Tips to Get Rid Of Clutter in Your House:
Maybe you have not been totally committed to getting rid of the clutter in your house.
Your attempts were only half-hearted so you'd get to a few boxes of magazines you had been hanging on to, but stop at the boxes of memorabilia or Christmas decorations that haven't been used or opened for years.
It could be that you really didn't want to clean the clutter but just make the appearance of a room look nicer so you purchased decorative storage boxes to put the stuff in.
Maybe you did start to clean but the trash can wasn't big enough so you figured it was time to stop when no more garbage could fit in it?
Of course, cleaning it all can be difficult. Here are the basics of getting rid off all that clutter. That is why it is so important to following these tips to get rid of clutter fast.
Start planning:
Decide what you want to de-clutter (a drawer; a cabinet; closet, or an entire room), and how you are going to go about it. Do you need everyone in the house to leave you alone for the day, or do you need helpers to pitch in to get the job done? Figure out how you work best and make the plans necessary to execute it.
Set a date:
Decide exactly when you are going to tackle the job and pencil it into your calendar or put a big note on the refrigerator. Otherwise other things will always get in the way, preventing you from tackling this much-needed job.
Give yourself a deadline:
Be sure to give yourself a deadline for completion: an afternoon; a whole day; a weekend; a week? It’s up to you; just be sure that it is realistic.
Gather your organization supplies:
Nothing can stop a job in its tracks faster than heading off to another part of the house looking for boxes to store items in; rags to pack them with; markers to organize with, trash bags, cleaning supplies, etc. Be sure to gather your supplies before you begin so you can stay focused on the job at hand.
Reward yourself for a job well done:
Offer yourself a little extra encouragement by setting a reward system for completing certain tasks.
For instance, indulge in a hot bubble bath after completing the initial cleaning, or go out to dinner after a day of organizing. Big or small, any reward can help to keep you moving forward in your quest to get rid of the clutter.
Avoiding Common Pitfalls:
If you are a clutter bug the odds are good that getting rid of your stuff isn’t going to be an easy task. You are going to find plenty of reasons not to throw something out or even give it away. Here are just some of the pitfalls you will have to fight in order to reign in the chaos.
- It cost a lot of money. Sure, all of those purses cluttering your closet probably did cost a bundle of cash, but what is the true cost of keeping them?
- If their cost is keeping you from giving them away, try selling them through a local consignment shop or put them in your next garage sale. Not only will you free up some space in your closet, you just might make a few extra bucks.
- Someone gave it to me. Gifts are wonderful things, but sometimes we simply do not need those particular items.
- When you receive something you don’t want, don’t like or can’t use, either re-gift it to someone else who may enjoy it, donate it to someone who needs it, or consign it and get some cash to buy what you really want or need.
- My kids made it. Keeping those special items your kids made is perfectly fine. But, resist keeping it all.
- Try limiting mementos to one medium sized box (two at the most). That way you can really enjoy those mementos from time to time without being overwhelmed. The rest can go.
- I might need it someday. Heck, we might need everything some day. That doesn’t mean we should hold onto everything until then.
- Keep what you know you’ll need within the year and ditch the rest.
Getting control of your clutter is never easy, but with these basic tips, it is doable. So, stop procrastinating and get working on getting your clutter under control.
