It’s easy to fall into a clutter trap. You wake up one morning and you finally see all the stuff that’s surrounding you. You’re thinking to yourself, how and where did I get all those things?
But, living in a clutter-free home is easier than you’d think. The following simple tips are easy to follow, the only thing that’s not easy is to keep reminding yourself to keep it up. Once you determine that now is the time to de-clutter, put a reminder somewhere where you can easily see it every day.
Image: Louise Hjorth Design
A bathroom mirror is a perfect place. You see it when you wake up and when you go to sleep. Now, let’s move on to the good stuff; the tips.
How to declutter your home
1. More experiences, less stuff
It’s hard to resist shiny new objects. And I know how it is, trust me. There never seems to be enough money to buy that new phone, a new pair of shoes, a new watch, necklace, or whatever else rocks your boat. And of course, the advertisers know that. They know that we have an itch that needs to be scratched.
But, what if we steer this desire to accumulate things into collecting memories and experiences. Merely planning your next trip or holiday will give you a dopamine boost that will keep you going for a long time. The actual trip is just a cherry on top.
You don’t need the newest model of iPhone to enjoy the concert. Stop looking through the screen of the phone and live in the moment.
2. It’s fun to purge
If you remember the movie The Purge, they had one day a year when everyone could do whatever they wanted. Now granted, we’re not going to go out and murder someone, but rather purge all the stuff that’s not needed or that’s in the way.
3. Have a junk drawer
This might seem a bit counterintuitive but, by having a sassy junk drawer, we can put away a good few things that are a sight for sore eyes but that are still needed. I know that my junk drawer is full to the brim of things that I might need perhaps every other day or something like that.
Stash away things like lighters, the odd cable for your Fitbit, toy cat laser, duct tape, etc. in your cheeky secret junk drawer.
4. Keep things where they belong
Junk belongs in the junk drawer but shoes belong in the hallway and not the bathroom, living room, or even bedroom. It might not be easy to cooperate with the rest of the family, and they might not care that their home is cluttered, but damn it, we have an agenda here.
5. Use vacuum bags
There’s not much to say here, but clothes vacuum bags are godsent and you’d be a fool not to use them.
6. If you don’t feel it, bin it
Marie Kondo made a good living by promoting de-cluttering by only keeping the things that spark joy, and speak to the heart. This simple method resonated with a lot of people obviously and there’s no reason not to try it.
7. Papers, please
It’s easy to get overwhelmed by receipts, mail, prospects, etc. In a world that’s increasingly going paper-free, your home should follow suit. Cancel any paper mail that you absolutely don’t need and spend a day or two each year scanning old documents for a clutter-free home.
8. Stop it at the source
Have an organized space at the entrance that will intercept the things that you, or others, bring home. There’s no clutter inside your home if it stays outside, or at least at the entrance.
9. Clean as you go
We’ll have a lot less to do on our purge day if we clean a little every day. Try to get rid of a few things as you go that no one needs and soon your apartment will look a lot cleaner and much more organized.
10. Baskets galore
Baskets are the easiest way to organize clutter. Buy them or make them yourself and soon, things will be neatly stored under the bed, in the closets, cupboards, and even in the garage.
There you have it, happy purging!
