subject: Tips For Getting Rid Of Clutter [print this page] Living in a cluttered home can be frustratingLiving in a cluttered home can be frustrating. There's never enough room to move around and finding places for new things can be difficult. The fact is that as you live in a home, you begin to accumulate items. Everyone does. But if you're the type of person that likes to save things, whether for sentimental reasons or in case you need an item for a future occasion, things can start to pile up fast. We're all guilty of it to some point. You may have heard the phrase "messy house, messy mind." Studies have linked clean houses with having a clearer mind and better emotional well-being. So what are you waiting for? Here are some tips that will help you get started.
First, take a look at your house. Where does clutter most often accumulate? Do you have a tendency to throw your clothes on the floor? Do you keep unnecessary paperwork that is slowly beginning to hide your desk? Is your closet full of clothes you haven't worn in years? Figure out what spaces in your home seem to collect clutter. This can help you watch those places in the future so you can make a concerted effort to avoid those bad habits. Next, pick one area to begin and take your time. Don't overwhelm yourself by thinking you have to do it all at once. If your closet is threatening to burst, take a look at your clothing selection. Figure out when you last wore each item. There are undoubtedly a few pieces you've been telling yourself you'll eventually wear, but you just haven't gotten around to it. Make a pile of clothes you want to get rid of, clothes you want to keep, and clothes you want to put in storage.
Use this method for every area you go through. Separate everything into those three categories. Once you've gone through an area, throw away the things you don't want anymore. If you plan to give them away, designate an area or storage bin for this purpose. Then organize the pile of things you want to keep into an orderly system. This would be a good time to get picky about organization, like alphabetizing your movie collection or color-coding your wardrobe. Designate a space for the things you want to keep but want to put in storage. If you've accumulated more than your house can handle, it might be a good idea to rent a self storage unit. A storage unit is a great way to store all the things you want to keep for a future time, but would rather not have in the house.
After you've gone through every area of the house, on set aside fifteen minutes a day from now on to go through one area and get rid of the clutter. The key to keeping your house clean is daily maintenance.
