Take a look around your house: are you surrounded by clothes that don’t fit, stuff you don’t use, or projects you haven’t completed? Then it’s time for some serious de-cluttering.
Professional organizer Geralin Thomas says, “Your house should be a respite from the world. A place where you want to enjoy your life, your friends, your spiritual practice, whatever you’re into. But if you’re not into the stuff that’s in your house, then it’s got to go.”
It turns out, clutter is also bad for your health: research shows that we secrete the stress hormone cortisol when we’re surrounded by disarray. And when there’s clutter in your home, there’s probably mental or emotional clutter in your mind as well. In other words, clean up the clutter and you’ll also increase your calm.
Ready to de-clutter? Here are seven tips to help you get started.
1. Do an initial sweep first.
Grab a box and a large garbage bag and do a quick-walk through of your whole house. Scan each room, quickly grabbing anything that you know is either garbage or no longer needed. Place items in either the donation box or the garbage bag. Keep going until you’ve made your way through the entire house.
2. Next, focus on a single area.
Don’t delve into more than one area at a time or you’ll get overwhelmed. Instead, tackle one manageable area armed with a box for charity, a laundry basket for things to be returned to their proper place, and a garbage bag for the trash. Then get to it and don’t leave your area until the job is done.
3. Ask yourself:
Do we use it, wear it, or play with it?
If it’s clothing, does it still fit?
Is it in good working condition?
Could someone else use it more?
And most importantly: Does it spark joy?
This question comes from Marie Kondo, who wrote the book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. As she points out, rather than agonizing over what you should discard, focus on the things you truly cherish and make it about what you get to keep, not what you have to lose.
4. Don’t forget your digital world.
Ditch the files, photos and programs on your computer that you don’t need and minimize all the icons on your desktop. Not only do they slow down your computer, they also create visual clutter.
5. Get it OUT of your house.
Once you’ve determined something needs to go, get rid of it as quickly as possible. Don’t let those boxes of discards hang around in the garage or you’ll be tempted to reconsider some of your choices. Say a hasty goodbye to your stuff and take it to the donation center asap. As soon as it’s out of sight, it will be out of mind.
6. Make it fun.
Decluttering doesn’t have to be a dreaded chore. For example, we love to listen to podcasts while we’re sorting—it makes the time fly. Two podcasts we’re loving at the moment are The Moth and Dear Sugar featuring Cheryl Strayed. We also like to give ourselves little time challenges—like turbo-cleaning for an hour, then rewarding ourselves with an energizing 10-minute workout.
7. Make it a habit.
Make it a goal to de-clutter for a little while every week or month. By practicing regular purging, you’ll keep your stuff streamlined and your space far more inviting all year long.
Although de-cluttering can seem overwhelming at first, remember that it’s a chance to open up physical and mental space in your life. And by getting rid of old stuff, you’ll have all kinds of room for new possibilities.
Do you have some great de-cluttering tips? Please share in the comments below!
