Decluttering in the New Year
The start of the New Year is always an exciting time filled with resolutions to live healthier and happier for the next 12 months. One surefire way to do that is cleaning up and decluttering your home, as clutter takes up physical space, drains mental energy, and causes a ton of stress and anxiety. Eliminating clutter in each room is an impactful way to make a living space really feel like a calming sanctuary.
1. Before Starting, Ask Yourself 2 Questions
There are two questions to ask yourself: do you have too much stuff or not enough space? If you do not have enough space, there are a few solutions. First, create a new closet system. Oftentimes, our spaces are completely underutilized and simply not designed properly. Many times we have more space than we think. This does not mean you have to make a huge investment or start an intimidating construction project.
For example, just by changing your single rod closet to double hanging, you instantly double the space. The most transformative thing you can do to organize when you do not have a lot of space is to redesign the system. Modular Closets is just one highly effective system that is easy to design yourself or with their team and instantly transforms your space! Also, always utilize your walls when you do not have a lot of space — hooks are a great way to organize things such as hats, purses and necklaces.
If you do not have a lot of space, you have to honor and accept the space you have. You may need to simplify things a bit more and work on practicing the process of letting go of some more of your items. Things are not bad, as they create our environment and add purpose and meaning to our home. However, we have to honor the space we have and allow things into our space that don’t create clutter.
2. Turn Decluttering Your Clothes Into a Game
Who doesn’t love a fun game?! If you want to quickly declutter your clothes, turn it into a game by committing to accomplishing the task in one day no matter what. By setting the goal to finish the decluttering process in 24 hours, you will feel energized and inspired to get it done. On a practical level, the best way to ensure you get it done fast is by creating piles and categories. This is going to make it much easier to declutter and decide what you do not want anymore. In my own experience, this is the #1 way to declutter fast.
Another idea is to have a friend or family member help! Decluttering can be emotionally tiring physically and mentally, so it is always great to have support. Your friend may also want to keep some of the items you are looking to give away, so it’s a win-win for both of you!
3. Take a Break if You Feel Overwhelmed
If you are feeling stressed out and overwhelmed while decluttering, pause and hit the reset button. Decluttering is both physical and emotional so there may be moments where you feel overwhelmed, and this is completely natural and okay. So first and foremost, please know it is okay to feel that way! If you put too much pressure on yourself to get it all done at once, you can easily burn out and take even longer to declutter your home.
Second, pause and step away for a moment. Sometimes all you need is a breather, a glass of water, and to step away from the clutter. Third, if you find the process overwhelming, set the timer for 15 minute increments so you can work within an allocated amount of time.