Everyone has some clutter that piles up at times. Clutter can easily sneak up on you if you are busy. No matter how much we try to live paperlessly, there are always papers coming home from school and work. We still get snail mail that can pile up. The kids’ toys that get left out and the everyday items you use often tend to stay out instead of getting put away. Decluttering your home is important for many reasons, and it doesn’t have to be complicated. Just taking some small, simple steps can help you declutter in no time.
The Importance Of Decluttering Your Home
If you struggle with feeling stressed and overwhelmed, take a look around your home. Is your home disorganized and cluttered? When your home is cluttered, it can make you feel stressed and overwhelmed. These feelings can be a vicious cycle that leads to even more messy clutter as you feel too overwhelmed to tackle it. Here are some reasons why decluttering is so important:
You will have less stress.
If you have a lot of clutter, it creates mental distractions. You may have trouble focusing, which is notably not good if you work from home. You may feel an urgent need to clean up when you should be working or spending quality time with your family. On the other hand, you may experience feelings of guilt if you don’t clean up the clutter right away. There is nothing like the stress of the panic you feel when a visitor stops by with little notice, and you run around trying to clean up the clutter before their arrival. Having a clutter-free home will allow you to have a better handle on your emotions and focus on the important things.
A decluttered home is easier to clean.
It’s easier to dust furniture and shelves when they are not cluttered. Vacuuming is easier to do when the floor is clutter-free. Dusting and vacuuming a decluttered home helps keep the dust away so that you will feel better physically too!
You can save time and money with a decluttered home.
If you spend a lot of time searching for lost items because of clutter, you can save time if everything is put away in its designated place. Lost items often result in the need to buy replacements for the items. If you have piles of papers that get lost, you may lose bills and tax documents, costing you money in late fees and fines. It’s important to reduce paper clutterand keep the necessary papers and billing statements in an organized area.
You might make extra money by selling your unused items.
It feels great to clean out the closets and remove the clothes that no longer fit your children or no longer fit your style. If clothes are in good condition, you can sell them at yard sales, consignment shops, and Facebook Marketplace. There are even websites and apps that allow you to sell your used clothing and jewelry. You can also donate your unused clothing and belongings to many different charities or places such as Goodwill.
Simple Steps To Decluttering Your Home
If you are overwhelmed by decluttering, it doesn’t have to be difficult. Kiera Malowitz, Professional Organizer and Declutter Coach with DFW Decluttered, shares her tips on getting started. She coaches her clients on the simple steps to decluttering and sets them up with a method for long-term success.
Start with small and easy projects.
Cleaning out a drawer or shelves and bookcases can be a quick and simple project that will help motivate you to move on to bigger projects.
Move on to smaller rooms.
If you need to declutter rooms in your home, start with small rooms such as bathrooms and the laundry room.
Declutter floors first.
If you are decluttering rooms or closets and there is a lot of stuff on the floor, start cleaning off the floor clutter. This will allow you more room to access the areas you are decluttering.
Remove visible items first.
Take a step back and look around at the area. What do you see? Remove the clutter that you see, and you will instantly feel like you have accomplished something.
Declutter small sections.
After you have removed the visible items first, you can then move on to cabinets, draws, and small sections of closets. Starting with small areas helps keep you from feeling overwhelmed, and you can get a lot done relatively quickly.
Decluttering Your Home Can Change Your Life
Decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of old stuff. It’s about learning to let go. As you declutter, you may experience many emotions that you weren’t aware of from certain objects. Letting go of unused items from the past can feel like letting go of emotional baggage. You will let go of fears and insecurities. You will find freedom and confidence.
Make decluttering a fun family project by putting on some music you all love that boosts your mood. Make it a game and give away prizes to the one who declutters their zone the fastest! Offer a special treat or reward for a job well done by going out for pizza. If you are decluttering solo, don’t forget to treat yourself too! Click here for more steps on decluttering for selling your home.
