It’s a new season, and you know what that means. It’s time to say “out with the old and in with the new” and start decluttering your house.
It’s hard to get rid of things, even if those things are junk (or no longer useful to us). But when things start piling up and getting in the way of your day-to-day life, you have to commit to letting them go.
But how do you do that? How can you part with your precious (or not so precious) collection of things?
We want to help you learn how to get rid of clutter fast so you can refresh your space. Whether you’re trying to declutter before moving or you just want to start the season with a clean slate, keep reading to learn how to part with junk and other items.
Motivate Yourself
The first step in the decluttering process is self-motivation.
Keep in mind that motivating yourself is hard. Sometimes you need to find external motivation if you want to stay on track.
The best motivation, for us, is inviting people over. There’s nothing that says “I need to clean right now” more than asking friends to come over for a gathering. You don’t want them to see your mess!
If you don’t have the motivation or ability to host people, try offering yourself a reward for a job well done. Make sure that the reward won’t cause more clutter, though.
For example, consider replacing an object that you’re getting rid of with a new and improved object.
You’re fortunate if you have a real-life motivator, like a planned move. This is especially true if you’re downsizing.
Start Small
When you’re cleaning, it’s helpful to move through your whole house at once. When you’re decluttering, however, we recommend starting small. Even rooms may be too large, so consider starting with corners, countertops, or even closets and cabinets.
We’ll talk more about boxes later, but consider having a “wrong room” box that you take with you. This way, you don’t have to leave your individual corner when you find something that belongs somewhere else.
When you start with small spaces, you’ll see your progress right away. This should help you avoid getting overwhelmed.
The Box Method
So you already have your “wrong room box.” Now it’s time to gather a few more boxes.
You’re going to want a variety of boxes. The content of the boxes will depend on what you’re decluttering, but we suggest:
- Keep
- Throw away
- Donate
- Repurpose
All of these, in combination with your “wrong room box,” will help you declutter in no time.
Let’s take the closet, for example. The clothes that are valuable to you or that you wear often will obviously go into the “keep” box, right?
When you take out clothes that you know that you’ll no longer wear, you have some decisions to make. If they’re in good condition, they go into the donate box. If you know that you have friends that could use them (like if you have a toddler who has grown out of their clothes and a pregnant friend who will need them), consider also adding a “donate to friends” box.
Not everything will be in good condition. If there’s a piece of clothing that you could turn into rags or fabrics for a future sewing project, it can go into the repurpose box, so you don’t have to waste them.
If a piece of clothing is beyond repair, you may need to throw it away.
The box method is a game-changer when it comes to decluttering. It makes everything neat and efficient. The “keep” boxes are extra helpful if you’re going through the moving process.
Recruit Helpers
Decluttering is a large process, even if you live in a small space. If you find yourself getting distracted by all of your tchotchkes (or struggling to let things go due to sentimental value, even if they aren’t that sentimental), it’s time to get some helpers on your team.
If possible, ask friends and family members to help. They don’t have the same emotional attachment to your possessions that you do, so they can make quicker decisions. This also helps you cover multiple rooms at once.
If no one is available, consider hiring a professional for the job. Most of the time, house cleaners aren’t responsible for decluttering. There are, however, decluttering pros that will work with you to figure out how to get rid of things you don’t need.
Upkeep: Organization Is Key
Once your space is tidy and free of clutter, make sure that you keep up with it, so it doesn’t get overwhelming again. It’s time to get organized.
Make sure that everything has a place. It’s helpful to use DIY organization tools and methods to create spaces for your essential objects. This way, it’s easy to tell if something doesn’t belong where you put it.
Whenever you get a new object that doesn’t have a place, try to get rid of the thing that it’s replacing. For example, if you buy a new coffee maker, toss away the old one right away.
Staying organized is a challenge, but it will save you a lot of trouble in the future.
That’s How to Get Rid of Clutter Fast
Now that you know how to get rid of clutter fast, it’s time to take your home from cluttered to tidy this weekend.
Start gathering boxes, recruiting friends, and bracing yourself for the inevitable struggle of letting things go that you want to keep. Remember, when you get rid of one thing, you can replace it with another. You also get to donate it to someone in need!
It’s time to start decluttering!
For more helpful articles about maintaining a home and more, visit the rest of our site.
