A clean, decluttered space brings peace of mind and absolute clarity. This decluttered space, however, does not have to be minimalist. The only thing you need to do when decluttering to better your home and mental state of being is to go through everything that you have and to assess its value to you. If you use it often, then it has value to you. If you love it, it has value to you.
Anything else is just holding you back. That bread maker that you never touch, or that juicer that is collecting dust under your cupboards – these are the items you don’t need. Gifts you never cared for, items that you don’t use, and things that you just don’t like are all candidates to be sold, donated, recycled, or upcycled. To help you get rid of the right things, and not accidentally throw out something you will need sooner rather than later, follow this guide:
Determine What Goes and What Stays
There are many methods to determine what goes and what stays. At its core, you keep items you love and often use (people don’t often have a particular attachment to their forks, but you wouldn’t get rid of them just because of that).
Explore the different methods and find the one that works for you. If you are unsure, use the sticker method.
Store Seasonal Items to Remove Clutter
A lot of items we own won’t be used for months at a time, simply because seasons change. Packing and storing these items safely will allow you to declutter your home and properly dress it when the seasons come. This means more than just putting away decorations. Think about your clothes, sports equipment, cooking equipment, furnishings and more.
If you don’t have an attic, garage, or basement to store your seasonal items in then investing in off-site storage is absolutely the way to go. You can store your seasonal wardrobe, decorations, and even furniture finds that you will need when you upgrade your space but cannot fit just yet in your home.
As this is a long-term solution, you will want to look into investing in storagearea.com climate storage units, which are kept inside and better protect your belongings from pests and mold buildup.
The Sticker Method
Some items, especially expensive items, might only be used once a year. If you have a pot that you use for a special Christmas dish that only gets taken out once a year, this could technically fall under the “get rid of” category, but it is essential not to be hasty. You use this pot consistently, even if the times between use are a year.
We all have items like this. If you are unsure, put a sticker on it. When you use it, write the date down, so that you can keep track of how often you use it in a given time frame. This way you can actually visualize what items just don’t get used, and which ones do. We often use items more than we realize so this can be an excellent way to not accidentally throw away something essential to your lifestyle.
Take it One Room at a Time
Finally, it’s important to acknowledge just how exhausting it is to declutter an entire home. Take it one room at a time, and while you are at it consider deep cleaning for the best results.
