the bigger task of decluttering into small 10-minute projects each of which is followed by a short break. You can use your cellphone timer or the kitchen timer for this purpose.
3. Don’t start with decluttering keepsakes
Don’t ever start decluttering your house with the keepsakes box if you really want to keep going. Items that hold sentimental value can leave you mentally and emotionally exhausted thereby killing your entire clutter-cleaning confidence. Keep the sentimental items aside to be decluttered later, preferably after you’re done with the bigger projects.
4. Follow The ‘One In, One Out’ Rule
For every one item that enters your house, throw out an old one. So if you’re buying one pair of shoes, make sure that you throw away/donate an old pair as a way of keeping clutter to the minimum. Following the ‘one in, one out’ rule can help prevent clutter pile up while eliminating the need for cleaning clutter on a regular basis.
5. Say Goodbye to the unused and ‘maybe’ items
You might have been holding on to a handbag that you haven’t used in years but can’t get rid of because it was expensive. Or your kitchen drawer might just be cluttered with baking tools that you always intended to use but never get the time to. These unused and maybe items, no matter how expensive they are, can actually create more clutter than you would have thought. The fact is, if you haven’t used them in the last one or two years, there’s little chance you’ll use them in future. The best way ahead is to get rid of them at the soonest or you’ll end up paving the way for more clutter.
6. Buy multi-functional items
If you are a minimalist or have a small living space, then using multifunctional items can be a great space-saving option for you. You can have a mixer grinder and a food processor in a single appliance rather than having two separate ones. Similarly, you can get all the features of a toaster and an oven in a single multi-functional toaster oven that will not only save space but money too.
I recently wrote a post on multifunctional furniture items for small homes that can help you in managing space in your house.
7. Follow The 5-Second Rule and don’t second guess yourself
When decluttering a drawer or a closet, try following the 5-second rule before tossing the things away in the Donate/Sell/Throw/Keep box. This rule requires that you don’t give yourself more than 5 seconds to choose whether to keep or to get rid of an item. If you can’t decide something in 5 seconds, keep the item aside to be tackled with later.
Make sure that you don’t second guess your initial instincts. If you’ve tossed an item in the Donation box or the Trash Bin, leave it there. Your mind might prompt you to keep the items that you have already decluttered but it’s on you to remind it that those things were not adding value to your life or your home.
Now that you’re done decluttering your space, don’t forget to relax on the couch and appreciate what you’ve done. Decluttering is hard and can leave you exhausted which is why it’s important to celebrate it like any other win. You might surely have gotten rid of some things during this process but you will now have the time and energy to appreciate what’s left. Try living with less for a while. It will motivate you to keep your house decluttered at all times.