Anyone regularly reading this blog will be aware of the many benefits that can arise from decluttering the home effectively. It can really make a massive difference to your home, your mental clarity and your well-being. And you can make your home so much more enjoyable to spend time in if you are decluttering regularly and effectively. So to be able to approach it successfully, you might need to consider some of the major principles of decluttering. Here are our top picks:
Find Your Why
Take some time to consider your reasons for simplifying your space. Do you feel overwhelmed by your belongings? Do you feel you have lost track of what is where? Does your environment have a messy feel and as though there are lots of unfinished tasks around? Having a clear idea of what’s bothering you will keep you going when you’re in the middle of decluttering. We often hit a ‘brick wall’ at some point. And it can take steely determination to push through. You could take this concept further and visualise what you want your space to look like. Perhaps make a vision board for how you want your home and life to look when you have finished your decluttering journey.
Have A Backup Place
It can be really helpful to have some kind of backup place that you can use for temporary storage if you really need to. If you’re moving house or want to save furniture for a later stage of life, putting things into storage can be the most sensible solution. You can consider long term storage units or more short term box by box storage options.
Avoid The Maybe Pile
That being said, you should also really aim to be as strict with yourself as possible. After all, you are trying to declutter as effectively as you can, and that means actually sticking to the kinds of things that you are aiming for. In other words – get rid of that maybe pile! While it might seem as though it’s the kind of tool that can help, you are actually just kidding yourself with this. And it’s much more effective to do away with it altogether. That is going to make for a much more effective decluttering process.
Be Decisive
This is similar to the above, but it’s something that is worth remembering in its own right too. Try to be decisive with your decluttering. Make firm decisions about the likelihood of whether or not you really need something. You’re not always going to get the decision right and that’s ok. The occasional regret is worth it if the outcome is a clutter-free space. And you will free-up mental energy deliberating over small decisions.
But Be Patient
At the same time, however, try to remember the value of patience. It can take time to actually build up the energy to get rid of a good quantity of your belongings. The decluttering mindset is a muscle which with practice, becomes stronger. So, allow yourself to find it difficult at times and struggle for a time before ultimately succeeding. Everyone finds it difficult at first, so forgive yourself and be as patient as you can. It can take a year or more to declutter and simplify your home. You can also enjoy the process whilst you’re in it.
We hope you’ve enjoyed reading about our major principles of decluttering. Check out our full Declutter Your Home Checklist if you’re ready to get started. If you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, we have organisers in most of the UK (London, Surrey, Cambridgeshire, West Midlands, Cheshire, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire and the North East).