Suppose you want to upgrade an old house or transform your home into a more comfortable, tidy, and welcoming space. While you could spend hundreds of thousands on expensive renovations that risk tearing the heart and soul from the property, you could take a cheaper (and arguably more profitable) route.
Everyone has stuff, but some have more stuff than others. Although this might not seem like a huge problem initially, it quickly grows and swells so much that your home is bursting at its seams. If you have too much stuff, it’s time to figure out what to do with it, and decluttering could be the answer.
Mental Benefits Of Decluttering
Decluttering doesn’t just benefit your home. It can also make you feel better about your property and yourself.
Improved Mood
No one wants to wake up or come home to a messy house, so getting rid of the stuff threatening to tumble at any moment will improve your mood. You don’t open the door to something that looks like a warzone, and you will also find it easier to tidy up each week because you know you don’t have that much to deal with. This gives you a reason to wake up in the morning and ensures you don’t associate your house with bad vibes.
Better Focus
You will also be able to focus more, which is particularly important if you work from home 9or do side projects in your living room. If your house is messy and cluttered, you always feel like there’s something else you should be doing. This can make it impossible to focus on the task in front of you, meaning it may take longer than expected, or you make a mistake because you don’t give it your full attention.
Reduce Anxiety
If you suffer from anxiety and depression, there’s a chance it could be directly linked to the condition of your house. People who struggle with their mental health find it challenging to look after themselves and their surroundings. Eventually, it all becomes too overwhelming to tackle, and they accept it as their life. Alternatively, the clutter may give you anxiety when people discuss coming over for dinner. You know the house is a mess, so you come up with excuses because you’re worried about how they will perceive you and your home.
Increased Productivity
Keeping a tidy home means you have one less thing to worry about, allowing you to stay productive. Since there is rarely much to clean, you can squeeze in a quick tidy on your lunch break. Likewise, you always know where everything is, so you don’t spend hours searching for important documents or devices. With increased productivity, you get more done throughout the day, so you can relax in the evenings and on weekends, which means you can enjoy your tidy house.
Best Ways to Declutter When You Have Too Much Stuff
Since everyone’s situation is slightly different, there is no hard and fast rule about the best way to declutter. You might have many large pieces you need to get rid of, or you may have boxes upon boxes of smaller trinkets and accessories that deserve a home elsewhere. Whatever your situation, these ideas can help you declutter and stay on top of the tidying to ensure it never gets to this point again.
Organize Everything First
Before you do anything, you must outline items you know you have and want to throw out. But it’s not enough to say you’ll get rid of an old TV or a battered sofa. You must identify what to do with them so you don’t just move them from one part of the house to another.
Most items can go to the dump but there could be other solutions to consider. You also may need to employ backup to move heavier items, so call on your friends and relatives to come and help you shift things you wouldn’t be able to move by yourself. Make sure to reward them with something afterward, though.
Take It Room By Room
Most people make the mistake of trying to declutter each room at a time, but this usually leads to getting distracted and making more mess. By taking it room by room, you can make things more manageable. What’s more, you don’t need to feel like you have to clear the entire house today.
If you have a lot of stuff, it might be better to take your time so it does not feel so overwhelming. Focus on the spare room or your bedroom first and go from there. Splitting the task into easy-to-digest sections will make your journey more successful.
Make A List of What You Want to Keep
You should also focus on the things you want to keep. With every box you unearth from the attic, you’ll come across something that brings back fond memories. But, it’s important not to get sentimental and take a stroll down memory lane as this can derail everything. Instead, think about the things you want to keep and outline them.
This is a common reason for decluttering in the first place. You realize you can’t find anything, so you clear out your home. If you know what you’re looking for, you will be more determined to move through your clutter swiftly, whereas decluttering for the sake of it is far less targeted and not always successful.
Find Storage Solutions
There are some scenarios when you declutter out of necessity but still want to hold onto items you can’t get rid of for whatever reason. These could be bed frames or sofas you want to give your kids when they move out, or art pieces you don’t have space for yet.
Storage solutions, such as self storage or your attic, can solve this problem, which makes it much easier to clear out your home and make more space without being forced to get rid of anything.
Think About How You Will Use Items
You might come across several items that you forgot you owned but might still have use for. This can feel like discovering buried treasure, especially if you were about to buy the same type of item. However, there could be other items that you aren’t sure what to do with at first.
Taking some time to think about how to get the most use out of each item will make it easier to determine what to keep and what to get rid of. By taking this approach, you will be more confident about what you have and you know your home is full of useful items without any fluff consuming vital space, especially if you occupy a small property.
Consider Repurposing
You don’t need to get rid of everything you come across. In many cases, you can repurpose items you come across. Old curtains or bed sheets only need a quick wash to make them suitable for you to transform them into something completely different like pillowcases or even a new outfit if you have a sewing kit.
While this isn’t a suitable idea for everyone, it gives those with a crafty touch the chance to embrace their creativity and feel like they aren’t wasting material.
Donate Or Sell
You also have the option to donate and sell your old things. Whether you take them to a thrift store, host a garage sale, or donate your old stuff to friends and relatives. Like repurposing, you won’t feel like your things are going to waste and instead, they get a brand new home to be loved again.
It is also worth putting up ads on your preferred social media platform marketplace to sell them to strangers, especially as it feels as if anyone will buy anything, and something you consider trash could be the very thing someone else has been searching for.
Be Ruthless
While it’s tempting to get sentimental about some of the items you find, you won’t get anywhere by keeping things just in case. Being ruthless may seem harsh but it’s one of the most effective ways to efficiently declutter your property and make it easier to breathe and keep organized. It’s best to start with things you haven’t used for years and then go from there until you reach clothes you haven’t worn in months.
Don’t Let It Get On Top Of You
Decluttering can be fun, but it’s also a daunting experience. If you want to avoid this happening again, a decluttering calendar will help you keep on top of everything. Previously, it took years for all this stuff to pile up, but if you clear out your home and organize more frequently, you won’t have to deal with the dread of clearing out ever again.
Too Much Stuff
Everyone is guilty of holding onto random items for a little too long. But there comes a point when too much stuff is detrimental to your health and well-being. By knowing how to declutter and what to do with things you haven’t used in years, you can make your home appeal more to you and finally design it how you’d always envisioned.
