If you are like me, you’ve been overwhelmed with clutter at times. Maybe you have had several life changes that have contributed to all of that clutter. Maybe you’ve moved, gotten married, had a child, experienced a job change, come down with a chronic illness, or maybe even taken on the care of someone in your extended family.
Whatever the cause for clutter, you’ve become exhausted trying. Even thinking about it seems overwhelming because it seems like an insurmountable task. Well, I have good news for you!
You are not alone. You can do this. In fact, the best way to ensure a lasting change is to take on a new habit slowly and daily. The habit we are going to form is what I call a year long thorough declutter. Let’s explore how to do a year long thorough declutter. Each task will encourage you to maintain a declutter mindset.
Trash It
See all that stuff lying around on your floor? Whether it’s clutter, magazines, old newspapers, the kid’s toys, laundry or just plain garbage – it needs to GO.
Whatever the item is in question, you need to get it OFF the floor and in your “Does NOT belong HERE” box or basket to deal with after this decluttering sprint.
Scan the floor of your room and take 5 minutes to remove anything and EVERYTHING off the floor that does NOT belong there. If it’s trash or junk, then put that stuff straight IN the trash for disposal.
Vacuum It
The next thing you’ll need to do is to give the floor a quick vacuum.
I know it sounds crazy to vacuum BEFORE you’re done decluttering, right?
Here’s WHY I do it before I’m totally done:
It’s a “decluttering motivation technique“.
Once you SEE immediate results, it WILL inspire you to finish the room you’re in AND to declutter ANOTHER room or space in your home next.
I have lots of ways I “trick” myself into cleaning – and that vacuuming hack always works for ME.
Remove It
With 5 minutes left to go, you’ll want to remove any clutter off any other surfaces.
But there are moments when you’re in a pinch and don’t have time to properly sort the clutter – you just need it out of sight!
If you are in the living room, then remove any clutter off your coffee table.
If you are in your home office, reduce any clutter by removing loose papers from your office desk.
If you are decluttering your kitchen, reduce any clutter by removing large unneeded items, organizing neatly the things you DO use daily, and smartly arranging your kitchen appliances to give a clutter-free look to your kitchen.
Spend 15 minutes to declutter any room in your home starting from the bottom up – spend 5 minutes to trash it, 5 minutes to vacuum it, and 5 minutes to remove it.
