5 Tips for Getting Rid of Clutter
Living in a cluttered home can feel like you’ve lost control of your life. Not only can clutter affect our mental health, but it can also make it so that we invite fewer people into our homes and affect our physical health.
In addition, space and square footage are getting more expensive; many consider if the useless things they hold onto are worth the attachment.
If you want to clear things out, here are the top five tips to help you through the process.
Work Room by Room
If you have clutter in your life, the chances are that it’s across many parts of your home. Don’t give in to the chaos; and instead, work room by room and break it down into manageable chunks.
Sometimes an overfilled closet can take someone an entire weekend to work through: and that’s okay. The good thing is that they’re putting in the work.
Consider Item by Item
You don’t have to throw away all of your possessions. Instead, look at every item and consider how it fits into your life:
- Have you used it in the last year?
- Do you see yourself using it within the next year?
- If not, why have you held onto it?
Sometimes emotional attachment is large enough that it outweighs everything else: and that’s okay. Just take the time to consider if your devotion to the object is inflated or if it’s truly deserved.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask For Help
Clutter can overwhelm and break down even the strongest people. If you aren’t sure if you can fight it on your own, ask for help.
Find a friend you trust who you know won’t judge you, and ask for them to sit with you while you work through sorting.
They don’t have to sort with you; they can simply body-double while you work on it: having someone else there with you can make a project fly by.
Be Honest With Yourself
We all may think that we know what’s important to us, but seriously consider reopening your mind to things. For example, do you truly love that sweater, or do you like it because it reminds you of college?
Use critical thinking on why each item matters to you and if it’s worth the space, it takes up.
Get Rid of Things Responsibly
Although it may seem easier to throw everything you don’t want into a trashcan: don’t give in to this if you can help it. Just like you’d sell real estate instead of trashing it the moment you don’t want it: be mindful with how you get rid of your unwanted possessions.
If an item is in great condition, consider selling or donating it. Selling through consignment shops is the better option if you decide to sell because it gets out of your home immediately. However, if you have to wait for an online auction, you might talk yourself out of selling it.
Recycle anything that can be recycled, donate things in good condition, and only throw something in the trash if they don’t fit anywhere else in this option.
