After being locked in dang near all year (9 months to be exact), racking up on extra supplies and just being normal people trying to maintain our lives, many of us have consumed a lot of “stuff” this year. 2020 has definitely been one for the books…2021…. (I’m NOT going to jinks it, lol!) What’s a better way to jump start the year other than in a freshly cleaned space? You know the saying about a clean slate/plate (or whatever they say, lol) right?
What is Decluttering? To Declutter is to remove clutter (collection of things lying about in an untidy mass) from a room, area, etc.
It’s many reasons you’d declutter- maybe you could get more done if your house were more organized… maybe you need space for a new project or a family member, or maybe you’re sure that an important document is somewhere in your office, but you just can’t seem to find it. The benefits of decluttering are greater than that…did you know that getting your stuff organized can do good for your body, your mind, and the world at large?This might just be the extra boost you’ve been looking for.
More benefits of decluttering….
- Physical and mental wellbeing (decrease anxiety levels)
- Purifies the air around you
- Improves aesthetics
- Productivity will improve/ sharpens your mind
- Helps other
- Stimulates creativity
- Save money (cut down on essentials)
- Make money
- Have more space
In December…...
- Prepare for the new year
How?
You might start to feel overwhelmed when you need to declutter your home quickly, However, don’t be! You can make lots of progress, whether you have only a few hours or a weekend. The best strategy is to work quickly and methodically on one small area at a time. The decluttering method I’ll cover below is intended to help you get clutter out of your home QUICKLY. As a result, it’s a great way to prepare your home for:
· Holiday gatherings
· Parties
· Out-of-town guests
· Club or committee meetings
· Or, when you just want to see results fast
1) Game plan- Get mentally prepared. Where will you start and finish? Set a time frame for each section? Who will do what? Identify the high-impact areas to declutter.
2) Gather supplies
· Cleaning Supplies
· Trash bags
· Get 5 boxes/totes/bins, etc. and label each one as followed:
o Trash ------- Remove trash first
o Put away ------- Set aside items you’re keeping but need to put away
o Recycle ------- Box up items you haven’t decided whether you want to keep
o Fix/mend ------- Put away the items you’re keeping but need to put away
o Donate ------- Remove items you no longer want; box them up to donate or give to friends/family
3) Get started!
***Complete each task/area before moving to the next***
To truly declutter and organize your space, you need to know what’s in there. And that means taking everything OUT! A good deal of your clutter will probably be items that you want to keep but are not where they belong. Once you have a fresh slate, it will be easier to determine what you want to keep and how you want to organize it.
Take a few minutes to give it a thorough cleaning. Dust, wipe down shelves, vacuum or sweep the flooring, etc. If you are doing a large space or have a particularly cluttered area that you are working on, break your space into more manageable sections so you will be able to get through it all in your dedicated amount of time. Start with the space that bothers you the most, tackling your biggest problem first will make you feel more motivated to continue.
Evaluate every item and ask yourself if you use it, need it, and/or love it. If you came across the item in a store, would you still buy it today? Does it add value to your life? If the answer is “no”, it’s time to let it go. To do a thorough job of decluttering, you really need to be honest with yourself and learn to let things go. Always have a garbage bag on hand as well as a bin or box for items that you want to sell and/or donate. As hard as the decluttering process can be, think of all the perks that will go with it – creating a more peaceful and appealing environment, saving yourself time with cleaning, and looking for things, and surrounding yourself with items that you love. Sometimes you have to tell yourself mantras, turn on some music or have a cleaning partner(s), WHATEVER to get the job done!
Now that you’ve decided what items you’re getting rid, it’s time to organize those that you do want to keep. You might even be able to find a few more items that you can declutter in this phase, so question whether your truly love/need any items you’re keeping. Put away the items you’re keeping and set aside items you’re unsure about. Getting rid of items, you’re on the fence about or that you’re emotionally attached to can be difficult. Box anything you’re unsure about and schedule a time to decide on them later. This is about decluttering your home quickly, and those difficult decisions will only slow you down.
If an item’s home is within a few steps of the small area you’re working on, go ahead and put it away. Otherwise, group the items in a box, and put them all away at the end. Putting lots of things away at once might cause you to lose steam. The next step in how to declutter your home fast is to remove items that aren’t trash, but that you no longer use, need or love. Place these items in boxes to be donated to charity, given to loved ones, placed in a garage sale, etc.
Last, it’s time to put away the items you’re keeping – the ones you grouped into a box above. If items don’t have a home yet, you should do your best to make them a temporary, tidy home. Don’t bring any new items into your home until the decluttering process is complete.
Below I even attached a couple of tips to get you started on some areas that could be in your home. AAAAAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNNDDDDDDDDD, as a Christmas present… at the end of this blog, you’ll get an ultimate list of (262) things to declutter before 2021!
Tips on different areas
BATHROOM
· Shampoos and conditioners.
· Old or unused Makeup
· Old razors, toothbrushes, etc.
· Hair products you used to use when your style was different
· Small product samples
BEDROOM
· bedroom TV
· The stuff under your bed
· Anything on your bedside table that doesn’t need to be there
· Books on your nightstand that you aren’t currently reading.
· Bedroom decor you no longer love
WARDROBE
· Clothes that itch, and that feel awful when you wear
· Spare buttons from clothes that you are keeping “just in case”
· Clothes you are keeping “just in case”
· Rusted/tangled jewelry beyond repair
· Broken watches that can’t be fixed
CLOSET
· Towels, face washers and hand towels
· Beddings
· Spare curtains
· Excess coat hangers
· Old bedding in the bottom of your linen cupboard that you never use
MUDROOM/ LAUNDRY ROOMS
· That random stuff that you find in pockets
· Cleaning supplies you no longer need
· Too many cleaning rags
· Ironing waiting to be done
· Excess laundry baskets/hampers
KITCHEN/PANTRY
· Duplicate cutlery
· Single purpose appliances
· Tupperware with missing lids
· Everything but the essentials off the kitchen work surfaces
· Food that you do not plan on eating due to change of diet etc.
LIVING ROOM
· Excess decor cluttering up your living spaces.
· Anything under your sofa cushions!
· Broken or chipped vases
· Excessive photo frames. Keep a few on display but don’t go overboard.
· Artwork or photos you no longer love.
GARAGE/ STORAGE UNIT
· Old paint cans you no longer need.
· Rolls of wallpaper that you haven’t got a room decorated in any longer!
· Chemicals you no longer need.
· Car oil/parts for cars you no longer have.
· Tiles / flooring spares that you’ve kept, but that you don’t have in your home anymore.
ENERGY
· People in your life that make you unhappy to be around
· Your outgoings – look at your bank statement and declutter any payments that you shouldn’t be making anymore
· Anything that you cannot truly fit into your available time / schedule – start to say no or delegate more
· Items on your TO DO list that have a deadline – these should be decluttered from your TO DO list and added to your diary for the right date.
· Anything on your TO DO list that you do as a habit already – you may feel better crossing it off, but it shouldn’t be there in the first place!
If all else fails, reach out to a professional organizer for guidance. Having an expert coach, you through the decluttering and organizing process can make a world of difference.
To make things better, here at LIM…...we offer services to help you get rid of the items you want to dispose or want to donate. If you DON’T want to get rid of them, when you figure out what items you’d like to store, schedule a MakeSpace pickup. We’ll pick up your stuff, store it in our secure and temperature-controlled storage facility, and create an online photo catalog so you always remember what you have in storage.
The best part?
When you need something back, you can simply click the item’s photo and we’ll deliver it to you.
Comments