How to Declutter Your Home
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When you declutter your home, you declutter your mind. Get decluttering tips, tricks and an easy-to-tackle free printable checklist to learn how to declutter, efficiently.
There’s just something about the new year that leaves us craving a fresh start. This is true in both the physical and metaphorical sense when it comes to our well-being.
Learn how to declutter your home, one step at a time!
It’s time to do a little decluttering – it feels like that always happens after the holidays, doesn’t it? There’s no time better than the present.
My motto is sometimes simplicity is simply the best. I love the way our clutter free home feels. I find myself becoming overwhelmed when clutter takes over. It’s one of the many reasons I’ve embraced a minimalist lifestyle.
I personally believe clutter is anything in excess or without a home. It happens to all of us, doesn’t it?
I, too, fall victim to clutter… I promise! However, I do my best to quickly declutter regularly. At this point, it’s almost without thinking about it from creating a habit with the below tips to declutter.
Yes, I may look like a madwoman every now and then sifting through a pile of papers and throwing them in various directions, but there’s method to my madness.
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Table of Contents
What is Clutter?
First, let’s define clutter…
“Clutter is a collection of things lying about in an untidy mass.”
For many people, clutter adds anxiety and stress to their lives. Something as simple as a clean island, clean desk, or an organized closet can create a sense of calm.
The first step to organization is decluttering. Eliminating excess is the easiest task, and quite possibly the most rewarding. Getting rid of clutter is so freeing.
When you declutter your home, you declutter your mind.
To get started, print the free Decluttering Checklist at the bottom of this post, and take it one step at a time! Room by room, you’ll make incredible progress with these tips and tricks.
How to Declutter
- Take it one step or area at a time. If you tend to feel overwhelmed, start small and work your way up! Some areas give you maximum impact for little effort, which will make you feel accomplished and hopefully, snowball into more decluttering! Scroll down for a list of things you can declutter in minutes.
- Whatever space you are working on, create trash/recycle/donate/relocate piles in that proximity to make decluttering quick and painless.
- Ask yourself, “do I need this?” (Note, this is also a great question while shopping). If the answer is no, place it in a trash/recycle/donate pile. If it hasn’t been used in the last 30 days or up to a year for seasonal items, the answer is almost always “no.” Is it an expired item? Again, the answer is simply “no.” If you find it difficult to part with items, ask yourself “is it worth the space it consumes?”
- Relocate anything that is out of season to a designated area of your home.
- Immediately place trash and recycling in the appropriate bins and donations in your vehicle. It gives you a sense of accomplishment while eliminating the risk that items will re-enter the home. This is particularly important if you’re going through toys!
- Designate a spot for incoming papers. Mail, receipts, school papers, etc…you can file them away later.
When You’re Decluttering, Ask Yourself:
- Have I used it in the past year?
- Will I really use it?
- Do I need it?
- How many do I have?
- Why do I own it?
- Do I feel obligated to keep it?
- Would I buy it now/keep if I moved?
- If it’s broken, why has it taken so long to fix? Either fix or eliminate.
- Does it make me happy?
Tips
Here’s a quick system for decluttering that has become one of my favorites!
- Eliminate anything in your closet you can part with, that is the wrong size or out of style.
- Then, use my favorite tip (that I read in Oprah Magazine ages ago). Hang your clothes with the hangers in reverse.
- When you wear an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. After a month or two, you’ll see which pieces you should eliminate from lack of wear.
Things You Can Declutter in Five Minutes
- a counter
- a shelf
- paper catch all {quickly thumb through to see what is trash, recycling or a priority – you may be amazed at quickly the paper clutter disappears}
- medicine cabinet {remove any expired medications or items that don’t belong, combine duplicates}
- an end table
- the refrigerator {discard anything that is expired, looks less than desirable or hasn’t been used recently}
- magazine basket
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fastest way to clean and declutter?
Print the free printable decluttering checklist included in this post to get started. I always suggest starting small. Pick an area you can tackle quickly, and the progress will help you keep going!
Can a messy house cause anxiety?
Absolutely. A messy house has been proven to be a contributing factor to both anxiety and depression.
However, there is so much hope! Take it one step at a time, and call in a professional organizer if you can.
Download your Decluttering Checklist here (preview below).
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Are you in the decluttering mode? What’s your favorite decluttering tip?
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Jean from Georgia says
I have been waiting for your message today. My painter is finishing with my living and dining rooms today and as I replace items in those rooms I want to be careful in what I keep and what I need to trash. Cannot wait to get to work and hope your email helps today.
Julie Blanner says
Hi Jean! I don’t see an email or previous comment from you?
Ellen from Ask Away Blog says
These are really great tips. I conquer paper clutter by dealing with everything as it comes in!
Talia says
Me too!
Anonymous says
Me too, as well……
Janet Sodders says
Great tIp – thanks.
Kari says
I would love more tips with schoolwork and forms.Tips on coats/seasonal items with storage. I have 4 children and it is hard determine what should stay and go.
Julie says
Hi Kari! I’ll add this to my to do list. Schoolwork/forms can be so overwhelming!
As for coats and seasonal items, I have a cedar closet in the basement that I hang out of season jackets/coats and use bins for out of season shoes that go on a storage shelf. Each kid has 3 pair of shoes a season – one pair of tennis shoes and depending on weather dress sandals and flip flops or casual shoes and dress shoes + rain boots. Their rain boots are lined up in the mudroom and the remaining shoes go into 2 baskets under the mudroom bench so that they can put them on as they leave and take them off as they enter our home rather than running around to find a solo shoe. I hope that helps!
Kate @Centsational Style says
I forget where I read this, but one of my favorite tips is if you’re not using something and you can replace it for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes then it’s not worth holding on to so get rid of it!
🙂
Kate
Julie says
Ooooooh, that’s SO good! Thanks for sharing, Kate!