Declutter By Following These Simple Steps

You may be ready to declutter and simply your environment. That’s great! I remember when I started my decluttering process ten years ago I was motivated but I was also a bit overwhelmed. Seeing all of that stuff was daunting at first. You may be wondering how and where to where to start your own decluttering. Here are a few of my favorite tips to keep your organizing on track.

First, be patient. I know…once that switch flips you want all of that stuff to go! But it’s probably going to take time pecking away at one shelf, cabinet, or corner of your garage at a time. (Unless you hire a dumpster and toss it all at once). Think about how many bags, boxes, and car loads it took to accumulate all of your belonging. It’s likely going to take just as many trips to remove unwanted or unneeded things.

Next, decluttering requires persistence. Set aside a regular time to go through your items. My husband and I worked every Saturday morning over the course of about 6 months. We went top to bottom through our home giving away, selling, and donating more than half of our belongings. I know that sounds like a big commitment, but it was worth it. As each space started functioning better, we did, too.

I found first with myself and now with my clients, two hour blocks of decluttering work well. Going through your old stuff can be tiring and emotional. Plus, you’ll want to finish what you start.

Decluttering is a three step process. It requires looking at your items, sorting them, and bringing them to their final destination. If you don’t complete this process, those sorted piles can become more clutter and add to the overwhelm. My recommendation? Start in small space or just sort one type of thing at a time. For example,trying on all of your jeans or sorting through one book shelf can be time consuming and take up a two hour block.

Finally, give up the idea of the perfect home. Perfection only resides in magazines and on home improvement shows. Most houses are places where activities take place and things move around all the time. The idea with the decluttering is to eliminate the excess so that you can store and easily find what you do use–helping you and your home function better.

Lisa Law is a leading authority on Feng Shui, Decluttering, and Living a Balanced Lifestyle. She offers in-person and distance consultations, classes, webinars, and coaching. She has been a trainer for the Western School of Feng Shui.  She also runs the wildly successful Lawfully Yours Wedding Chapel LLC out of New Hamshire, all-inclusive one-stop wedding experience.