Quick and Easy Tips for Decluttering

We all have very busy lives and sometimes it's difficult to find the time to clean, declutter, or organize. Part of the reason we postpone cleaning/decluttering is because we see the whole picture and get overwhelmed, thinking of all the time it will take to do it all. Breaking the huge project down into small fractions and small snippets of time is as important as implementing some new habits, tricks and tips.

The number one tip is to START. Even if you don't want to, pick a spot and just begin. Starting is most often the hardest part because we feel so overwhelmed, discouraged, helpless. Take control and begin somewhere. Any progress, even slow or minimal progress, is great progress.

Flylady talks about decluttering/cleaning in 15 minute intervals. Do it for just 15 minutes a day. Pick a small chore to do, set your timer, and work away for 15 minutes. We all can handle almost anything for 15 minutes. You may think 15 minutes won't make a difference. But 15 minutes a day comes to an hour and 45 minutes a week. Think of how much you can accomplish in an hour and 45 minutes. You won't miss those little 15 minute snippets; they're like those loose pennies in your pocket--hardly noticeable but they add up pretty quickly. And if you're like me, you'll end up ignoring the timer and working away for an hour or even all day once you get started.

Stop buying things or bringing things home. Decluttering begins with an end to dragging more stuff into your home. Stop it now. If it's not absolutely vital to your life at that moment, don't let it cross the property line.

Join your local Freesharing/Freecycling groups and donate the items you are clearing out. Or donate to Goodwill or other organizations. You may have some items to donate to a local charity for their yard sale. The sooner you get the items out of your home, the more inspired you'll be as you see progress.

Learn to do Ebay, Craigslist, etc. or run ads in the newspaper to sell items you don't need but can't let go of because they're expensive. Make some money from your clutter and treat yourself to a massage, a vacation, some wonderful pleasure you wouldn't normally allow yourself. Learn a new hobby, like oil painting. Take a cake decorating class. Do something you've always wanted to do as a treat for saying NO to clutter.

When you're cooking, clean up as you go. Clean the kitchen, put things back where they go, etc., while your stir-fry cooks.

Follow the rule: If one comes in, one goes out. If you buy a new sweater, you get rid of an old sweater. If you get a new table, you get rid of the old table.

WormsLuvSharon had the great idea of packing up her husband's "useless" items and putting an expiration date of a year later on them. If they aren't used within that year, when they "expire", she will get rid of them. It's a great idea!

I like to make a To-do list of all the big and little things I need to get done--organize the closet, clean out the junk drawer, replace that broken tile, clean the kitchen, clean out my medicine cabinet, etc. Beside each task, I write the estimated time I figure it will take to accomplish that particular task. Organize the closet - 1.5 hrs, replace broken tile - 15 minutes, clean out medicine cabinet - 10 minutes. So when I have time to kill, whether 15 minutes or 1.5 hrs, I can look at my to-do list and select a task that fills that time slot. The to-do list gives me a place to start so I'm not looking around the house trying to find the perfect task and then just giving up on the whole idea. The to-do list helps me focus and plan.

Minimize your storage area. The bigger our homes, the bigger our storage capacity, the more we'll acquire and store. If you have 1000 sq ft, you'll fill it. If you upgrade to 3,000 sq ft, you'll have it filled in no time with even more stuff you don't need. When we built my house, my brother suggested creating storage space in my attic. I said, "Absolutely NOT." If I had attic space, I'd have filled it with stuff that I'd never look at again. I have a 10 x 10 storage building for tools and equipment and a few holiday decorations. I have no desire to pile it high with useless things. What doesn't fit in my house or my storage building is outta here!

Magazines and books that you've finished reading can be donated to your local library. Or carry them to your doctor's office, dentist office, anywhere where you'll be sitting for a while. When you're done with the mag or book, leave it on the table for the next patient to read. With books, you might put a note inside that says something like, "If you want to read me, please do so. When finished, please leave me somewhere for someone else to pick up and enjoy." Our public library is doing this with several books. They've left them around town to be found and enjoyed and left for the next person. It's a great idea!

Grab a laundry basket or box and go thru each room, gathering up everything that doesn't belong in that room. Then deposit each item into the room it does belong in. Put the items where they go as you do it.

When your mail comes in, toss the junk mail immediately. If it has no purpose, why toss it on the counter to deal with later. Trash it and deal with it no more.

Set aside a closet, garage, guest room, or other space for items you are selling. This way, you can clear these items out of your main living space. For any items you aren't sure you want to get rid of, you can put them in this space as well. Visit them occasionally to see if your attitude towards them changes over time. I've recently sold some final sentimental items that I didn't think I could ever part with years ago. But guess what. I don't miss them at all; I love the new space I have with them gone. A year ago, I wouldn't have considered letting them go. Two weeks ago, they just annoyed me until I listed them on Craigslist and they sold within a week.

Try not to get frustrated. Let go of items that you can easily let go of first. If it hurts too much or depresses you too much to consider letting go of something right now, then don't. Revisit it in 6 months or a year. Your opinion of the item may or may not change. But don't let it get you down. Decluttering is about opening up the mind and spirit and bringing peace to your life. If it's too stressful, then stop and rethink it. Consider why you're doing. Get rid of what you're willing to let go of and let the other stuff live with you a while longer. In time, I think much of your "useless" stuff will begin to annoy you as your house becomes cleaner and more organized. It may take several years, so understand it's a process. And the committment to keep your life uncluttered is a lifelong pursuit that we're all dealing with. In the end, your spirit will open up and breathe a new life of peace, health, and happiness.

If you want to add any tips below, fill free to do so. Your little tips and tricks can help us all in our continuous pursuit of clutter-free environments.