Do you ever feel like you belong on the TV Show Hoarders? Although the individuals on that show have a true psychological condition, you may sometimes relate to having way too much stuff in your own home.
Knowing how to organize your home, prevent clutter, and improve your sense of contentment in your home may seem like an impossible task. But, there are some simple things you can do to start the process.
If it seems overwhelming, remember that you don’t have to do all of this in one day. Tackle one suggestion at a time!
Read on to learn how to eliminate clutter and organize your home.
How to Organize Your Home in 9 Simple Steps
There are lots of ways to organize your home, but before you hit the Ikea and start buying storage bins, consider decluttering. Your house is an extension of you. If you feel out of control, confined, or just not happy in your space you have the ability to change it. Below are 9 steps to decluttering your home or office. Try a few and see if you don’t feel better and who knows you might make a few dollars along the way.
1. Start with 5 Minutes
You don’t have to set aside your entire day to organize and declutter. Give yourself 5 solid minutes. Tackle a drawer or desk space, clean. Then walk away, it will help to prevent the task from feeling so overwhelming.
2. The Four-Box Method
This is a simple matter to keep yourself organized as you declutter. Find 4 boxes, label them: trash, give-away or donate, keep, or sell. Take some time with each item and decide what is best for it, and your life at this point. If you have keepsakes, you may want to add a box, so that family heirlooms can be kept. The rule here is to make sure that you cannot keep more than will fit in the box. If you have a lot to throw away try samedayrubbishremovalmelbourne.com.au.
3. Give Away One Item Each Day
If something gives you great joy share it with a friend. If you have a favorite book, sign the inside and pass it on. Ask whomever you gave it to, to not return it but pass it on after signing it.
4. For Kids, Shop from Your Room
As kids age, their tastes and needs change. Take all of the “stuff” in their room and place it in the hall. The kids can shop for what they want to keep. It might be a good idea to place the 4 boxes outside of their room to discard of the “unpurchased” items. You can combine this with purchasing more age-appropriate storage to give their room a fresh look.
5. Closet Hanger Experiment
Turn around all the hangers in your closeted to face the back. If you wear it, turn the hanger to the traditional way. After 3 months, look at what you haven’t worn. Those clothes can be donated to Goodwill or some other needy organization. If you live in an area where the climate changes, then do this each season. Check out Be More with Less, to see if you can live with 33 items for each season.
6. Prioritize
If you want to minimize or declutter, pick the easiest room or area first. It will give you a sense of accomplishment and show you it can be done. Make sure that you don’t move things from one room to another. That is not decluttering, that is re-organizing.
7. Take the 12-12-12 or 30 or 40 Day Challenge
This idea has taken off in the world of decluttering. In a basic form, set aside your minimizing time, and locate 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, 12 items to be put away. You can do the same thing over a 30 or 40 day period. With the long-time period focus on 30 or 40 items to donate or sell. Be sure to reward yourself at the end. Not with more things, but with an experience maybe from the items you sell but don’t give away.
8. Host a Garage Sale or Utilize Craigs List or eBay
As you start to declutter, look at things in your home that may have value. One man’s junk is another man’s treasure. Host a neighborhood garage sale or use Craigslist or eBay to gets some money from the things you no longer need.
Keep in mind you will not get retail prices, but it will take be returned to their proper home can be a really fun and exciting way to quickly organize 36 things in your house. On more than one occasion, this challenge actually became a quick competition between my wife and me… and your kids don’t have to be too old to participate as well.
9. Visualize Your Life without “It”
If you are having a hard time parting with an item, try visualizing your life without it. For example, if you have done the 4 box method and something just doesn’t fit in the box, try another box. Put the item in the, and label this box 60 day from today. Then put the box under a bed or in a garage or storage space. The key here is for the item to be out of sight.
At the 60 day mark, if you haven’t missed it, it is time to part with it. If you seek out the object before the 60 days you know it is significant to you. Place the object in a spot that represents its importance to you.
Are You Looking for a Happier Life?
Everyone seems to be chasing a happier life. You can follow your life’s passion, you can learn a new skill or hobby. Regardless of the action, you should know that you can take smaller steps to a happier life.
If you have an important story or skill to share, contact us, we would be happy to publish a blog for you.
