Effective Strategies for Decluttering Your Living Space
It’s no secret that many of us have a bit of clutter lying around in our homes. While there’s nothing wrong with this, it can quickly get overwhelming if left unchecked. Plus, having a good clear out can feel incredibly rewarding.
But how do we do this effectively? Below, we’ll discuss some useful strategies for decluttering your living space without adding too much stress.
Effective Strategies for Decluttering Your Living Space
1. Write Lists
Start by writing lists of rooms and areas you know need decluttering. For example, you might just put “living room” or you could list specific drawers and cupboards. It can help to list spaces by memory initially, followed by a walk-through to find other areas.
Having lists gives you a useful reference point and can help you know where to start. Also, it’s a good way of tracking your progress, which can be a motivation boost when you lose all desire to do any more!
2. Take Pictures
Take a picture of the room or space you’re about to declutter. You’d be amazed at the difference in perspective it’ll offer. Once you’re done, take another picture so you can see how much impact decluttering can have.
It might help to do this with a small area, such as a kitchen counter or cupboard. Seeing the before and after will give you an idea of the difference decluttering makes, which may inspire you to take on bigger areas.
3. Try the 4 Box Organization Method
When you tackle a room, bring 4 boxes with you, labelled:
1. Keep
2. Throw
3. Donate
4. Relocate
These should be pretty self-explanatory. In theory, everything you own should fit into one of these categories. It might take you a while to decide, but don’t rush through the process. Making a conscious assessment of your belongings can really help you realise what decluttering means and what you actually need to own.
4. Understand the Value of Your Storage Space
An important part of decluttering is assessing your storage space. Generally speaking, a house with enough storage for your belongings shouldn’t look cluttered. Sure, there are exceptions to this rule, but it’s a useful mentality.
In other words, when you’re decluttering a space, use your storage wisely and consider getting rid of anything that doesn’t fit. Approaching the job with this slightly ruthless mentality is a great way to cut down on the amount of stuff you own.
5. Don’t Rush into the Job
It can be tempting to jump into a decluttering job and just throw everything away. However, it’s much more effective to take your time and work methodically. This can help prevent you from feeling overwhelmed and often means you make sounder decisions.
When you first start, do 30 minutes of decluttering and then take a break. Do this a few more times and then call it quits for the day. Sure, it’ll take longer to do, but you should find the results are much better and you’re able to get rid of more stuff.
6. Use the One Touch Rule
The one touch rule is vital if you find yourself getting distracted easily. As it suggests, once you pick something up, don’t put it down again until you’ve decided what to do with it.
You can decide what to do with the item, but make the call while it’s in your hand. This’ll help you learn how to make quicker and better decisions while not getting distracted from the task at hand.
7. Don’t Forget About the Kitchen and Bathroom
Decluttering might seem like a job you do in bedrooms and living rooms, but you can absolutely declutter a kitchen or bathroom. The job is slightly different, though.
To declutter a kitchen, you’ll want to throw away out-of-date food, do a stock take in your freezer, and so on. The logic is identical, however: you’re cutting down on the amount of stuff in the space.
In fact, you might find it easiest to start in your kitchen or bathroom. The job of disposing of stuff is more black and white when it comes to food or medicine, so it can help teach you decision-making to use in the other rooms.
Final Thoughts
Decluttering your home shouldn’t be a quick process. In fact, slow and steady decluttering will be more thoughtful and effective than a rush job. Try doing half an hour each day for a week and see the massive difference it makes. You can hire cleaning services London if you do not have the time yourself to declutter your home regularly.
