Everyone has items in their home that seem to just take up space. When new items are brought in, the old items have to be shuffled around to make space. Before long, it can feel like the entire home is filled with clutter, leaving little room to just enjoy the home.
This guide can help individuals identify and clear away the clutter from their homes. It will also provide tips and tricks to getting it all out and providing a more comfortable home free of clutter. There are also some tips available to help organize things and prevent the clutter from building up again.
Is the Clutter a Problem?
Everyone has clutter in their home. Whether it be closets full of junk that is never used or cabinets full of enough dishes to serve a family of 40, junk is a pretty common problem. Much of this junk can be cleared away simply with a dumpster rental and a little hard work and organizing your kitchen cabinets.
Sometimes, however, clutter can be a serious problem. When the clutter builds up so bad that the home is a danger, there may be more to the problem than learning some organizational skills. Hoarding is a disorder where an individual has persistent difficulty getting rid of items.
This disorder can lead to excessive clutter that can disrupt their ability to use their living spaces or even create a dangerous environment that can risk their health and safety. In situations where hoarding is suspected, assistance from a mental health provider may be needed to address the underlying issue associated with this disorder.
The Benefits of Decluttering a Home
There are many benefits to having a decluttered home. One of the biggest benefits is it helps to free up space. The extra space allows for easier organization of the items in the home. If the home is properly organized, housework takes a lot less time.
A decluttered home can even make those in the home more productive. It can cut down on the time it takes to find things needed for work. It also makes it easier to just enjoy the free time at home. This lack of clutter can also cut down on stress.
Keeping a home neat, tidy, and well-organized can also have benefits for the children in the home. Children will get used to and enjoy the comfort of a clean and organized home. They will even learn how to keep their own homes well-organized when they get older. These healthy habits can stay with them throughout their lives.
Setting a Timeline
The first step to decluttering a home is to set a timeline with goals. This is important to ensure that the works gets done without overwhelming anyone and making it easier to keep on track. It is also important to be reasonable with the timeline. Do not create unattainable expectations.
The best way to create this timeline is to make a list of each room or space in the home. If it is a particularly cluttered area, plan to take more time working there. Then, set specific days and times to have this area completed.
Set cleaning days when time is actually available to complete the project. The entire house does not need to be completed in one day or weekend. If an area takes longer than expected, then readjust the timeline to help maintain focus on completion.
Develop a Sorting System
The next step is to create a sorting system. Any method can be used that will help sort out all the items in the home. However, for the purposes of this guide, the three-box method is a common method to help quickly clear the junk away.
The three box method includes using three boxes that are clearly labeled with their purpose. One box should be labeled “Keep”, one should be the “Get Rid Of”, and another “Storage”. As each room, closet, or space is cleared, every item should easily fit in one of these boxes. This will help to streamline the decluttering process.
Tips to Help Let Go of the Clutter
A big problem many people face is letting go of the things they really do not need. There is no reason to keep items that have been stuck in the back of the closet for years with no plans to ever really use them again.
When it comes to items that are difficult to part with, there are often a few reasons why. Sometimes, the reason is that the person thinks they may use it in the future. The truth is, if it has been sitting there and it has not been used in more than a year, it will probably not be used again.
A lot of times, people worry about the money they put into the item or items. Well, the reality is that the money was already wasted on the item and it wasn’t used. It is now just costing space in the home. It is really time to let it go.
Sometimes, people throw a lot of things away immediately and then regret it the next day. The best method is to create the box to go out and then sleep on it before actually disposing of the items. This allows individuals to get a fresh perspective on the items. By morning, if the items are not truly needed or truly loved, then they should go.
The Purge
Once the sorting is complete, the next step is to purge the home of these items. Many of these items will just simply be thrown away. For large amounts of junk or bulky items, renting a dumpster may be a good idea to allow easier removal of it all.
Not everything needs to go in the garbage. If items can be recycled, recycle them. This can help reduce the junk in the landfill. If the items are still useful to someone else, consider freecycling or donating these items to give someone else the opportunity to enjoy the items.
If the items may have some value left to them, a garage sale may be a good idea. This can help individuals earn a little cash as a reward for all their hard work. It can also be a great way to watch those items get taken in by a new person or family. This can help ease any difficulties or stress of losing those items.
Tips for the Bedroom
Bedrooms are often the dumping grounds for much of the junk of a home. It’s easy to hide it away in the bedroom. In a little time, a bedroom can become a claustrophobic nightmare. Fortunately, there are methods for cleaning this up and preventing future dumping.
First, clear off all the flat surfaces in the room. Then, determine what really belongs there and place it where it needs to be to make life easier. Sort the remaining items into the boxes. Then, empty out each drawer and sort through all the junk and clothes. If they shouldn’t be there or they are clothing items not worn, get rid of them.
For various other items in the room that need to stay there, create a storage bin system. Designate specific bins for these items and continue to put those items in those bins, even after the decluttering is done.
Tips for Closets
Closets in the home can really become a problem. They are easy to dump things out of the way. The first step to clearing a closet is to start at the bottom. Pull all the items that are collecting on the floor out. Sort them into what is really needed and what is not. This will make it easier when the other areas are sorted.
Next, get rid of the clothes and shoes that are not worn. There is really no need for forty pairs of shoes and 12 winter coats. Finally, clear away the junk on the shelves of the closet. Sort them into the appropriate boxes. When the closet is empty, start putting the “Keep” items back in an orderly fashion. Incorporating storage bins could also be beneficial in the closet.
Tips for the Kitchen
Many people have kitchens that are packed full of various dishes and appliances that will never be used. Unfortunately, many of these items are nice or expensive. This can make it hard to remove the clutter. In the kitchen, it is really important to stay realistic in the sorting.
Five years ago, the kitchen gadget may have been the best thing on the market. However, if it wasn’t used more than once or twice, there really is no need for it, no matter how much it cost. Small kitchen appliances sell pretty well at garage sales.
Most people keep a set of dishes for regular use and a set of dishes for special occasions. However, there is no need to keep enough dishes to serve forty people when there is only a family of four in the home. Package those up and send them off to someone who can really use them.
Getting rid of the extra things that are not really needed in a home can make it easier to stay neat and organized. It can also remove a lot of the stress and bother the extra weight of all that junk can cause. Having a decluttered and organized home can help keep life a little more organized.
