subject: Reduce Your Clutter in 7 Days or Less [print this page] So, youve decided you want to reduce clutter in your home. You can no longer live with tripping over unused items, with cupboards and shelves bursting and bulging under the weight of years of accumulated stuff. Clearing your clutter need not be the arduous task you might think. In fact, you can have a clutter-free home in around 7 days or less if you know what to do. In this article, I am going to share a few pointers with you to get you on the road to a clutter-free life. Well take it a day at a time. Ready ? Day 1
Assess and mobilize On day one, youre going to want to assess the scale of the task that faces you and plan accordingly. How many rooms do you have to tackle? Divide the number by 7 and thats the number of rooms you need to work on each day. I have 6 rooms in my home (wash closet, bathroom, kitchen, bedroom, living room, home-office) so I can do one room per day with the seventh day free for overlap. Detail which room you will work on each day with the first one being day one. Yes, youll assess and begin all in day one. This is decluttering the ninja way! In your assessment and planning, decide if you need any special equipment such as extra shelving, storage boxes or if you need to make any arrangements for disposing of clutter youre throwing out. Then, choose your first room and make a start. Its important to dive in once youve spent some time planning. Procrastination will meet you at every turn during this time, so dont let it get a foothold. Action is the key. Day 2
Youre on to the second room you selected today. The type of room will determine how you approach the task of decluttering. But a good rule of thumb is to work clockwise round the room and ask yourself some key questions about the items that youre not sure whether to keep or ditch. Ask yourself: when was the last time I used this item? Was it over a year ago? If the answer is yes, the item either needs a new life with someone else or its time has come. You can also ask: Do I actually like this thing? You may find youre holding onto items out of guilt (because someone you love gave it to you and you dont want to upset them by chucking it) or you may just feel bad about throwing away a perfectly good item that you dont like. If the latter is the case, sell it on eBay, Craigslist or donate it to charity. Day 3
Youre now onto your third room (or third and fourth if you have more than 6 or 7 rooms in total) so get to work in those rooms. Youll likely come across clothes at some point, so bear in mind that many of us hold onto clothes for emotional reasons and be prepared to face some demons. You may not fit into your favourite old jeans anymore, so do what you can to accept this and move on. Many people hold onto unwanted weight when they hang on to clutter so think of your decluttering as a good opportunity to address any goals you might have for your ideal weight. Donate clothes that are in good condition. Day 4
Move on now to your next room or set of rooms. If you find youre faced with piles of paperwork, bills and mail then consider creating a filing system to keep it all organised. A shortcut in this 7 day plan is to create neat piles and place them into trays or folders until youre ready to file them away in hanging files or a file box. You can have this job done in a few hours if you avoid procrastination. Day 5
Youre more than half way through! At some point, youre going to come across the kitchen. Clutter central for many people. Be ruthless here with anything you have double of (you really dont need 2 garlic presses) and ditch anything youre not using on a regular basis. Kitchens are havens for used electrical gadgets and appliances, so if you have a sandwich toaster thats not been used since the early 80s, then ditch or donate. Day 6
Only one more day to go. You can do it. The bathroom is one place that also attracts clutter on a similar scale to the kitchen. So, be bold here. Throw out any expired medication and creams, shampoo, ointments and so on that are more than 3-4 months old. If youve not used them in that time, they need to go. You might need some compact storage for towels and hooks on doors are great for bathrobes. Make sure you have a waste basket in the bathroom but be sure to empty it often. Day 7
So, here we are! The end is in sight. You may have already finished , if so you can take a well earned rest in your renewed, clutter-free home. For those of you still going, get to work on the remaining room or rooms. It will help to remind yourself at this stage of the reasons why you want to declutter. Restate your intention for the final push. And it might help you to know that organization experts frequently report that their clients experience increased financial success, weight loss, better productivity at work, happier, balanced and more fulfilling relationships and less stress as a result of reducing clutter. So, youve done it. Clutter-free in 7 days. Congratulations!
