A clean home is linked to better mental and physical health. If you’re looking for ways to make your home feel cozy and inviting, start by decluttering. Use the following tips to help you create a space that you love.
Set a Timer
Starting slow is totally fine. If the clutter in your home is overwhelming, use a timer to help you get going. Start by setting your timer for 5 minutes and work as hard as you can to declutter during that stretch of time. As you get better at sorting through things, you can work up to 10, 20 or even 30 minute increments.
12-12-12 Rule
Another great way to help you declutter is the 12-12-12 method. Walk into a room and identify 12 things to throw away, 12 to donate and 12 that need to be put back in their proper place. This is an easy way to get started and can help you feel less overwhelmed.
Fill a Trash Bag
Once again, if you need to start slow, that’s okay. Grab a trash bag and work towards filling it up. You can fill it up with items to donate or items to throw away. When you finish a trash bag, give yourself a pat on the back. If you’d like to continue, that’s great! If you want to take things slow and do one trash bag a day- that works too.
Donate Clothes
Go through your clothes and get rid of the items you no longer wear. Now is not the time to hold on to clothes that you ‘might fit in again someday’. Try on every single item you own and donate the pieces that don’t make you feel your best.
Work Room to Room
If the thought of decluttering your entire home is overwhelming to you, break it up by rooms. Pick a place to start and declutter that entire space. Then, simply move on to the next room. You will feel great having spaces that are completely clutter free. Hopefully, this will motivate you to keep going.
Four Box Method
The four box method is another great way to help you declutter your space. An article written by Joshua Becker for becomingminimalist.com explains, “Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Enter any room in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don’t skip a single item, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This may take days, weeks, or months, but it will help you see how many items you really own and you’ll know exactly what to do with each item.”
Take Before and After Pictures
Record how far you’ve come. Take before and after pictures of the spaces you declutter. This physical proof of your hard work will give you motivation to keep going!
Decluttering your home is worth the effort. You’ll be surprised how much better your home will feel.
