Decluttering has been a hot topic for anyone into home organization these days. Let’s face it, people can wind up owning a lot of stuff these days, and you might occasionally consider getting rid of it all. But that can be an awfully daunting task sometimes, and you might not be too sure where to start. If you need some motivation or inspiration for your first attempt at decluttering, we’ve got our five big principles to get your decluttering projects off to a good start!
- Stop the Flow of New Stuff: Even if you’re already on your way to decluttering, it isn’t going to do much good if you just replace your missing stuff with...new stuff. Make the promise to yourself to buy less stuff - you don’t have to stop buying everything, just slow it to the point where it isn’t replacing everything you’ve gotten rid of. You’ll find the rest of it getting much easier as you go.
- Start With the Easy Stuff: Don’t make it hard on yourself - some things are going to be harder to part with than others, so why demotivate yourself by getting rid of the hard stuff? Prepare yourself for the bigger projects by letting go of your less-treasured or easier to dispose of items first, and then move on to the rest.
- Get a Plan In Place: After you’ve gotten everything together that you want to get rid of, the next step is to figure out how to get rid of it. Keep your items-to-go together in plastic bins or on a specially designated wire shelf to keep them separate from other things in your home, and then figure out where they’re going to go: eBay, Craigslist, a local thrift store, wherever. Just make sure to figure out what you’re going to do with it all - otherwise, what’s the point?
- Look Everywhere: After you’ve gotten into the swing of things, don’t be afraid to branch out into other areas of your home to try and find new candidates for decluttering. Look in your linen closets, your kitchen pantries, and your bathrooms to find things like pans you don’t need, towels you’ll never use, and old clothes you aren’t going to wear anymore - these are all prime candidates for donation and decluttering!
- And Remember - Don’t Be Afraid To Let Go: There’s a number of urges that can prevent you from getting rid of certain items in your home, and while we’re not telling you to throw out everything you own, it’s important to try and make those distinctions. Many items can be useful without needing to be kept, and many items without too much sentimental attachment can be gotten rid of pretty safely. Don’t let the need to hang onto items in case you might need them one day weigh you down, and try to just focus on the essentials.