Do you feel like your life is cluttered?
Well, given that the average American household has over 30,000 items, it’s likely your stuff is piling up, cluttering your home in the process. Clutter in the home makes your living experience uncomfortable, harms your emotional and mental wellbeing, and invites pests and rodents.
The good news is it’s never too late to clear out the extra junk and lead an orderly life. For most people, though, uncluttering is easier said than done. If you’ve already tried uncluttering your life and failed or don’t know where to begin, we’re here to help. Read on for a complete guide on how to get rid of clutter.
Unwanted Clutter: Identify the Reasons You Have Clutter
You don’t need to have a hoarding problem to let clutter buildup in your living spaces.
If you have a habit of buying things you don’t need or don’t know how to organize your belongings, sooner or later your home will be one big mess. The same goes for people who lack enough storage space or have a problem letting things go.
So, where is your clutter coming from?
Once you’ve identified the sources of your clutter, try to cut them off. If you always buy things you don’t need, for instance, simply stop doing it. This will help prevent further buildup of clutter.
Unwanted Clutter: Develop a Minimalist Mindset
A common mistake people make when uncluttering is rushing to the physical aspects before shifting their mindsets. In truth, uncluttering begins in the mind. You have to embrace the concept of living with less.
Minimalism isn’t just about purging your stuff and living in a space with a few things. It’s about committing yourself to own less and changing your view of your possessions.
Keep in mind developing a minimalist mindset doesn’t occur at once. It’s a gradual process that relies on your persistence.
Re-Organize Your Space
Sometimes our homes look cluttered not because we have lots of stuff but because of poor organization and use of space.
Take a look at your rooms and come up with creative ways to organize them.
In the living room, for instance, play around with the placement of the furniture. A simple tweak such as ensuring seats aren’t backed up against walls is enough to create an illusion of spaciousness. In the bedroom, try centering your bed instead of pushing it against a corner.
Deep Clean Your Home
When did you last deep clean your home?
If it’s been a couple of months, it’s likely there’s a pile-up of dirt and clutter, particularly in spaces you don’t use on a day to day basis. Under the beds and kitchen sinks, kids’ playing rooms and garages are especially vulnerable to clutter.
After deep cleaning your home, don’t be surprised at the sheer amount of dirt and other obvious pieces of clutter you’ll shovel out.
Deep cleaning is a physically intensive activity, so be sure you’re up for it. If not, you’re better off hiring a deep cleaning service.
Purge the Things You Don’t Need
A cleaner home will give you’re a clearer view of what your own, which is why the next logical step is to take stock of your stuff and purge what you don’t need.
Admittedly, this is a difficult step in the process. Most people living in clutter don’t know how to let go of things, often because of their sentimental value. Think old pieces of inherited furniture.
Sure, there are items that are close to our hearts. But if you really want to unclutter your life, you just have to junk things that are of no use to you.
Another option is to rent a self-storage unit. This will cost you money, but if it’s the only way to do away with those heirlooms that are cluttering your home without junking them, then it’s worth it.
Create More Storage Space in Your Home
Over the course of a life, you’re bound to gather more items than your home is designed to hold. This is how you end up with more pairs of clothes and shoes than your closet can store or more cutlery and appliances than your kitchen can accommodate.
When you have stuff that you’re not willing to purge or put in self-storage, a good solution is to create more storage space in your home.
Consider installing more kitchen cabinets and hallway shelves and other up-the-wall shelving systems. Shoe boxes are also an ideal way to store shoes you don’t wear often.
Sell the Extras
When you’ve valuable items that are not of any use to you, selling is a smarter decision. You could put them in self-storage, but why pay monthly fees when you can turn them into cash? Plus, unless the items are pieces of art or antiques, they won’t hold value forever.
Household appliances, fitness equipment, gardening tools, magazines, and comic books are examples of items you can put on sale. Read more now to gain insight into the art of selling your comic books collection.
Donate Some Items
Instead of selling all your extras, why not give some to charity?
Uncluttering your life gives you an opportunity to improve your welfare as well as that of others. For instance, if you’ve kennels your dogs have outgrown, you will do the world a lot of good by donating them to a pet charity near you.
Unwanted Clutter: Uncluttering Your Life Is a Gradual Process
When everything around you is full of clutter, it’s easy to feel stuck, helpless, and even sickly. Fortunately, you have the power to bring order to your life. Put the tips fleshed out above to practice and you’ll gradually see positive results.
And, bear in mind uncluttering your life isn’t just about getting rid of unsightly things — it’s also about shifting your mindset. You may need a smart trash can when you deep cleaning your home
Al the best and stay tuned to our blog for more lifestyle insights.
