Simple Ways to Declutter your Home

Growing up, I lived in a house that was always kept spotless by my mom.  As I got older I didn’t understand why keeping the house immaculate came so easily to her when I struggled with it once I graduated college and moved out on my own!  I would get home from work and throw my purse on the kitchen table and hang my jacket over the desk chair.  I realized that one of my biggest issues when it came to keeping the house clean was that not everything had a place in my home.  This caused me to always clutter surfaces with items that don’t belong, and having a messy house made me less apt to keep things tidy.  I realized these habits were making me feel unhappy because I never felt comfortable with how my house looked.  My cluttered home was also cluttering my mind, and I avoided decluttering because it seemed like too big of a job to tackle!

Decluttering is important to me because I feel that my home is a direct reflection of who I am.  I don’t want to have an excess of stuff just to say I do, or to have storage bins stacked in my closet with things that I haven’t used in awhile but think I may need  in the future.  I realized once I started to organize my home and declutter, it wasn’t just an outward reflection of myself; the way my house looked affected me internally too.  I felt happier that everything had a place and my house was organized.  When I try to downsize an area of my home, I reiterate the following tips to help me stay motivated to meet my goal of a happy, decluttered home:

Assigning Sentimental Value to Objects

Assigning sentimental value to objects is one of the biggest issues people have when decluttering their home.  We often do this because a particular item reminds us of a place, a person or thing in our life that we want to remember.  

I have often assigned sentimental value to things like birthday cards and concert tickets.  Even though these items are small, they start to add up and create clutter.  I have learned that with items like these, I need to put the sentimental value aside and ask myself what I will get from keeping these items.  I sorted through all of my cards and only picked the ones that meant the most to me (usually silly ones from friends in high school or ones with special messages from my parents).  As for the concerts I’ve attended, a threw away the tickets and wristbands because I have great photos and videos from each of those concerts, which give me much better memories of those events!  Plus, videos and photos on my hard drive take up much less room than the tickets and wristbands that were cluttering up one of my dresser drawers!

Losing/Wasting Money

When you spend money on something and have yet to really use it, it almost feels like throwing money away.  This especially happens if it is an item with the tag still on it or if you have rarely used it.  But, let’s be honest!  If you haven’t used it in a while and don’t plan on using it soon, then LOSE IT!  This is especially the case if you don’t need to replace this particular item that you’re going to get rid of.  You’ve already spent the money so you’re not losing any more.

It Takes Time

If you have “Declutter the House” on your to-do list for the weekend you may be overwhelmed with that idea.  Remember that it didn’t take you a day to accumulate all of this stuff, and it won’t take you a day to get rid of it!  Start by tackling one room at a time; one day, check your pantry and fridge for items that are expired.  On another day, look through your dresser or desk drawers and follow the steps mentioned in this article!

Take Small Steps

As just mentioned, it can be an overwhelming thought to declutter your entire home.  Well, it honestly doesn’t have to be that way!  If you are decluttering to make yourself happier, then the process should also be enjoyable, and that means taking small steps.  You don’t have to get rid of half of your stuff to feel accomplished.  Even if you go through your closet and throw 5 items a day in a garbage bag to donate, or go through your bookcase and get rid of 10 books you no longer need…that’s a big accomplishment!  I also like putting a few shirts, magazines and canned food items in the front of my closet or counter.  I tell myself that if I cannot make an effort to use these particular items in the next week, I should consider donating them.  This is a big help because it gives me time to cope with the idea of getting rid of these items, or find that I do have a use for them!

It didn’t take you a day to accumulate all of this stuff and it won’t take you a day to get rid of it all!  On every item you donate, throw away, or even just find a permanent spot in your home (i.e. all of that stuff that has been permanently set on the top of your dresser!), it is one step in a positive direction!

Have a Place for Everything

Cramming your stuff into closets, cabinets and any other places in your house is not the solution to tidying up your home.  In order for your home to be organized, everything needs its own dedicated space.  I used to buy storage bins to stuff my sweatshirts in because I didn’t have enough room to hang it in my closet.  Getting this bin down from a high shelf in my closet and then sifting through it was too much work when I am trying to rush out of the house.  I just wanted to pick one off of the hanger like any organizer person would.  It made me realize…why do I have 15 sweatshirts when I wear the same 4 most of the time?  Why do I have over 100 shirts, which is causing me to not have enough room to hang my sweatshirts?  Let’s be honest, I wear the same 20 shirts!

Decluttering your home can be overwhelming, causing you to avoid starting.  Just know that the hardest part is starting and it will get easier as you go!  Not only does it feel great to donate items in good condition to people that would use them more than you, but the feeling of an organized house is amazing too.