Whether you’re elbow-deep in Spring Cleaning or you’re clearing out for an upcoming move or open house, we all need to get rid of the clutter in our lives at some point.
Clearing out the excess not only makes your home look neater, but decluttering can change your emotional and mental state, too. Minimalism – a lifestyle dedicated to living with less and assigning our possessions a purpose – has become all the rage in recent years. More and more young people are getting rid of “stuff” in exchange for a simpler life.
Try Minimalism on for Size
Popular mainstream minimalists Josh Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus from the podcast “The Minimalists” make a living by eliminating clutter and embracing simplicity. Their tried and true methods for getting rid of “stuff” has transformed thousands of homes around the globe.
Many other podcasters, filmmakers, and authors make careers out of helping followers simplify their spaces. The Netflix docuseries “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” made waves across America last year, helping millions of people discover which of their possessions “spark joy.”
Even if you’re not looking to embrace minimalism, every home can benefit from some cleaning and organization. If you’re ready for a tidier home, follow these tips to declutter your space.
Quick and Easy Tips to Declutter Your Home
1. The 5-Minute Cleanout
Grab a trash bag for junk and a box for donations. Head into one room in your home. Set the timer for five minutes and start sorting. You might fill up an entire bag in those five minutes, or you might only decide to donate a few items. Either way, you’ve made progress. Breaking large tasks into smaller, actionable pieces will make decluttering feel doable.
2. Play the 30-Day Minimalism Game
The Minimalists Podcast gives listeners and readers a fantastic challenge to kickstart clutter control. During the 30-Day Minimalism Challenge, each person will throw away, sell, or donate unwanted items every day for 30 days. On day one, you’ll choose one item to go. On the second day of the month, two items, and so on. By the end of the month, you will have eliminated over 450 items from your life.
3. Remove the “Just in Case” Items
Look around your home. Do you have boxes full of items that you rarely or never use, but you’re holding on to them “just in case” the occasion arises? Odds are, that occasion will never come. Free up some space in your home and get rid of seldom-used gadgets.
4. Start Selling
Nothing motivates us like cold, hard cash. Online sales sites like Facebook Marketplace, eBay, Craigslist, and Letgo have revolutionized the way we buy and sell our unwanted items. Instead of spending all day in the hot sun, haggling with buyers at a yard sale, you can list your items online and have cash in hand the very same day. Once the money starts rolling in, you’ll find it’s easier to get rid of the clutter.
5. Take Photos, Toss Stuff
If you’re still holding on to your kid’s kindergarten report card long after they’ve graduated college, it’s time to let it go. With the advent of digital photography, it’s easy to take a photo of the items that hold significance, then get rid of the physical object. You’ll still be able to store the memories on your hard drive, but you’ll free up much-needed real estate inside your home.
6. Rotate Your Hangers
Is your closet stuffed to the max? Try turning every hanger in your closet in the reverse direction. When you wear an item, turn that hanger back to its original position. After six months (a good amount of time to test clothes for all seasons), you’ll be able to see which clothes you never use. Anything still hanging backward should be donated, sold, or thrown away.
7. Give Everything a Designated Space
Each item in your home should have a designated spot where it belongs. And every person in your home should know where each item goes (we know: wishful thinking). Get creative with baskets, bins, and drawer organizers to move clutter off of countertops, toys off the bedroom floor, and keys off the kitchen table. Need some help getting everything organized? Check out these fantastic organization hacks!
You’ll be amazed at how cleaning the clutter from your home creates a more relaxed and satisfying environment for your entire family. Do you have cleaning and organization tips you’d like to share with us? Post them in the comments below!
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