4 Tips to Make Home Decluttering Easier

Shared by Victoria Carter of TwoMoveYou Guaranteed Real Estate Systems, Written by Johnna Kaplan

Do you want to declutter your home but worry the process will be too difficult or tedious? Here are some tips to make decluttering any room in your house comfortable and quick. Commitment is the first step. You have to decide it's time to declutter. The second step is the oldest home organization trick in the book.

Split Big Jobs Into Smaller Tasks

Split your decluttering project into sections. If you’re taking on the whole house, plan to declutter each room separately. If you’re decluttering the closet, start with accessories, then move on to clothes. You can declutter in any order you like, remember that the smaller the steps, the easier it will be.

Be Methodical and Distract Yourself

Any time you begin decluttering a space, you should have a large garbage bag for trash as well as another bag or box donation/sale items. You can also have a third bag or box for items you’re unsure about. (I find this very useful for clothing especially. If something has been in the “maybe” bag for six months and I’ve forgotten about it completely, I know I don’t need to keep it.)

You should also have something going on to make what you’re doing seem less like drudgery and more like fun. Play music, turn the TV on and watch something cheesy, make lemonade and drink it while you declutter – whatever signals “leisure time” and not “punishment” to you.

Decide What to Get Rid Of

But don’t think about it as what to get rid of. Instead, ask yourself whether each item you’re considering deserves to be kept. Here are some questions to help you decide:

Do you need it? Or, does it make your life so much easier, better, or happier that it would be genuinely inconvenient to give it up? If yes, then it’s something you should keep.

Does it actively make your life difficult or annoying? If so, it shouldn’t have a place in your house.

Is it beneficial, meaningful, and beautiful? Then you should very likely keep it.

If it’s damaged beyond repair, then it should go. As it should if it’s falling apart, rotting, or no longer serves any purpose. As for items with less definite expiration dates, see these tips on how long to keep records and household items.

You will probably be left with a few items that you can’t decide about, and that’s fine. Decluttering doesn’t have to be all or nothing.

Figure out What to Do With It All

There are several ways to handle stuff you’ve decided to get rid of but not throw away. If it’s in good condition, it can be probably be donated. Almost every town has at least one donation center like Goodwill or the Salvation Army, or one of those metal collection bins at the edge of a parking lot. Many charitable organizations will also come to your home and pick up larger items. Big Brothers Big Sisters and Habitat for Humanity are two of these. Some smaller resale shops will also sometimes pick up donated items, so ask around locally. You can also look into selling nicer clothing, accessories, or furniture through consignment shops. 

https://www.thespruce.com/ways-to-make-decluttering-easier-2647976

 

Victoria Carter and Kirk Rickman
TwoMoveYou Guaranteed Real Estate Systems
647-697-7413