3 Simple Steps To A Decluttered Home

When some people hear the word “organizing,” their heart starts to race, their palms get sweaty, and they start to panic. They think “ah, I NEED to organize – my house is a disaster!”

The same is said for purging. Even the thought of going through “stuff” creates feelings of shame, guilt, and anxiety.

What if you didn’t even have to think about “organizing” or “purging” because it becomes PART of you? Sounds crazy, doesn’t it?

It isn’t.

What if purging and organizing was part of your daily life – like going to work, cooking, and brushing your teeth are? What if it was just part of your normal routine? You are probably thinking “this is so unrealistic and only for those who have oodles of time on their hands.”

Nope. This is for YOU. Here’s how:

1. Set a goal.

• Think about what you want to accomplish: Live with less? Clear the clutter? Have more space? You decide. Whatever your goal is, you CAN accomplish it.

2. Set up a station(s).

• Donation Station: Put a box in a closet or even out in the open. On any given day, in your daily routine, think about everything you are using. Think about the things that are around the item you are using. Is it worth keeping? For example: You are pulling a pot out of the cupboard to use for dinner; meanwhile, you look in the back of the cupboard and see a pot that you haven’t used in years. Take 2 seconds to pull it out and put it in the donation station. Another example would be getting ready for work: you ponder what you should wear, yet you always look over that skirt you haven’t worn in forever. Take 2 seconds to take it off the hanger and put it in the donation station. We have a “donation station” set up in one of our closets. Whenever I find something I do not need, it goes straight in the bag.

 

• Trash Stash: Follow the routine above: in your daily routine, keep your eyes open for things that you no longer need and are not worth donating. Whether you throw them directly in the trash, set up a station for trash and take it out every once in awhile, keep these stations handy.

3. Don’t make a big deal out of organizing. You do not need to take 30 minutes out of everyday to organize. Make it part of your routine. If you need to schedule it in, schedule it in. With the station set-up, it saves you time in the end because it becomes part of you. For example, like brushing your teeth or taking out the recycling: be aware of what you look at everyday.

I know this “simple organizing” idea may sound time-consuming and overwhelming. Make it what you want. Just make organizing/purging part of your everyday routine and slowly but surely, your house will come back together!