Do you want to declutter your home but don't know where to start? Check out these 3 Tips to Make Decluttering Your Home Easier.
No matter if you are a minimalist or a maximalist, at some point you are going to need to declutter your home. Stuff just piles up. And it gets so overwhelming when all you can see is stuff everywhere and you don't know where to start cleaning that mess up!
Tips for Decluttering Your Home
Well, that's what I'm here to help you with today. I have 3 tips to help you declutter your spaces and get rid of the things. So you can get more things. hehe. Or you can just be happy having a decluttered home. Whatever works!
Tip #1 Start with one area.
You know that one corner of your garage that's the catch all for all the junk you don't know what to do with? Or do you have a spot in your home that is just out of control? Start with that spot and ignore all the other places. For real. This is the secret to decluttering success! If you can zoom in your focus on one spot, you'll take care of it and it will give you momentum to keep going.
Tip #2 Separate stuff into 3 piles.
Pick up each item that is a part of your cluttered spot. Hold it and make a quick decision to put it into 1 of 3 categories:
- Keep
- Toss
- Donate
Use baskets, boxes or even trash bags, labeled with the categories to separate your items. You can always go back through each category.
We all get emotionally attached to our stuff, which you can read more about here. But that attachment is what has caused the clutter. So be ruthless in your desire to declutter!
3 pile rules:
- Keep items have to have a place to go. You don't need to hang on to something "just because you might need it someday." If you haven't needed it, you probably won't. If you have items that are keepsakes, designate a tote for all of those items to go. Only designate 1 tote because it will limit the amount of items you can keep and store. Or for even less need for physical storage, take a photo of the item and donate it.
- Toss anything that is broken or that cannot be reused. But if you wouldn't buy it in it's current condition at the thrift store, and it cannot be easily repaired, then the item needs to be thrown away. Be ruthless in your quest to clean up and get rid of things. If you get stuck on this step, just visualize how nice it will be to have a decluttered spot. Again, be ruthless!
- Donate anything that can be reused. Linens, clothing, housewares in good repair, decorative items, even if they are outdated, toys, shoes. Avoid donating underclothing, socks, heavily stained and broken items (that are not easily repaired) and anything else that your donation center does not take. You can usually find this list on their website.
Tip #3 Immediately deal with Toss pile and Donate Pile
As soon as you have a good sized pile, load your car with all of your donations. I like to put mine in the seat instead of the trunk so it encourages me to stop by the donation center and not drive around for a month with items in my trunk. Another benefit to donating items is that they are tax deductible. So you are getting rid of stuff and getting a tax break too. The process for tax deductions is also located on the website of the donation center.
My local donation center is Goodwill. It has a drive thru with self service donation bins. I love being able to drive up, unload my stuff and drive away. They make it super easy!
Use these 3 Tips to Help You Declutter Your Home and enjoy living with less stuff and less mess!
