How to Instantly Declutter Your Home
Are you to the point that your home is no longer a sanctuary of peace and escape? You’re simply overwhelmed with the weight of all the clutter that’s in every crack and crevice in your home.
In most cases, your family has probably been living the hoarder lifestyle for a long time now. While this can be extremely discouraging, you don’t have to continue living feeling defeated on a daily basis. These decluttering tips are for you. Learning how to declutter could be one of the best things that’s ever happened to you.
Decluttering Your Home Instantly
Decluttering your home and making your life simpler will not only give you a refreshed mindset, but your entire way of living will vastly improve. If you don’t know where to start, or need a little motivation and direction, we can help you. Look at these steps to help you instantly declutter your home. Clutter-free is the way to be.
Get Help From a Friend
Even when you realize you have a problem with hoarding, it can still be a huge scary step to get rid of it on your own. Have you ever watched the History Channel’s American Pickers?
Most of the sellers on the show ask outrageous offers that are so ridiculous, it’s obvious they have grown attached to that item and don’t want to part with it. The same might be true for you.
Ask a friend to come over and help you get a second opinion and help you with the whole process. Decluttering your home will be far less painful this way. In fact, it can be a fun and enjoyable time together.
Evaluate Where Most the Mess Is
Do you not get a lot of visitors or hold family get-togethers in your home around the holidays? Your clutter might be the reason.
Try and look at your home from an outsider’s perspective. Which rooms in your house would keep visitors from wanting to ever come back?
The living room might be a good place to start. Find where the most clutter is in your home and begin tackling those areas.
One Room at a Time
Decluttering your home can be tiring both physically and mentally. Don’t try making your home perfect all in one afternoon. Pace yourself. If you’re exhausted, choose to make it happen over a few days, instead.
Yes, I did say that I would show you how to instantly declutter your home, but if you’ve lived this way for so long, 2 to 3 days is still a quick turnaround of lifestyle.
Throw Out Trash
The first step to creating a more manageable and decluttered home is to get rid of all the trash. If you have children, they probably have their artwork sprawled on the kitchen countertop and candy wrappers and chewed on straws hiding underneath the sofa.
It’s time to take back command of your home and throw out anything that you consider trash. Just this step alone will go a long way in moving you in the right direction.
Put Together a “Maybe” Tote
There’s nothing wrong with taking baby steps on parting with stuff. Physically touching an item over the years creates an attachment and makes it harder for you to part with it. Put together a “maybe” tote of things that you can part with in the future.
This might sound silly, but it will make it easier to get rid of them later on down the road when you’re fully on board with being a minimalist.
Create a Designated Space for Paper
You can probably agree that paper is a huge agent for adding all the clutter in your home. Go through all your paperwork and toss out the meaningless items and file away the important papers. Get a designated drawer or filing cabinet to make it all disappear.
Stop Using Countertop Space For Clutter
If your countertop space and kitchen table look anything like how mine often gets, you probably have random knick-knacks and clutter that’s accumulated and spread out everywhere.
Clean off all the countertop and surface spaces in your home and stop giving leeway to habitual offenders in your home. (You might find that you’re that offender.)
Toss Away Broken Worn Out Items
Next, take a look at things that are no longer serving a purpose. I’m sure you have worn-out shoes, puzzles, and board games that are missing pieces, and jewelry that’s broken. You will be surprised how many things you can get rid of this way.
Although you might consider pawning off the valuable jewelry and other “priceless treasures” that you can get cash for, there may be other options to consider.
Donate Clothing and Extra “Stuff”
Go through your closet and your children’s’ closet. There’s sure to be several articles of clothing and other surprises that you might come across.
You may even have a whole carload filled with trash bags of clothing your family no longer wears. Donating your clothing will serve another family’s needs much better than sitting in your closets at home. It’s easier to deep clean with no extra stuff lying around.
Get Organized!
Now that you’ve gotten rid of the unnecessary items that have taken up residence in your home, it’s time to get organized. This is actually the fun part. Do you have make-up, feminine hygiene, and body lotion products that have over-run your bathroom? (Ladies, I know we’re all guilty of this one.)
What about your home workspace that has important documents and supplies that have sprawled out in your home office? Let’s not leave the kids off the hook. What about all the toys, crayons, LEGO pieces, and Pokemon trading cards that make their way into the living room? Once you get rid of the clutter, it’s easy to get clean and organized.
No more of that! Consider these bathroom organizers, workspace organizers, and toy organizers to give everything its own place. For extra credit, here are some garage containers and garage shelving that make getting organized and saving room for things that are actually needed, like making extra space in the area where your vehicle should be parked.
Final Word
Removing all the clutter out of your home will take a huge amount of stress off yourself. While it might feel like your cutting off a limb, it’s a process that will not only make your home look 100 times better, but you’ll feel better about yourself. These tips are several ways of instantly decluttering the “stuff” in your home.
If you’ve learned how to be a minimalist and make room in your home, what other steps have you taken to make your life easier? Tell us about your journey. May God bless this world, Linda
Linda, I so wish I could ‘share’ your current post/blog with my much older sister. We used to always have holiday get togethers at her house but as she stacked stuff up, that’s not been an option for about a decade. I know she’s a hoarder but for many years, she’s blamed her piles on her hubby and son. 3 of us sisters have gone over to help clear things as she complained a lot. As the youngest, I figured I could be the rudest, within bounds. Like, why the heck did she need over 30 vases, 15 insulated coffee cups, 20 coolers, all different sizes? Oh, her answer? Because if she needs one, then can’t find, she has to buy another! Well, no wonder she can’t find when she has so, too, much stuff! It’s just very sad that she misses hosting the big family parties but has no room for people. Her hubby died this last year. She keeps hanging onto his garage and paper stuff as ‘maybe’ his kids will take (even tho they’ve said they don’t want). Hoarding is an illness easily dismissed by those who have it. I finally got disgusted with my sis when she told me her stepdaughter wanted her dad’s bait thing she’d seen. ” Oh, but what if I needed one?” I was rather livid when I told her to give it, and flat out said she is a hoarder. Yes, she did give it to the girl but has refused my help in ‘clearing’ ever since. I’ve been de-cluttering for awhile but still find your articles to be inspirational in continuing. Peace, Wendy
Hi Wendy, thank you for your comment. I hope others read it and realize we all need to help others get rid of stuff. BUT especially don’t buy stuff. It’s such a shame she is missing out on so much with friends and family. I started seeing a different side to people when we have hd to help “move” people out of our neighborhood. All different ages and so much stuff. Way too much stuff. I realized I have too much stuff and started selling, donating and trashing stuff. Man, it’s so hard but I don’t want my kids to have to get rid of 50 years of stuff!! LOL! Thanks for sharing Wendy! Linda
Wendy ~
Go easy on your sister. Hoarding is a form of mental dysfunction. I think what she needs initially is counseling. As you know, she has stopped having the holiday get togethers because of this affliction. Rather than get on her case or get rude with her, invite her over for the holidays/parties if you have them. Perhaps instead of trying to get her to get rid of things, offer to help her organize what she has. If she is agreeable, start with one room. Get bins and labels.
You might also search for assistance in your area in knowing how to help her the most or what resources there are to help her.
Hi Leanne, Thanks for your comment. Linda