Decluttering is therapeutic, since cleaning up any space, makes us feel liberated and in control. Clutter, on the other hand, has exactly the opposite effects. Whether you are a pack rat or merely, a “just-in-case-I-need it” type, you would have realized that clutter saps energy, looks unappealing and wastes time. It is easy and essential to declutter and once you start to organize any space, you would find yourself feeling happier and more energized.
- Start Easy - Identify the space that needs the least amount of work. There is a scientific reason behind this, which is that when you start with something that yields quick results, you are motivated to carry on further. So, pick a place that would be rid of clutter in say, less than 15 minutes. It could be your dresser, the catch-all table in the foyer, or, probably, the top of the refrigerator.
- Sort and Organize - Remove all the articles from the spot. Sort them out. Make three piles or groups - Keep, Move, Trash or Sell or Giveaway. This fundamental organizing tip would help in keeping clutter out always.
- Create Storage Space -Take the articles in the Keep pile and put them back neatly. Take the articles in the Move pile and put them back in the rooms/places where they belong. The stuff in the third pile will go into a box. Move that box with you from room to room as you declutter, putting in everything that needs to be trashed/sold/given away.This will create storage space and allow more important things to be kept neatly and properly.
- To Keep or Not to Keep - In order to decide what to keep, ask yourself this, "Have I used it or worn it in the last 1-1.5 years?" If not, then it needs to go. If you haven’t needed it in the last 12-18 months, the odds are that you wouldn’t need it again. And even if there is the smallest chance that you may need it, you can always buy it. But right now, by getting rid of it, you are really doing yourself a favor.
- Organizing the Tough Spots - Now that you’ve dealt with the easy spots, take on the more intensely cluttered areas, like closets, cabinets and the like. Here, as well, take out everything. Move things that don’t belong there to their original places and then be brutal, while deciding what to keep.Use closet organizers for instant results. Shelves, baskets and trays are,also, great organizing tools. Make full use of them.
- Enjoy the Experience - Don't push yourself to try and declutter the whole house in one day. Listen to some nice music and get friends and family members to pitch in. Make it a fun activity with prizes for who declutters the fastest, who's the best at sorting stuff, the most organized and so on. In other words, to declutter is to destress, so make it fun and enjoy the experience.
Each time you declutter a place, sit back and enjoy it. Reward yourself before moving on to the next task. It could be something simple - a bubble bath, a cup of hot chocolate, a slice of gooey chocolate cake, a visit to the spa. The idea is to think of decluttering as a pleasurable and enjoyable experience and not something to be dreaded. So make sure that you have fun with it.
Related Articles : For more ideas on managing clutter and keeping a neat and clean home, do read How to Tidy Up the House in 30 minutes and How to Organize All Your Paperwork.
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