These past few years have found many of us working from living rooms, home-schooling our kids, jumping on endless Zoom calls, and spending more time than ever exploring hobbies and indoor distractions.
Because of this, we may have found that we have begun to accumulate more and more things over the past few months.
Many of us have begun to see clutter creeping into our lives and, little by little may be finding that we have let ourselves become ever so slightly more disorganized.
As we begin to search for ways to simplify our homes and move towards more minimalistic lifestyles, the prospect can seem daunting and overwhelming at first. Especially since so much of who we are seems inexorably tied to the things we possess.
But the reality is that we are not our things. And there is a sense of relief and comfort that comes with being in open and clear spaces, uncluttered, clean, and organized.
We are more naturally creative, peaceful, and happy when we are in clean and open spaces.
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This is the reason so many people are drawn towards minimalism and the concepts of simple living every year.
And although you may not be ready for such a drastic transformation just yet, there are small and easy changes that you can make that will start you on your journey.
Here Are Some Simple Tips That You Can Start Doing Today to Declutter and Organize Your Home
RE-EVALUATE YOUR STYLE AND NEEDS
This is a great time to look at your home with fresh eyes.
Do you still use and want that China cabinet? Are the items in there still being used and are they functional or do you only keep them for holidays and sentimentality?
Do all of your furniture pieces match your current style and sensibilities or are you still keeping items that need to be fixed, updated, or that just don’t quite fit in with your current energy?
It’s ok to let things go.
Sometimes that’s the hardest part to realize and actualize.
LET GO OF THE PAST
Start by purging extra or unused belongings. Go through clothes, closets, and drawers and clear out pieces that don’t fit or no longer work. Don’t hold on to clothes as “rewards” for losing weight or for that “one day …”.
Instead, aim to reach your health goals and treat yourself with new and modern pieces that better reflect your lifestyle at that time.
Take those extra clothes and donate them to a charity or shelter.
If times are tight, as they are for many families, consider selling them online on sites like eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Mercari, or Poshmark.
INCLUDE THE KIDS
Have the kids go through their rooms and pick out the toys they no longer use. Just like you, they can take this opportunity to donate to charity or earn a few dollars by reselling online. You will be surprised by what some of their used toys could earn on sites like eBay and Kidizen.
This important step teaches kids about the value of things. It helps them understand that caring for their items allows them to be passed on to others and have a useful life far after we have outgrown them and it allows them to (hopefully) appreciate the items they do have and the environment they keep them in.
Create a place for each toy, even those tiny little pieces from sets. Keep like with like and give each child a basket where they could put their playthings inside when they finish using them.
Teach your kids to pick up their toys before bedtime or after they’ve finished playing with their items. This will establish good habits for them and will help keep their rooms a little neater.
Tidiness is a habit and if we can teach it early – we can pass it on to our children as well.
INVEST IN YOURSELF
When you do new add pieces to your life, whether it is clothing, décor, or furniture, buy quality pieces that you love or that have multiple aspects of functionality.
Get pieces that will last, that are durable and beautiful. Buy clothing pieces that can mix and match with other core wardrobe pieces so that you can maximize their potential. It doesn’t have to be expensive to be impactful.
But do ask yourself if it is something you truly love before you buy and avoid impulse purchases when you can.
Before you bring it home, know where it will go and what function it will play.
Know where it will live. Think before you buy
SET A SCHEDULE
Keep cleaning products stored in the areas they will be most used, whether that is under the sink, in the closet, or upstairs. That way you will minimize having to transport products with you whenever you are trying to spot clean.
Try to remove clutter from countertops each night to keep it contained – but we all know how hard this can be, especially with so many demands on our time. To counterbalance this, have one designated decluttering and cleaning day each week.
And if you have kids -> get them involved.
At our house, this is on Saturday mornings. Everyone knows that on Saturdays we clean (unless we have sports then it gets bumped to Sundays). So, with some minimal grumbling, everyone pitches in and we get it done – together.
Although this is not part of the actual decluttering process, it does make it easier to maintain the order if you have a schedule.
LOOK AT THE BIG PICTURE
As you are eliminating pieces and removing clutter, do a visual sweep of the room. Look for visual clutter. Look at the big picture.
What is the first thing you see when you enter the room? How does it feel?
Make sure that the whole room looks and feels clean and open.
STAY MOTIVATED
Document your changes with photos or videos to have a record of your accomplishments. You may want to record your journey on YouTube or TikTok so you can see how far you have come or to motivate others in the process.
This is also a great way to see your before and after.
KEEP IT UP
Focus on this project in bite-size pieces.
One drawer at a time. One closet at a time. One room at a time.
That feeling of accomplishment tends to snowball as you see the positive changes.
To keep the process going, schedule a “walk-through” of your home every 4 months.
Discard or pack up items that you no longer use or need.
Remember, everything doesn’t have to go into the trash.
It is much easier to part with sentimental items if we know that they will have another life with another family and be loved once again.
Donate them, gift them, hand them down to family, or sell them online – start slow, but start.
As you begin to simplify your home of some of the unnecessary items, you will start to notice that you have more time, more space, more freedom to find peace in other areas of your personal and professional life as well.
Simplifying your home then becomes a stepping stone.
It is only the beginning to peace, to creativity, to calm, to so much more …