Decluttering Tips for a Happier Home
Home spaces that look well organized and tidy are surely something the majority of us aspire to achieve. And I think a lot of us do a fairly good job at it. (Maybe not?) Here’s the thing, we live in a largely materialistic world and there are way too many things that could pile up at home. Plastic bags, receipts, books, utility bills, etc are way too often found lying around the coffee table, kitchen space, or even in your bedroom.
If you’re already a master of minimalism and decluttering, I assume you know what you’re doing, if not please continue to read on to find some benefits of decluttering and how you can get started.
Why should you Declutter?
Decluttering has many benefits, but it can be a bit scary to think about the idea of letting go of a lot of material possessions you’ve gathered over the years even if you use it or not. That’s why it is so important that decluttering should be done bit by bit mindfully. Once you start and the benefits start kicking in, you’ll see things from a fresh perspective. So what are some of the benefits of decluttering?
- Less to clean and organize: Every time you clean your bedroom or any room in your house, haven’t you noticed how many things need to be dusted, wiped, or sometimes even washed? If you had fewer possessions, you’d surely spend a lot less time cleaning and organizing things.
- Save money: Now decluttering itself might not save you money directly. But, the whole idea of decluttering and minimalism is a way of life. Once you start making changes like these to your life, in time you will notice that you buy fewer things too and are much more mindful of how you spend your money.
- Reduces stress: I for sure am a person who stresses about cluttered spaces in my home. If you’re anything like me, I am sure you’d feel the same way too. Imagine if you only had what you needed. It’ll be a lot easier for you to keep your home clean and organized. This is something that can greatly enhance the way you feel and experience life in its most mundane moments.
- Time to work on your life goals: With less time spent on cleaning and organizing your home, less worry about money, and less stress, you will have so much more time and energy to work on the things that truly matter to you in life. How awesome is that?
Now that you know some very good reasons why you should declutter regularly and maintain a sense of calm even in the spaces you live, let’s explore how you can get started on decluttering and minimalism.
- Start small: Getting rid of things you own maybe a bit hard especially if you have developed some sort of emotional attachment to it. However, you have to start somewhere right? So go easy on yourself and start with maybe 5 minutes of decluttering a couple of times a week. Focus on picking things that you know you are not going to use like expired receipts and bills, medicines, and maybe even some strange items you have acquired throughout the years but never use?
- Donate clothes you no longer wear: Now this is a big one, I think most of us own more clothes than we ever needed. At any given point in my life, I’ve had excess clothes that I wore once or sometimes not even once. Take some time to pick out these from your wardrobe and pack it so that you can donate to the needy or a foundation that donates clothes to people who need them. Trust me you’ll feel great knowing not only did you simplified your life but you helped someone in need.
- Choose a special spot for all incoming papers: Papers are one of the most cluttering items at every home. It just finds its way into our homes in the form of bills, receipts, books, warranties, manuals, etc. and we keep it everywhere from the kitchen top to the coffee table and even in the cabinets. Make a box tray and start putting all these papers into the box. At the end of every month or even a little longer you can spend a few minutes to sort this out and throw out what you don’t need. This process will simplify and organize your clutter at home or even at work.
- Create a decluttering schedule: The thing about decluttering is that even if you do, chances are your house still has a lot more stuff in it than you need. This is because we are all victims of materialism and we need to buy stuff. So, to keep a balance, you may need to do some decluttering once or even a few times per week depending on how much stuff you buy. It would be helpful if you can dedicate one or more days per week to do some decluttering.
- Love the decluttered space: It’s very important that you truly appreciate and understand why you declutter. Otherwise, chances are you will fall out of this habit too. After you’ve cleared out any space, take some time to look around and admire the clean and organized look of each particular space. This will remind you why you declutter and help you keep on track in your journey of decluttering and minimalism.
Remember, the most important step in any habit or lifestyle is getting started. So it doesn’t matter which of these tips seems most do-able for you, just pick one and get started. Think of this process similar to how you think about your spiritual practices and everything you do to keep you in your best shape both physically and mentally. Decluttering your home and workspaces is just another step closer to being your best self.
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