5 Tips to Clear the Clutter

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The four walls of your home are filled with daily activity and love, you are a passionate individual with goals trying to balance your career and a family. Your house may not look like a page from Better Home & Gardens magazine, but it should be a place you look forward to coming home to.  Having less stuff means less time cleaning and more time doing the stuff you love.


Here are 5 tips to help you clear the clutter and creating a happier home.

(1) Just Start!: The hardest thing when it comes to clutter is not knowing where to start.

Begin in one room, if you are doing this alone, start in a room that does not cause you so much anxiety. This will help you build confidence and momentum. Set your timer for 10 minutes to help you focus and push through. Grab two different color bags (Black for “donate” and white for “trash”), and begin filling the bags with items you know do not belong in your home. At the end of the timer, reset it for another 10 minutes, if you’d like. You’ll be surprised what you can accomplish in focused increments.

(2) Section it off: Work on one section at a time, working around the room touching each item and asking yourself questions such as:

-Do I still love this?
-Will this item help me in the current season I am in?
-Do I need this?
-Is this broken? Do I have the energy and true intention to fix it?

If the answer is NO, bless someone by donating it to a charity of your choice.

(3) A home for everything: To avoid losing items and stop buying duplicates create proper homes for your items.

Sort like with like and designate where those items should live when not in use. Once you have created homes for things it is easier to take those items back to their home at the end of the day.

(4) Create an exit strategy: Just as items come into your home, there must be a system and a plan to get the items out, so that these items don’t hang out in your hallways, cause you anxiety or take up precious space in your rooms. Designate separate boxes for items such as e-waste, HHW, donation items, and items to sell. Be sure do designate where these boxes should “live” as well, and how often they will be emptied and acted upon.

(5) Get help: There is nothing more powerful than having an extra set of hands, a sounding board, and someone to encourage you through it.

Swap days with a friend and help each other out or hire a professional organizer to get you back on track. Do you need help de-cluttering? schedule a FREE consultation with Elva to get the hands-on support you need. 

Did these tips resonate with you? What activity would you like to do with your loved ones that clutter keeps you from doing?

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3 Comments

  1. My mom would really benefit from a service like this as she plans on moving soon. I think having an extra set of hands like you mentioned would be really good for her. We will start looking into organizing services to make her life a whole lot easier.

    • Alexandria,

      Moving is a stressful time for many. But it can also bring about feeling of a fresh start. Taking a few days to de-clutter before the move can help you assess what you own and what items you want to take to the new home.

      I am glad you found this post helpful. You can also go to napo.net to find an organizer in your area.

      Good luck!

      Hugs,
      Elva

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