A cluttered home is an ironic situation. Innocently enough, we all want to honor our belongings. We think, “I can’t get rid of that sweater I’ve never worn. What if I want to wear it one day? It’s special to me because my friend gave it to me.” So we keep that navy blue sweater in the dark depths of our dresser drawer because holding onto it is the only way to show we care about it… right?!
Wrong. Keeping that navy blue sweater that you never wear only accomplishes one thing… it distracts you from the items that you do want to wear. It’s a roadblock on the highway to a simplified and easy living-space.
Imagine a drawer filled with only clothing you love to wear. Imagine a bathroom cabinet with only items you use weekly. Imagine a home that is cleared of unnecessary, unused, and distracting things. That is the goal. So today, I’m sharing 3 tactics to getting clutter-free and staying clutter-free.
1. One in – One out:
This is a classic decluttering law that truly works. Every time you get a new item for your kitchen, wardrobe, book collection, etc. you need to find an item in that category to purge. That way, you’ll maintain your current number of belongings.
If you’re buried in clutter and have a lot of downsizing before reaching your goal, modify this rule to one in – three out… or one in – five out. Whatever the equation may be, it’ll help keep you accountable and working towards your goal.
2. The “donate” box:
Every home should have a “donation” zone. Whether it’s a bag in your closet or a shelf in your garage, create a space that items go to when you realize you don’t need them any longer.
Once you decide on a conveniently located landing spot, create a large label that says “donate” as a reminder to contribute to it regularly.
Every time the bag, box or shelf is full, take the goods to a donation center nearby. The more trips you take to donate, the closer you are to your streamlined and de-cluttered dream home.
3. Time-limit game:
Everyone is different. I definitely don’t believe in one size fits all for organizing or decluttering, so this one is important. Create your own timeline rules.
This means that every time you notice a piece of clothing or cosmetic you haven’t worn in _____ months/years, you must part with it. Now if you do come across an item you haven’t used but want to, create a new timeline goal, such as: If I don’t use ___________ within ______ months (or weeks or days), I must donate it. Just make sure to write it down and keep your promise.
These self-created timelines will keep you in check and working towards your goal of a streamlined and decluttered home.
image via Modern Findings
