5 Ways to Successfully Declutter Your Home

Get closer to a comfortable stress-free home.

The US Department of Energy has confirmed that 25% of Americans do not have space to park their cars because of cluttered garages. One in four Americans has a problem with clutter. With the busy lifestyles that we lead it’s no surprise that we have clutter.

In Europe, the UK is the worst when it comes to clutter. In the UK clutter stops half of the British people from inviting visitors into their homes.

In Chinese Feng Shui they believe that clutter creates low draining energy. They also believe that clutter can block positive energy.

The feeling of having a well-organized clutter-free home is definitely a good feeling. So what can you do to declutter your space?

1. Take It Step By Step

Rome wasn’t built in a day so don’t expect instant results. One of the best ways to declutter is to do a small amount every day.

By doing too much too quickly it can become overwhelming. If you become overwhelmed it may stop you from having the motivation to declutter in the future. If there is clutter in more than one room you may find it easier to do one room at a time.

By doing different sections at a time you will get a sense of achievement with each area that is completed. Once you have done each section stand and admire it, and acknowledge what you have achieved.

2. Donate or sell unwanted items

Clutter is usually the result of years of items building up. You may no longer want many of the items that have built up. Rather than throwing items away donating unwanted items is a good idea. You may also want to make some money off unwanted items by selling them.

There are also some companies out there that will take your unwanted items and give you a store credit or cash in return. This is a great way to get cash for items without having to wait for them to sell.

Getting rid of unwanted items is one of the most important factors in successfully decluttering.

3. Do the 12 12 12 challenge

The 12 12 12 challenge involves firstly locating twelve items that you no longer want and throwing these away. These can be small or large items. The second part of the challenge involves finding twelve good items that can be donated. Any unwanted item can be donated for example clothes, furniture of games consoles to name a few.

The final part of this challenge involves returning 12 items to their proper home. This involves putting the item where it belongs in your home. By doing this the item is where it should be and will no longer be considered as clutter.

By doing this challenge 36 items will be organized from your clutter.

4. Take Pictures

It is a great idea to take before and after pictures each time some clutter is cleared.

By taking before and after pictures you can see what you have achieved. Photos can also be used as a motivational tool when you feel unmotivated. By looking over the photos you will get a sense of achievement from the past work that you have done, which will help you to carry on.

Clutter photos can also keep you motivated to keep the space clear of clutter in the future.

5. Get Help

If you have the option of getting help from friends and family then you should. This will speed things up and take some of the pressure of you.

Offering friends and family an incentive to help you will make them feel valued. It could be ordering pizza for everyone once the decluttering has finished or bought them a round of drinks.

By getting the help you will see the results much quicker.

Final Thoughts

By taking the time to declutter you will feel much happier. Self-help guru Gretchen Rubin has backed up the theory that decluttering brings more happiness. She has described decluttering as:

“Wiping the Slate clean for future possibilities.”-Gretchen Rubin

Clutter can affect your way of life. It can make you feel too embarrassed to have guests over. People with clutter often make excuses to avoid having visitors. Clutter also triggers stress. Maybe you have been looking for something that you need to find, but there is so much clutter that you can’t locate it. You may also find that you do not feel relaxed in your own home.

Use the tips in this article to start decluttering today. Imagine how you will feel once you have a more organised and comfortable home.

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