5 Steps for Decluttering Your Home

Spring is here! What better way for a fresh start than getting rid of a little clutter.

Studies show that a cluttered home leads to anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction. Decluttering your living space doesn’t have to be difficult. Take time to plan how you’re going to get organized and stay that way. By becoming aware of your habits, building good habits, and implementing certain products and procedures, you can make it super easy to not only declutter your home but make most of it automatic.

Step 1: Analyze Your Mess: Look at the areas that you want to declutter. What items are lying around causing the clutter? Notice them and remember to ask yourself why they keep ending up there. 

Maybe you bring in all your mail after work but never get to it because you leave it all over the kitchen table. I’m guilty of this. 😉 Train yourself to move it somewhere where you know you’ll eventually read it. Toss anything irrelevant or unimportant. I never knew how many catalogs my mom subscribed to until I had to start going through her mail every day. Strive to handle your mail only once unless it’s important and you need to take more than one or two steps to resolve. 

Maybe you have a lot of extra clothes lying around. When you do your laundry each week, look at the clothes you wear the most then get rid of those you barely reach for, or haven’t reached for in an entire year. Eliminate things you don’t use now to make space for what you use. OR at the very least, make a rule to get rid of three items of clothing before buying anything new. 😊 (Hmm…maybe I can use this advice to help my sister clean out her spice cabinets in the kitchen. 😊

Step 2: Know What’s Most Essential: Chances are, there are certain items you use daily. Needing to take them out and put them back after each use can lead to two outcomes: you might end up using them less frequently, or if you do use them, you might not store them correctly afterwards. It’s important to identify what you truly need and have a practical approach towards managing these items.

Position your essential items within easy reach and place less critical items further back. This organization strategy ensures easy access, preventing the need to move or toss aside other items when retrieving what you use every day.

Step 3: Create More Storage Space: Buy bins or containers to organize your stuff. Small baskets, like wicker baskets, are great for keeping bathroom items, newspapers, magazines, or keys organized, so everything is easy to find and use.

For example, shoes, coats, and outside gear are often clutter-points in the home. This can be easily solved by purchasing a shoe rack, coat rack, and whether you have it or not, creating an entryway into your home that has a space for these things is going to make a huge difference in the clutter. Take time to notice how you use items in your home so you can create the right storage solution that works for your needs.

Step 4: Create Designated Spots or Zones: Keep items in spots that make sense and group similar items together. For example, if you love coffee, create a small coffee bar that includes all the essentials to make coffee such as coffee grounds, specialty pots, ingredients, filters, mugs, and so forth.  

Going back to #3 – notice how you use space in your home. Do you like to knit in a certain spot in the house? Keep your knitting gear nearby. Setting up these zones throughout your home for yourself and your kids is going to keep the cutter organized and make you all more likely to do your activities too.

Step 5: Clean as You Go: A great way to avoid the need to declutter your home is to clean as you go. I tell my sister the same thing when she’s cooking. Then she wouldn’t have to clean up so much later. This works best if you have invested in the right storage solutions and set up the proper zones of action in advance. 

Before you leave the room or stop an activity, quickly put away items. While you’re doing this, you’ll also notice a pattern of areas that could use some better organization. Don’t skimp on the organization tools and storage solutions, and don’t be afraid to nix an idea if it doesn’t work. It’s okay to try something different or better. 

Takeaway
The trick to a decluttered home is being aware of your habits around the house. As you pay attention, you will learn exactly why your home becomes cluttered. Implement these five simple steps to tidy up your home and keep it that way. Enjoy more stress free days and life overall. 

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