A home is meant to be a safe haven, a place to decompress from the outside world and feel comfortable. This isn’t always easy to do when clutter takes over. Research shows that a cluttered home can trigger the release of cortisol, a stress hormone. A cluttered space creates a cluttered mind. By parting ways with things we no longer need, we are giving ourselves more room to breathe.
Change can feel intimidating but the reward is worth it. I learned that letting go of “stuff” can be a liberating experience. At first, it wasn’t easy to part ways with certain belongings, but it gets easier once the outcome positively affects overall mental health! The biggest obstacle for me was clothing. I had too much packed into my closet and dresser and although I thought having options was a good thing, it only made choosing an outfit more tedious and stressful.
Cleansing your home by decluttering has many benefits. It will be easier to locate items, cleaning will become less time-consuming, you’ll have more space to enjoy with family and friends, and your mental health will improve. Calm the chaos in your mind and get rid of all those things that no longer serve a purpose.
Here are ten simple steps to a harmonious decluttering experience.
- Set realistic expectations- as they say, “Rome wasn’t built in a day”
Do what works for you. There are many suggested guidelines for how long you should commit to decluttering each day but everyone is different- this should be done at your own pace. Take it piece by piece instead of attempting to get through the entire place in one swing.
- Inspire yourself by browsing clean living spaces.
There are countless resources for home inspiration online. I joined some tidy home groups on Facebook and it really encouraged me to get cleanin’!
- Take before and after photos for motivation. After you’re done, you can look back at them, reflect, and be proud of yourself!
Seeing your progress is incredibly motivating. Taking before/after photos can help you push forward and continue the drive to get your desired result.
- Focus on one room at a time
Baby steps. Jumping from one area to another can cause disorganization and disrupt the process. Decide which room you’d like to start with and focus only on that one space until you are ready for the next!
- Organize your process by using large bins and boxes.
Get yourself organized by delegating bins and boxes to separate your belongings. I like to divide my items into the following bins:
- Keep
- Donate
- Sell
- Trash
Once the “trash” bin fills up, I take it out immediately. It becomes one less thing to worry about and with it gone, I won’t reconsider keeping something I don’t need.
- Have some valuable items/clothing you know will never see the light of day again? Choose an online selling platform and make some listings!
This one has multiple benefits- you clear up space and make some moolah in the process. You’d be surprised with how quickly you’ll forget about the item once it’s sold and you have extra cash because of it. Research shows that 80% of the time, people generally only wear 20% of the clothing they own. It’s also a great motivator to get rid of more. I promise once you start to get a steady cashflow, you’ll want to keep going. My advice for online seller newbies is to start small. Don’t overwhelm yourself by trying to post an entire closet full of clothing in a day. Be patient. It sometimes takes time for a new shop to get those first sales but it’s only up from there! I personally choose Mercari to sell preloved and thrifted items… but more on that later.
- Start by going through noticeable clutter first.
When deciding what area of a room you should handle first, take a look around. What clutter do you notice right away? Start by going through table top messes- This includes bookshelves, countertops, desks… anything that you walk into the room and notice right away. Not only will this open up the space a bit more, seeing less visible clutter will feel good and make you hungry to do more. Once a surface is completely clear, give it some love and wipe it down! Save the closets for last. Once the room is clutter free, you’ll have the space to take everything out of the closet.
- Consolidate!
You know that junk drawer you have? Or the storage closet that seems to always be overflowing with random items? Keep items together so you can later organize them and free up space
- Reevaluate wall space.
Are the walls looking a little crowded? Take this opportunity to embrace a new look and minimize clutter on your walls
- Keep the environment relaxed and fun (play music, take it slow) and be proud of your progress. If you find yourself starting to feel stressed during the process, take a break and come back to it later.
You will produce the best work when your mind is clear and positive. If you have children, get them involved. Make it a fun game and reward them after they make progress! Throw on a mindless tv show for background noise or put together a playlist that keeps you motivated. By keeping the atmosphere mellow and casual, there won’t be as much pressure and you are more likely to succeed.