You may have made a New Year resolution to get rid of your ‘junk’. Maybe just looking around your home on 1st January you decided to de-clutter your home and begin 2024 with a ‘clean’ slate. Whatever the reason, there are many benefits to de-cluttering your home, not least of which is it seems to bring more clarity of thought and is a great help to our mental health. I know myself that once I clear-out the dumping ground which is my back bedroom I will feel great relief and a sense of accomplishment. It can be overwhelming knowing where to start so here are some tips to help.
80/20 Rule
we use 20% of our belongs 80% of the time. Either get rid of or store away the 80% that you don’t use regularly.
5 Seconds
Give yourself five seconds to remember the last time the item was used. If you can’t remember within five seconds, it’s time to get rid of it.
Goals
Keep your goals realistic and attainable to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Break down the spaces you need to declutter. Consider starting in a space with only a small amount of clutter, so you can get it done quickly and feel like you’re making progress on your overall decluttering timeline to stay motivated.
Containers
Have containers ready to sort items into different categories e.g.
Tidy items which are not in their dedicated storage space; Fix/Mend items which need attention before putting away; Re-cycle either in domestic rubbish or re-cycling centres; Rubbish – can be put in domestic rubbish bins; Donate items which are in good condition at your local charity shop
