Ultimate Decluttering Tips

Ask yourself just how much items you have in your house. How many of these do you really need? I am pretty sure that your house is filled with unnecessary stuff that you do not really need inside. These items are essentially just clutter. Merriam-Webster defines clutter as “things that clutter a place.”

In a sense, any item that take up space even though they are not part of your everyday life is clutter. Some of the best examples are: broken appliances, extra furniture, and personal souvenirs. Admit it. They are not part of your life anymore and they are just gathering dust in the corner. Aside from this, these items are also taking up valuable space that you could use better. Who wouldn’t want a spacious home?

A simple-looking, minimalist house is so much better to look at than a cluttered house, filled to the brim with items. There are already millions of houses that look like a hoarder lives inside them. Don’t allow your house to add to this list.

For people who like to tidy up, decluttering is a simple task that don’t involve a lot of effort but if you are like me who seldoms arranges his stuff, then you’ve come to the right place. We all want clean rooms but the problem is that our lifestyle and consumer behaviour does not allow us to. Our lives are probably busy with school, work, and social life. There is just not enough time to tidy up when all of your energy has already been exhausted by your daily responsibilities.

Studies have found out that an average household has over 300, 000 items inside it. Surprised? We are too. This number is much more disappointing when you realize that the average space of a house is getting smaller. The rising cost of housing and rent is the one to blame as to why many are deciding to live in a smaller place.

The global consumer behaviour has also evolved. Everyone now owns more items than man has ever owned before. While we only need only the bare essentials to survive, our obsession over bling, colours, personal mementoes, has taken over our lives and allowed us to live in clutter-filled spaces.

There is a phenomenon called the 80/20 rule. The 80/20 rule states that for every 100 items that an average person owns, only 20 of them are necessary and used in their everyday lives. The remaining 80 are basically just decorative items for show. This is true for clothes, books, furniture, etc.

Before you start decluttering, set up 4 boxes and label each of them carefully. Each box will have a different destination — Garbage, Donation Box, Selling, Storage Facility. When you declutter, you will end up with a huge pile of items. Decide on where they should end up right away.

  • Garbage

Throw away most of the items that you do not need. For example, broken appliances do not have any utility in your life anymore and the chances of you repairing them are slim.

  • Donation Box

If you have any items that may still be used but you don’t want anymore or have grown out of, instead of throwing them away, you should donate them. Give your used clothes and old books a second life by donating them to a charity.

  • Selling

Items that are still usable and still has value may be sold. Go for a garage sale and get all of your neighbours involved. This is also a great way to earn some more cash which can help you buy new appliances and stuff. Did you know you could even sell your used printer toner cartridges, on sites such as Sell Toner?

  • Storage Facility

Have too much stuff and too little space? Try searching for storage facilities near you. You can store all the items that you cannot fit into your house into a storage facility instead. Many have chosen to downsize so that they can save up on rent. The items that cannot fit inside the house are then put inside storage facilities.

personal-storage

Here are some tips on how to declutter your house:

  • Start Small

When you start to declutter, the process can be quite overwhelming. As you go through each room, the items pile up more and more. This holds true most especially if this will be the first time that you will declutter. You will be cleaning up months, if not years, of clutter so you should expect that it will be a very painstaking task.

Starting small, like a bathroom or your closet, will ensure that you do not easily lose your motivation. This is often the case for people. They take on too much too early and then they lose their motivation. Keep yourself inspired and then work towards the bigger tasks when you are already in the groove.

  • Do Not Rush Your Work

Don’t rush your work. When you hasten, you tend to neglect certain spaces or do a half-assed job. Aside from this, make sure that you make decluttering a habit instead of a one-day job. Instead of spending an entire weekend cleaning out your entire house, delegate an hour or two a week instead.

  • Get Organized

After cleaning and organizing each area, decide immediately what you want to do with the items that you’ve deemed unnecessary for your daily life. Create 4 piles: For Self-Storage, to throw away, to donate and to sell. One mistake that often occurs from people deciding to declutter is that after they declutter one area, they just bring the items to another area. Make sure that the items you decide to throw out goes straight to the trash or you’ll just end up with a big pile of stuff that you can’t throw away.

  • Enjoy Decluttering

Decluttering is a back-breaking process. If you don’t enjoy the process, you will just get more frustrated and more likely lose your motivation to continue. Look at the bright side and think of the positive things of decluttering. For example, you will be able to enjoy a more spacious place.

About Kate Steven

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