Decluttering habit: a 4 step strategy to keep your home clutter-free

To declutter your home can be a daunting and overwhelming task for many.

We become attached to our possessions, we are afraid to let them go. We get addicted to the thrill of buying things.

As clutter slowly creeps up we become used to living in a fuller space until it reaches a point where we can’t stand it anymore, and we go on a decluttering spree. What we need are some good decluttering tips and strategies to keep our home clutter-free, so that we don’t have to repeat this process every few months.

I am by nature a mostly organized person. I don’t stomach clutter very well and I have never really had a problem with decluttering and getting rid of things that don’t serve me.

BUT. I used to declutter, and then allow the clutter to accumulate again. And I think that is perhaps what happens to many of us. We are pretty good at organizing and decluttering but that usually happens only when we reach breaking point, and we can’t stand the mess anymore.

As I start to declutter with intention, I see now that many times in the past, I have re-organized items instead of actually decluttering.

That’s part of why I’m looking to simplify my life. I’m tired of spending half my life keeping everything tidy and organized. So I’m simplifying. Less stuff = less work.

So I want to share my thoughts with you and give you my decluttering tips that will help keep your home clutter-free.

Why you should keep your home clutter-free

• The biggest problem with clutter is that it slows you down. And not in a good way!
• A clutter-free home gives you both physical and mental space.
• It allows you to be more creative, as you have fewer distractions.
• It is easier to keep tidy and clean.
• Your productivity and time management improves because you don’t have to spend time having to look for things or trip over toys or bags or piles of clothes lying on the floor.
• A clutter-free home has a better energy flow.
• When your home is clutter-free, your life is more simplified, which leads to less stress and a greater sense of wellbeing.

Decluttering tips to keep your home clutter-free

1. Be willing to give decluttering a try

One of the most powerful phrases to use if you want to implement change in your life, and you are stuck, is to use the words “I am willing”. So my first decluttering tip to keep your home clutter-free is to start with “I am willing to give it a try”.

Then, set a time-frame for yourself. I find that when you start with a new habit, it is easier to commit to doing it for a few months, than thinking you need to change something for the rest of your life.

For example, commit that for the next 3 months, you will declutter your life and keep your home clutter-free, and see where that brings you.

2. Create decluttering guidelines

The second decluttering tip to keep your home clutter-free is to create some guidelines for yourself.

For example, for each new item that you buy (like a pair of shoes or wine glasses or bed linen or clothes), you will donate or sell the older item(s).

Take a hard look at the type of things you spend money on, and ask yourself, do they add value to your life? If yes, how?

Can you *be willing* to stop buying anything that isn’t absolutely necessary or important for your survival?

Don’t wait for the “right” time to sort out your life and your possessions. Understand that there is no such thing as the right time. Commit to making living clutter-free a way of life for a certain time period, and start doing it RIGHT NOW.

3. Change your approach to decluttering

When you look at a cluttered messy room, it is so easy to get overwhelmed and anxious when you think you have to clear it up.

We become attached to our possessions and in many cases, we identify with them. And many of us fear that we might need something again. Hence the junk drawer(s) where everything disappears into never to see the light of day again. Like a big black hole!

So my third decluttering tip around keeping your home clutter-free is to take it slow. Instead of setting a whole day aside to declutter your entire home (who can do that without freaking out?!), rather do a little bit each day.

It helps you in two ways

• you won’t feel so overwhelmed by all of the “work” you need to do,
• once you have decluttered something, be it a drawer, a cupboard or a whole room, it will inspire and motivate you to carry on.

Ideas for doing a slow declutter

• Rubbish makes things look cluttered, make sure you throw things into the rubbish bin instead of leaving it on counters
• Pick dirty laundry up from the floor and put it into a basket or the machine
• Take 10-15 minutes each day to declutter something (drawer, bookshelf, cupboard). After the time is up, stop and carry on with your life 🙂
• Choose 5 items each day to get rid of. Either sell it, donate it or trash it. That’s 35 items a week or 450 items over 3 months!
• Whatever type of decluttering method you use, finish it. Don’t make 3 new heaps of clutter for everything you are decluttering. You will just demotivate yourself when you look at this new heap of things. Sell what you need to sell, take the donate stuff to the drop-off and put the rest in the trash.

Watch this video about clutter and your brain.

4. Questions to ask yourself when you declutter

If you get stuck on reducing items or decluttering you can ask yourself these questions to motivate you and help you make a decision

• Have you used it in the past year?
• Do you still like the item?
• Does it still fit?
• Do you have duplicates of it?
• Is it broken?
• Has it passed it’s best by date?
• How does it benefit you?
• Does it add value to your life?

So there you have it, my 4 step strategy with decluttering tips to keep your home clutter-free. I hope this post has inspired you to make living clutter-free a reality for you!