The Art of Decluttering

You should use this winter period as an opportunity to get rid of clutter in your home. If you are looking for some motivation, we have plenty of reasons why you should declutter:

1. Clear your mind – A clear home is essential for a clear mind. Clutter can limit your brain’s ability to process information and focus.
2. Reduce stress – You can also find it difficult to unwind in a place that is filled with clutter. There are many surveys to back this statement up. A Rubbermaid survey concluded that 42 per cent of homeowners experienced more anxiety when their homes were cluttered or organized. A survey by the Huffington Post also revealed that 84 per cent of people worry that their homes are not organized or cleaned enough.
3. Sell your home for more money – When selling your home, one of the first things you need to do is declutter it. Clutter is something that can put a lot of people off. However, getting rid of it offers a return on investment of around 400 per cent.
4. Enjoy your home more – You will also get more enjoyment from your home because you will spend less time doing housework. In fact, getting rid of clutter eliminates around 40 per cent of housework in the average home.
5. Improve your health – You will be able to breathe easier once you have got rid of clutter, as junk can gather dust and cause breathing problems, especially amongst those that have asthma. 
6. If you have allergies, you may even need to move large items, like beds or carpets. Hiring a dumpster from CFL Dumpsters is the best way to declutter large items that are causing your health a problem.
7. Can help you with lowering your contents insurance – Look at your home at present, how much do you think all your items are worth? It’s probably impossible to estimate if you have a lot of clutter, and you should never simply guess when taking out this type of insurance policy. If you do, you could find that you are unable to replace your most prized item if the worst does happen. This is why it is crucial to declutter beforehand.

As you can see, there are many compelling reasons why you should de-clutter your property.

The next step is getting rid of the junk. Thinking about this can be tiring enough! But, we’ve got some useful advice to help you get started:

The 12-12-12 challenge – The 12-12-12 challenge is a great way to get started. It can breathe a bit of competition into decluttering between you and your partner, which will make it more enjoyable. With the 12-12-12 challenge, you need to find 12 items to throw in the bin, 12 items to be returned to their proper home, and 12 items to donate.

Four-box approach – Another popular approach is to grab four boxes, one for relocating, one for keeping, one for giving away, and one for chucking in the bin. You need to make sure you fill each box.

Visualize the room – It is important to visualize how you want the room to be before you get started. This will give you a focus; otherwise, you could simply end up moving clutter from one place to another.

One area at a time – You should tackle one area at a time. Don’t worry if you don’t completely declutter your home on the day you start. So long as you’ve decluttered one room, you have been successful. This will be your clutter-free zone, so pick your starting room wisely.

Clear counters – It is always a good idea to remove clutter from flat spaces first. You should only keep your essential items here.

Storage solutions – Simply throwing all of your stuff into a box is not the answer. You will still have the clutter at the back of your mind. Instead, invest in storage items that make it easy for you to keep everything organised. For example, jewelry stands and boxes are ideal for ensuring your necklaces do not get tangled or you don’t lose a precious keepsake. For something more substantial, consider a 12×14 Lean-to-Storage Shed Plan. This is a great way to ensure you free up space and have plenty more room to put your items.

So there it is, the art of de-cluttering. Hopefully, you now feel like you are prepared and have all of the information you need to start de-cluttering your home and getting rid of all of the items that no longer have any use.

Feature Image Source: Pixabay