A cluttered home creates many problems. Psychological studies show that clutter increases anxiety and stress. A cluttered home is more likely to be dusty and have mold and mildew issues. Also, clutter makes it difficult to find what you are looking for, which causes frustration. A cluttered home doesn’t get better on its own. In fact, it is likely to get worse unless you deal with it. Here are some things to consider when decluttering your home.
Steps to Decluttering Your Home
Decluttering is a simple process with just a few steps. Start with a small area, like a section of a room. Clear everything out of the area and then lay it out so you can see the contents clearly. Sort through all the items, deciding whether you’ll keep them, throw them away, donate them, or sell them. Clean away dust and cobwebs before putting everything back in an organized manner.
Questions to Ask When Decluttering Your Home
The most challenging part about decluttering for most people is sorting the items and getting rid of things. You may think you need to keep everything, but then you’ll never actually reduce clutter. Ask yourself these questions about your belongings to decide what to do with them.
How Often Do You Use It?
Look at a particular item and think about how often you use it. Do you use it once a week or has it never been touched? Perhaps you only use it once a year, but it is a seasonal item. There will be some things that you rarely use but are still worth keeping. Store these items out of the way since they are not used often. Other items that you never use and don’t need can be donated, thrown away, or sold.
Do You Love It?
Everyone has their favorite clothing items that they love and sentimental memorabilia. Keep the things you love, but if you don’t use something and have no emotional attachment to it, get rid of it.
How Much Could You Sell it For?
Once you decide what you are getting rid of, you’ll have to decide what is worth selling, what to donate to a thrift store, and what to trash. Selling things online can be a hassle, but if it is valuable, it may be worth the work. Most usable items can be donated to a thrift store or non-profit unless they are dirty or broken. If you are donating clothes, launder them first.
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