None of us like putting rules in our lives, forget having to follow them.
But decluttering is one area of my life where I like following a set of guidelines to be able to stay in order. I allow myself the leverage of tweaking these rules as and when needed, but staying aligned with these rules to meet the requirements of my home helps me stay sane.
People often make mistakes when decluttering their home, especially when they’re new to the world of decluttering and don’t know how to go through it. While some of them mistake decluttering for organizing, others assume it as a way of creating space for more stuff. Many people spend hours decluttering their living space only to put off the final task of dealing with the declutter pile.
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No matter how hard it seems to be, decluttering as a task is quite doable if you put a set of rules to follow. Here are some very simple decluttering rules that are sure to guide you through decluttering every corner of your house without feeling overwhelmed:
1. Declutter With A Goal
Don’t start decluttering your house without a specific goal in mind or you’ll end up creating a bigger mess. Think of it as a road trip where you decide your route based on your destination.
Having a goal will help you declutter more effectively while constantly reminding you not to lose sight of it. But make sure the goal is specific and realistic. For instance, if you’ve planned a 30-day decluttering routine for your home, you can set the goal of clearing off the kitchen counters on day 1. For day 2, your goal can be to declutter your closet. Don’t try to accomplish it all in a day.
2. Focus On One Area At A Time
If you’re trying to do it all at once, you’ll end up inviting overwhelm. You’ll find yourself feeling tired eventually losing the entire motivation to declutter. The best way to go is to focus on one area or category at a time. Don’t pressurize yourself to declutter the entire house in one day or one week or one month. Decluttering is supposed to be fun and needs to be taken care of slowly and steadily. Slow declutter will keep you motivated and energized as you move ahead towards the bigger decluttering projects. If your goal is to declutter the bathroom, start with cleaning the countertop, then declutter the makeup before moving on to the cabinets.
3. Get Rid Of Duplicates
As humans, we tend to keep duplicates of useful items because they make us feel secure. I previously had four sets of measuring spoons, three of which were never even touched. Last year, I gave away those three sets to close friends and family and realized that I never needed to buy duplicates in the first place. It might seem hard to get rid of the duplicate items but you need to remind yourself that they are not serving any purpose in your home and are taking up a lot of space. Some of the duplicates you can get rid of right now are:
- Extra bedding sets
- Hair styling tools
- Shoes of similar type
- Extra pots and pans
4. Ditch Items You Haven’t Used In The Past Year
If you haven’t used an item in the last one year, it’s a sign that you can live without it. Consider getting rid of any items of clothing that you haven’t used in the last one year because there are high chances that you don’t like them. Ditch the baking utensils, kitchen tools, books and other stuff that you haven’t used in a long time.
5. Don’t Keep Items Out Of Guilt
Guilt often makes us hold on to stuff that is serving no purpose in our homes. Set a rule to get rid of anything that you’ve kept only because it was gifted by someone with love or was expensive or took your precious time & efforts. Your guilt won’t make the neglected stuff useful but will surely take up a lot of space in your house.
6. Give A Home To Every Item
The best way to prevent clutter is to make sure that every item has a home of its own in your house. Things that don’t have a designated place often end up in wrongful places making way for more clutter. Keep a pretty little basket in your living room for random items like remote control, reading glasses, or cables and cords. Have a key holder for the car keys and house keys, and a desk organizer to keep magazines and newspapers.
7. Deal With The Declutter Pile Immediately
If you’ve decluttered your entire living space, don’t sit back until you’ve dealt with the declutter pile. Decluttered items, if not dealt with on an immediate basis, will find their way back into your home quashing all your decluttering efforts. Take out the garbage bag as and when it’s full. Drop the donation box at the nearest Donation center and take that ‘Sell’ box away to the nearest thrift store as soon as possible.
8. Organize Only After You’ve Decluttered
Without decluttering, organizing is just rearranging or shifting the clutter from one place to another. Decluttering allows you to get rid of the unused and unneeded stuff and gives you a clear picture of the space left to organize that stuff. So make sure that you start organizing only after you’re done with the decluttering part.
9. Set A Limit On The Number Of Sentimental Items You Can Keep
It can be difficult to get rid of the items that evoke your sentiments, but it’s important to understand that sentimental items add no value to your life. If you’re still finding it hard to get rid of them, set a cap on the number of sentimental items you are allowed to keep. This can be 10, 20 or 40, depending on the size of your home.
Even though it’s good to follow these guidelines for your decluttering efforts to show, make sure to have fun in the process! If you’re someone who easily feels overwhelmed with decluttering, make it a fun process by playing some decluttering games. Or put on your favourite music while you’re at it. And once you’re done decluttering your home, don’t forget to reward yourself with a cup of coffee.