Having too much stuff around the house can actually cause stress and drain your energy levels. If you find as you go along your house, you are focusing on the things around you rather than the day’s task ahead, it’s time to declutter. This is a guide on a one method of decluttering.
What is Clutter?
Clutter are objects in your home that no longer serve a purpose or have become unwanted. You may have decorations that you no longer like but rather than discard them you just put new decorations in their place or put them into storage. Things for the hobbies that you no longer have time for or have interest in. Projects that you were going to get to but didn’t have time to start. Depending on how long it has been since you have used the objects mentioned, they may be clutter that is just filling space.
When is Clutter a Problem?
If you find yourself low on energy as you walk around the house, you may be stressed out from clutter laying around. Clutter can affect the mind and cause stress which can cause physical symptoms such as lower concentration, lower energy, and anxiety. If you are spending too much time on the things around your house, clutter has become a problem. Another issue with clutter is restricting the usability of your home. If you can’t use your kitchen table, a room is filled with clutter, or you have run out of storage area and containers are filling other areas of your home, then clutter is becoming a problem.
Choosing Where to Start
You may have a few rooms full of clutter and not sure where to start. You should list the rooms you want to clean and prioritize which would be the most useful. The storage area (attic, shed, or garage) might be more beneficial as it will allow you to use the room as a buffer to clean a more useful room such as the kitchen or bathroom. By having the storage area clear, you might be able to put all of the rest of the rooms’ clutter in the area and can manage the now filled storage area into a segmented cleaning project.
Decluttering Method
Start Small
Clutter can overwhelm you and drain your energy levels. Thinking about the whole room and how much there is can overwhelm you to the point you don’t get started. If you start with just 1 area at a time, you will make progress and not get as overwhelmed. Sometimes it’s best just to go over to the area and pick something up, the first step to getting started is to start.
Use a System (The 3 Container Method)
A very popular method is the 3-container method. You take 3 containers, they could be plastic bins, trash bags, laundry baskets, or just make 3 clean areas on the floor for piles. The 3 containers are for: keep, remove, and store. Sometimes there is a fourth for donation or selling. Take an object from the area you are decluttering and place it into one of the bins. If you are unsure of whether you want to get rid of it, try hoarding help's guide on deciding whether it’s trash or treasure.
Follow Through
Another issue that happens is after some progress on decluttering is made, some just stop. After making progress, some will decide “It’s enough for today” and not get back to it the next time they have some free time or they don’t discard the items in the "remove" container. It’s ok to take a break for health reasons but if the project is taking too long it may be time to call professional clutter cleaners. They can remove a whole house’s worth of clutter in a few days.
Things to Think About
There are somethings that should be properly disposed of such as batteries, paint, oil and other household chemicals. Call your municipal clerk to find the proper disposal facilities.
You might want to dispose of some items and make some money while you are at it. If you feel you can follow through on a yard sale or selling and shipping an item online, then you may make some money from your unwanted clutter. If you don’t think you could follow through, there are still some options such as donation or a local consignment shop or a local store that sells the items online for you.
If you have a lot to dispose of or some larger pieces of clutter, you may want to consider renting a dumpster.