Everyone has stuff just lying around the house that they don’t use anymore. Okay, some of us have more junk than others, but there’s no doubt that all of us could use a little help when it comes to decluttering the mess.
Research shows that people tend to feel more stressed and out of control when they are surrounded by clutter.
If you havn't found the time to Marie Kondo your life just yet, here are some suggestions as to how to declutter:
1. If you haven’t used something in six months or more, you won’t miss it if you get rid of it. If you come across something and think, “I’ve been wondering where that went!” you should get rid of it. Finally, if you don’t even remember owning something you find, get rid of it – it didn’t mean enough to you to even bother remembering it.
2. If your closet is full of clothes you might get back into someday, do yourself a favor and throw them out. Holding on to these items only causes you guilt over having gained too much weight, and they take up the precious room you could use for more important things – like a new wardrobe that does fit. Lets face it, by the time you can fit back into those old clothes, they are just that, old clothes. So don't hold on to them.
3. It can be overwhelming thinking of decluttering an entire home, so tackle the chore one room at a time. Choose the most important room to you and begin there. Designate a Goodwill box and as you go through your things, place items you want to donate inside. Work at a pace that’s comfortable for you and don’t move on to another room until the first one is finished.
4. Ask yourself this question, "How much do I love it"? Often, we buy things we don’t exactly love, and we fail to return these items once we discover that we don’t even like them. If you aren’t particularly crazy about certain items in your home, get rid of them. There’s no room to keep things you don’t love, are not meaningful or that aren’t useful to you in some way.
Everyone has clutter in their homes, but when yours becomes too much to bear, you can use the tips above to help you clear it out. If you don’t use it, it doesn’t fit, or you don’t absolutely love it, throw it out. You’ll feel less stressed and more in control once you do!
Justin
