Easy Decluttering tips that actually work

January 16, 2021

In 2020, people had more time to reflect on their current situation. Our routines changed dramatically. Many were forced to stay at home due to lockdowns and restrictions. People started using clothes they had instead of buying new, found joy in reading, baking, painting. Materialism meant food on the table and comfort in the home.

Anxiety grew in many people when they had to be home as it was messy, full of clutter and stuff laying around. The previous strategy of running away from the task of tackling it or distracting themselves were not feasible any longer.

That is why it is no surprise why so many people are attracted to the big movement of minimalist lifestyle, declutter and financial freedom.

So, how to start decluttering?

Start declutter when you are well rested and not hungry.

Choose the scope you will be uncluttering today. A closet, a room, or only a drawer.

Have a purpose on why you are doing it. This goal will keep u motivated. For example, let’s assume you decided to clean up the garage to fit your car so you can save time by not needing to scrape windows during the cold winter mornings. You can see the benefit it will bring you when u achieve it.

Have someone to hold you accountable (a friend, parent, partner or even our community in social media. Just post your project there and we can follow your progress.

Put some upbeat music on!

“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”

Dale Carnegie Tweet

Expert tips on how to effectively declutter any room in your house:

Get 4 boxes and label them: trash, donate/ give away, keep, re-locate. Go through EVERY item in the room/ drawer you chose as your project for today. Don’t skip anything. This will allow you to realize how much stuff you own and what purpose you want to give to it.

Within the scope your chose, go through one category per time. Let’s use a closet as example. Start with your shoes, then boots, the jeans, then dresses, etc. It is a lot easier to decide what to keep and what to toss if you are looking at all your jeans at once.

Keep only the items that fit you and that you love. Get rid of the off-colored t-shit, the oversized pants, damaged clothes. If you have items that’s needs fixing and you don’t want to get rid of them, set yourself a deadline to fix it. Put an alar on your phone. If you haven’t fixed it by that date, you should throw it away.
Get rid of duplicate items, broken items, outgrown clothes and shoes, anything you will never use again.

Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. Get help if you feel stuck in the decision process, but keep moving forward.

Re-discover your style. You maybe found something from when you were 20 or a gift you got from your cousin that does not fit your style but you feel bad to get rid of. When identifying what you love, you will also learn what you don’t like nor fit in your current lifestyle. Make sure to get rid of the latter. I am sure someone else will appreciate it more than you do right now.

Feeling nostalgic about old pictures, items from your childhood or gifts? – Nostalgia is NOT your friend! You may decide for yourself if the item you hold brings you joy and you want to keep it in its current format, or if your want to digitalize it and discard the original. The choice is yours. My only calling here is, don’t start walking the memory lane. This will eat up your time and remove your focus from the task at hand. You can reminisce later once you completed the task with a coffee or wine in your hand and a great feeling of satisfaction Do not get side-tracked or distracted.

Avoid cleaning during the decluttering process. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Once you complete this task, you can start cleaning.

Organize the items you are keeping so you can see every item. Fold and hang your items with love and intention. Think on your style and

Let your kids see you doing it. They may want to join and advise on what to do with your items. This is a great judgement exercise for the kids. Hopefully this will inspire them to do it in their room as well. I’m a true believer in leading by example.

That happened with my 8-year old daughter who on Saturday morning woke up and said she would organize her room. She was there the entire day! I could not believe her patience and perseverance. She throw-away many items that were worn-out or broken, donated 2 big bags and Sent 1 big bag with items to be sold via Sellpy (a platform to sell used items in Sweden. They send you a bag, you fill it up, they take pictures, make description, post on their online shop and handle all questions and payment. It is super convenient!).

"The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don't."

Marie Kondo Tweet

Important points for after you decluttered:

Introduce the 1-minute organizing rule to your family

Before leaving a room, look around if there is anything to be taken to where you are going

Take that pair of jeans from the bathroom to the laundry room.

When I was managing restaurants, I used to say to the same thing to the staff. Every time you move room, look around if there is anything to be brought with you to be put in the right place.

There is a saying in the Food & Beverage industry that goes like this “Empty hand, empty head.”. Be always aware of your surroundings. This is also good habit for kids to learn.

Create a system and habits to keep your home tidy.

For example: Always have the dishes done before going to bed. All kids toys to be placed in its place. No clothes laying around the house. For details on how to do that click here.

Make your home beautiful, functional and calming. Here is where you add to your home. There are few simple concepts to consider when furnishing and arranging a room that gives big effect.

We normally have conflicted ideas of what we want our home to be. We want the home to have texture, luxurious lavish soft finishes, big bookshelves, etc. But still want it to feel spacious and minimalist.

We want our home to be a safe and calming place from the chaotic outside world. At the same time, we want our kids to be able to play freely around the house.

So how to design it in a way that it’s beautiful and functional? I will share with you in next week’s blog post. So stay tuned. Follow us on Instagram and don’t miss it!