Declutter Your Home – 6 Tips That Actually Work

So, you want a clutter-free home. Most people do, but it might seem like a gigantic task to free your beloved nest of all the hoarding that you’ve been doing for months or even years. It’s easy to get used to a pattern where piles of clutter are everywhere.

Are you tired of running into random stuff and never finding what you need when you need it? You want to declutter but unsure of what needs to be done? The good news is that there is light at the end of the tunnel if you are ready to put in a little work. Here are a bunch of fantastic ideas to get you started on the path to a clutter-free home. Let’s keep reading!

Don’t let the clutter in

The best way to start solving an ongoing problem is to block it at the source. Once clutter comes in, you know how hard it can be to get it out again. To avoid this issue in the first place, try saying no to impulse purchases or good deals on stuff that you wouldn’t buy otherwise. Clutter can come in from various sources so keep an eye out to make sure you’re not letting it in.

Donate often

You can stop the future clutter from coming in, but what about all that you have already hoarded? One absolutely fabulous way to declutter your house is to donate, not sometimes, not on occasions, but often.

One easy way to do this is to keep a shopping bag in your closet at all times. Whenever you spot something you don’t use or wear, just drop it in that bag. Indecisive about giving away your clutter? Wait for 6 months before taking your bag to charity. If you haven’t gone back to it to retrieve an item, that bag won’t be missed.

Practice ‘One In, One Out’ Policy

About to make a seemingly unnecessary purchase but unable to talk yourself out of it? Just ask yourself if you love it enough that you’d be willing to donate something you already own to make room for it. If the answer is no, you know you can do without that purchase.

This thumb rule isn’t about owning a certain number of possessions. It’s about keeping that number roughly steady over time. You can always buy items you absolutely need.

Let some ‘Clutter Zones’ exist

Don’t go on a decluttering spree only to end up banishing every miscellaneous item from your home. Allow yourself a clutter zone like a junk drawer or a similar small area where you can keep these objects that are close to your heart but don’t have any actual use. When your junk drawer or junk shelf, or junk box starts to overflow (which it eventually will), that’s when you need to gear up and do something about it.

Improve your storing game

More often than not, what looks like clutter is just the sight of useful items scattered around the house in a disorderly way. One easy way to make your space look neat is to store like with like. Put those books on the bookshelf and shoes in the shoe rack and your room will be suddenly decluttered.

This is especially important for smaller items like remote controls, toiletries, makeup, stationery items, batteries, etc. Put them in dedicated places or containers so they are always stored in the same spot and don’t give out a cluttered vibe.

Don’t overdo organizers

There are several types of organizers available on the market these days. From countertop spice racks for your kitchen to socks and underwear drawer dividers for your cupboard, there’s something for everyone. But buying organizers without forethought or in large numbers can create more disorganization.

To avoid this from happening, make sure you’ve decluttered to your heart’s content and organized using what you already have before buying any new organizers. If you still need to organize, spend some time researching the right type of organizer for your requirements.

Final take

Decluttering can often feel like a waste of time, which is why most people aren’t too excited about it. But that’s usually because you’re just moving stuff around mindlessly without a decluttering plan in place. Read up on our little guide about achieving a clutter-free home, and do it right. Happy decluttering!