When you walk into your home, do you have an instant feeling of calm or are you overcome by disorganization, disarray, and too much “stuff”? Clutter in the home is not only an eyesore, but it can also bring a sense of overwhelming stress into your life. 

With the hustle and bustle of everyday life, it can be difficult to find the time to properly tidy up and declutter. But, if you take the time to do the job, you can create a more orderly and productive living space. It can even help reduce stress and anxiety as decluttering allows you to create a calmer, less hectic environment in your home. Here are seven tips to help you get started on the decluttering process.

Create a Plan

Just as with any important job that requires a significant amount of time, before you get started, take a few moments to create a plan of attack.  Determine when you can set aside a day or a few hours for your decluttering and mark it on the calendar. Next, create a list of things you’ll need to complete the task and stock up. For instance, it’s a good idea to gather cardboard boxes so you have a place to put items you want to donate. You may also want to gather containers of various sizes that you can use to organize and store the items you want to keep.  

Start Small or Dedicate a Day

Decluttering your home can be a daunting task, so you may want to start small. Begin with a single room or area of your home and work your way out from there. If you try to tackle the whole house in one go, you may get overwhelmed and be less likely to finish. However, if you’re the type of person who gets energized at the thought of preparing for and finishing a marathon, scheduling an entire day to complete your decluttering project may be the way to go.  

Create Keep, Donate, and Relocate Boxes

The only way to get through an entire house of decluttering without going crazy is to stay organized. Too many people waste time running from room to room trying to find a place for all of their things. A better plan is to create three separate boxes or bins that you can use to collect and categorize the items you come across. This will not only make the task of cleaning up more efficient, but you also won’t risk wearing yourself out running up and down the stairs 12 times before you even get one room completed. 

Have an Item-In, Item-Out Policy

If you’ve ever spent an exhaustive amount of time decluttering your home only to feel like you’re swimming in stuff just a few months later, then this tip is for you. The next time you come home with a bag full of items you just had to have, make an effort to first get rid of some things that you don’t really want or need. Having an item-in, item-out policy means you’ll be able to maintain a collection of belongings that won’t keep growing and eventually overwhelm your household.   

Go Digital

Do you have piles of mail, magazines, and paperwork lying around the house? Make it easier to manage and reduce your clutter significantly by signing up for digital versions instead. Some businesses will actually give you a discount when you switch to paperless billing and having your magazines in digital format will make it easier to take them with you while also saving space and reducing waste. 

Get Creative with Storage

Just about everyone wishes they had more room to store things, but you probably have more room than you realize. All you have to do is get creative with your storage. First, take some time to identify unused areas in your home such as corners, under beds, and even vertical space (such as the top of a bookcase). These are great places to store rarely used or seasonal items. Simply place them in neatly labeled storage containers or vacuum-sealed bags so you can easily retrieve what you’re looking for when you need it.

Still need more room? Consider investing in solutions that can serve multiple purposes or stow away when not in use. For example, buying furniture pieces with storage space such as ottomans or coffee tables with drawers can solve two problems at once. Or, instead of buying a large desk for your home office that will just collect more clutter, get one that will fold up and free up space. You’ll not only have more room but you won’t be tempted to use your desk as a catch-all for other things.

Maintaining Your Newly Decluttered Space

Decluttering your home can be a liberating experience, but it’s important to maintain your newly decluttered space on a regular basis. Once you’ve established designated areas for everything, stay diligent about putting things away when you’re done with them. Make the effort to go through the mail every day instead of stacking it in a pile and file papers as you get them instead of leaving them on the counter. This will help your space stay organized and stop it from becoming cluttered again in the future. 

Another thing that will reinforce good habits and encourage you to keep your space clutter-free is to schedule regular house cleanings with Clean Bees Housekeeping. Once you get used to having a neat, tidy, and clean space, you’ll never want to go back! 

To learn more or to set up your cleaning service, visit our website and fill out the online form. We’ll schedule a time to talk with you and provide you with a free estimate.