How to get rid of the clutter for good in 5 easy steps!
Yes y’all… it’s another post on organization and decreasing clutter in your home!
Why are these sort of blog posts popular you think?
Well, maybe it’s because we’re all in the same boat, trying to organize our homes to be the best it can be!
Who hates clutter and mess? (HANDS UP HERE!)
I am so that person who literally breaks out in hives when I see things that are out of order; just ask my co-workers!
But, I’m here to help you all with 5 simple & easy things you can do to make your home less cluttered and feel more freeing!
Start small
This is the one that I have to practice on the daily. You need to start small y’all or else you’ll get so overwhelmed, you’d give up before you even start!
Try this out:
Give yourself 5-15 minutes (that’s it!) to de-clutter a drawer, your closet, or a kitchen cupboard. You wouldn’t believe what you can accomplish in such a short amount of time!
Sometimes, a short time frame is all you need to get the ball rolling and to get you motivated.
2. Use a checklist
Shameless plug here… but have you seen the checklist that you can get for free??
I’m telling you guys, a checklist is a LIFE SAVER if you don’t know where to start, hence, why I decided to make one for myself.
I sometimes noticed that certain checklists didn’t have some of the practical things I needed, so I made sure to include them in the checklist as well. It’s a simple & quick list of things you can get started on today to rid yourself of the things you no longer need. You can sign up to get the download to The Room Refresh Checklist here!
3. One thing in, 2 things out!
Yes! TWO THINGS OUT!
If you just need that new basket to add to your basket wall, you have to find two things to give away to your local donation center. Why do we keep adding more and more things in our home when we really only ever use the same things over and over again?
I never figured that one out..
Me, on the other hand…
I love giving things away to my donation center. Hey, they even know me by my first name!
It makes me feel good that I’m helping to possibly give someone somethings that once gave me great joy, now they can have great joy with it too.
Really, it does make you feel different.
We all can practice a little minimalism in our lives, couldn’t we?
4. Take before and after photos
This one is magical.
A before & after photo comparison really showcases the progress you made!
When I signed up for the One Room Challenge™ and decided to tackle my kids’ shared bedroom, I knew I had to take some photos - not just because the challenge required them, but because the room was a not being optimized as it should and I needed to see effects of my hard work!
But you guys… I beg of you to not think of me any different when you see their closet! Pretty please?? Ok, thanks ;)
The before of their closet was an utter nightmare! And the image below doesn’t even compare to the anxiety it caused me every day.
I’m embarrassed to even show this photo but, we’re best friends and you promised you wouldn’t judge me, right??!
Just check out the image of my kids’ shared bedroom closet BEFORE…
Wait, wait…I know what you’re thinking. You’re probably thinking I’m crazy because if you look at the before picture of their room, it’s not that bad & you’re so right!
I just KNEW this room would look a lot better if I got rid of the mess and worked on the organization and functionality, it would be WAY better.
Check out the AFTER below…
I absolutely loooove their room now! I walk by it every day and it makes me so happy to see it in all of it’s beauty.
My kids adore their room space now, and there’s no better feeling than that.
And now their closet is clean, spacious, and bright!
I got rid of A LOT of junk that they no longer needed or played with, parred down their books to their favourites, and organized their out of season clothing in the baskets shown.
And let me tell you…
A true game changer it is!
A fresh coat of paint and the building of a seating bench in their closet adds further storage and also doubles as a place where they can hang out and read their books.
I’m telling you…
Nothing compared to the feeling of “I can’t believe I did that!”.
Photos are confirmation and reassurance that you can do it. You can make a difference in your home with a little (or a lot) of hard work and determination.
5. Reality TV is not REALITY
You know the show, “Hoarders”?
Yup. I’m guilty of watching a whole series or two straight…
Mind you, the people on the show have a mental illness that should not be overlooked, but what it sometimes doesn’t show you is the amount of time it takes to really declutter a space.
I’m telling you, this stuff takes time.
Rome wasn’t built in a day. You will have hiccups along the way (omg, I never even intended for that to rhyme lol).
And it’s not going to be a ‘clean once & never have to deal with it again’ situation.
Things like de-cluttering need regular keep-ups meaning, you have to find a system that works for you that will allow for you to maintain your space, or else you’ll revert right back to your old habits.
And I know you no longer want that clutter in your life since you’re here reading this post, right??
As always, thanks for stopping by and reading this post.
But before you go, did you grab the freebie yet? Don’t forget to download The Room Refresh Checklist here!
I hope you found this post helpful in how you can declutter for good in 5 easy steps. You can take what I’ve practiced for myself and try it out in your life too. Let me know what you think! I’d love to hear from you.
Got questions? Leave a comment! Let’s chat.
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