The new year is all about fresh starts, which is why it’s a popular time to declutter and organize your home. There are plenty of benefits to decluttering, including reducing stress and anxiety, improving sleep, boosting productivity, and you may even rediscover lost treasures.
Your home will feel more peaceful once everything is in its proper space. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed just thinking of decluttering your home, we’re here to help. We’ve gathered some helpful tips and techniques so you can create an effective decluttering plan for your home this year.
Make a plan
Heading out to the store to buy all the cute bins and baskets is fun, but without a proper strategy in place, you’ll just be bringing in more stuff instead of getting rid of things. Before starting, think about what your goals and reasons are for decluttering. Do you maximize your current storage space? Free up room for a hobby or a new member of the family? Do you want to set up your kitchen in a more efficient manner so it’s easier to cook? Whatever your reasons, write it down and create your organization plan around that.
Start Small
Do you start to panic when you think of decluttering your house? Don’t be! Give yourself a boost by choosing a single room to focus on and work there until you’re finished. This will keep you from feeling overwhelmed and keep you motivated to continue. Some common places to start include the pantry, office, or closet. You can stretch out your decluttering project over several months, focusing on a different area in your home each time.
Clean out extras
Take time to go through your things and begin getting rid of anything that is broken, doesn’t fit, or haven’t been used. You can use the four-bin method to complete this: Keep, Toss, Giveaway, and Relocate. As you evaluate each item, place them in one of those four bins. Return any items you decided to keep, find a new place in your home for items you decided to relocate, and donate, give away, or sell the items in your giveaway box.
Get the whole family involved
Decluttering is easier when the whole family is on board. Communicate your goal for decluttering, explaining the benefits everyone can expect. Let each member be responsible for their own spaces (unless it’s a baby or toddler) so they have ownership in the process. Set limits to how much they can keep before having to get rid of something.
Make decluttering a daily habit
Decluttering doesn’t have to happen annually. Commit to spending a few minutes every day picking things up around your home. Not only will this keep your home organized throughout the year, but it’ll make your annual deep cleaning go faster.
Keep it fun
Decluttering may be a chore but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself. Turn on some music or play a favorite television show or movie in the background. Use colorful labels or bins. Treat yourself to a post=decluttering reward. Any of these ideas are great ways to keep yourself motivated.
Hire expert help
Hiring a professional home organizer is a great option if you’d rather have someone else declutter and create a new organization system for you. These experts can quickly pinpoint areas for improvement and provide creative solutions, saving you time searching the internet or Pinterest for organizational tips and ideas.
Decluttering will not only make your home feel more spacious, but you’ll feel like a weight has been lifted once you’re done! Just remember that it’s a process that can take some time so be patient with yourself.
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