10 Best Ways to Trick Your Clutter Out Once and for All
For many of us, fighting clutter is a constant struggle. Clutter can sneak up on us, it drains us mentally, even if we don’t think directly about the clutter, and wastes our time and money . A clutter clearing session will not be enough to get rid of clutter permanently; we must change our mental habits. Here are ten new ways to get rid of the clutter.
10. Imagine that you are moving soon.
The thought of moving out can be painful, in large part because we have too many things to do. However, imagine that you are about to move , and it will be easier for you to identify things that you simply do not need and should get rid of. If you don’t need to waste energy trying to get yourself together, to move to a new place, you shouldn’t leave it in your current one. Reality Check: You probably don’t need most of the stuff you have .
9. Make a plan
It’s hard to get rid of clutter when there is so much or a little clutter in every room. When it’s so overwhelming, we’re more likely to postpone getting rid of the trash. However, just by having a plan with small steps you can follow every day, such as this eight-week guide , can keep you motivated and make yourself think it’s doable. If you have a messy office, here’s how to get it organized .
8. Get rid of one thing every day.
Speaking of baby steps, it will be easier for you to get rid of the clutter if you only need to get rid of one thing at a time . Do this every day until you reach your downsizing goal. You can do five things at a time, or ten if you like. Either way, it can be an easy game to win. Start with this list of eight things you can give up right now .
7. Don’t buy things if you don’t pay full price for them.
When I posted this tip , some of the commenters thought it was not looking for sales. That was not the point; it’s more about programming our minds to stop buying crap that we don’t really need . “If you don’t buy it at full price, you probably don’t need it” is just a way of saying, don’t buy things just because they are for sale. Good suggestions are great, but only if you really need the item or can use it. Otherwise, discounted merchandise will simply take up space in our homes and become a mess. For things you already own, a similar rule of thumb applies: If you didn’t buy it today, sell it .
6. Remember: “Don’t delay, delay.”
Another mantra to keep in mind is that it reminds us that not all flat surfaces are suitable for your belongings . When things are out of place, they become a mess. So, as soon as you are about to put something off, ask yourself if it belongs to that place . And also remember to “end the cycle” for any cleaning method by taking the most important step: getting things out . It helps if your collections have a purpose and your rooms have different purposes .
5. Give up hope
We do not mean that you should give up the hope that you can clean up the clutter, we mean that you stop holding on to what you hope to use one day (but deep down you know that you probably won’t will do it). These “just in case” things are usually the biggest source of clutter. “One day I might need this [insert thing that is still in a mobile box in your garage ten years ago]” should be a signal that the object is just taking up space.
4. Thank your items for their service (then give them away)
Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Cleaning , suggests this strange but effective tactic: say goodbye and thank the items you need to give up . Sometimes sentimentality is the root of the mess, so think about usefulness first and shake off guilt . Thank your old coat for keeping you warm, your kids’ stuffed animals that they no longer play with, for making them happy, and your collection of duplicated computer cables that once connected your things. Then you can move on. When you are disposing of trash, the thought, “This is none of my business,” can also help.
3. Get rid of the clutter with the right questions
Another tip from Kondo: For every item you have, ask, “ Does this item cause joy? “If it’s not beneficial, beautiful, or joyful, it’s probably time to find a new home for him. Here is a checklist for your clutter identification needs.
2. Stick to the “One in, two out” rule.
Rule of thumb: whenever you bring a new item, you must find a new home for the other two items . By following this rule, you are getting rid of unnecessary garbage and are probably updating at the same time. Win!
1. Focus on hotspots of clutter
Even if you can’t get rid of all the clutter in your home, if you focus on one or two areas that clutter most attracts (for me, it’s my hallway table, my piano, and, well, my desk ), you’ll be ahead of everyone else. … The broken window theory , which says that only one broken window can lead to vandalism, applies to clutter as well: just one piece of junk mail on a table or a towel on the floor could soon become a pile of clutter. Focus on the worst areas before the clutter spreads. (Simple tricks I’ve used are to keep the piano lid open so I can’t dump the day’s mail there, and add a shredder to the porch so that extra papers don’t end up in my house.)
Who knows? Perhaps keeping these areas clean for a while will inspire you to get rid of the clutter in the rest of your home for good. Flylady is a great resource to get rid of the clutter once and for all.
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