12 Decluttering Tips from Professional Organizers
This post will show you 12 decluttering tips from professional organizers.
Decluttering is a task that is necessary in every household for every room, as things continue to build as we move through life. By getting rid of the clutter that takes up our space, time, and energy, all of those things are freed up for the things that we really care about.
12 Decluttering Tips from Professional Organizers
1.Start Slow
Many people make the mistake of jumping into decluttering all at once and become quickly overwhelmed with the amount of work there is to be done. If you wish to tackle the entire home or a large portion of it, having a professional may ease the stress surrounding it and help you get a head start.
2.Begin With the Easiest Room
When choosing where to begin select the area or the items that have the least emotional attachment and will be the fastest to declutter. By beginning with the easiest items, you will build confidence and become more comfortable before you get to the harder ones.
3.Declutter Consistently
Decluttering isn’t a thing that can be done once and then never addressed again. It is an ongoing process that requires attention frequently. Once it has become a habit it is easier to maintain, and it will become a regular part of your routine.
4.Buy Less
Buying less is both a way to maintain an uncluttered space as well as a result of having an uncluttered home. When everything is where it is supposed to be, it is easy to find and access, so you won’t be rushing out to replace things as often. Both time and money are saved when you live in an uncluttered space.
5.Everything Needs a Space
The key to not only decluttering but staying decluttered is to ensure that each item in the home has a place it is intended to be. Once everything has a home it is easier to maintain that, to put it where it is supposed to be every time you use it, because you know exactly where it is supposed to be.
6.Replace Items Instead of Adding Items
Often people speak of the one in, one out process of having less. To practice this, each time you buy something new you would get rid of something else, but there are flaws to this plan. For those who practice minimalism they may not have a like object to remove, and they might not be able to have the things they need with this policy.
7.Let Go of Clothes Not Worn in a Year
For this habit there is a bit of preparation work and it will be an ongoing project rather than something you do all in one day, though you can begin by sorting out everything that is ripped, no longer fits, is not something you will ever wear again, or things you just don’t like anymore. For items you are unsure of or that you are keeping, turning the hangers around will allow you to see them clearly and each time you wear something you can turn the hanger around.
8.Keep One of Everything You Use
Rather than having several items that all do the same thing, even if you use it regularly, have one that is high quality and will do the things you need. This is ideal for clothing items, accessories, kitchen tools, appliances, and others. Often this will require choosing high quality, reliable items and might need a bigger investment, but it is ok to upgrade as time passes and share the old one with someone else.
9.Trade Clothing Instead of Buying
Buying new clothing can be fun, exciting, and one of the ways that people spend time with and bond with friends. To combine a fun day with friends along with getting new clothing items, but not spending a lot of money or adding without removing some, you can hold a clothing swap with your friends. You each bring pieces that are no longer your favorite and trade them for your friends pieces. Set it up anyway you like with straight exchanges or put everything on tables and let people take whatever they like.
10. Dispose of Broken, Ripped, or Damaged Items
Often once money has been spent on something, there is a hesitation to get rid of it even when it becomes damaged. As long as they work, they may be kept but it is acceptable and even recommended to dispose of anything that is broken and cannot be fixed or is broken and not worth fixing. These items are often not of use to anyone else, and there should be no guilt in getting rid of them, though recycling may be possible.
11. Create a Drop Zone
To both declutter, and stay decluttered, a great tool is a drop zone. This is a space in the house, often near the front door or garage door, where people enter the house and drop the things they are carrying with them.
12. Never Leave a Room Empty Handed
Once you have finished decluttering a room, or the whole house, you may find that things are migrating around the house again. Often, we move things to the space we are occupying at the time and things do not always get taken back to where they belong. To keep order and organization, when you leave a room to go to another take something with you that goes to that room.
Recap
Many professional organizers have some ideas that are similar in purpose or almost exactly the same. By using these proven decluttering ideas you will be able to keep your home clutter free.
