In the beginning, this process doesn’t have to have to happen all in one day. In the bedroom, this could be items such as jeans that no longer fit, lotion that you don’t use or like the smell of, or underwear that has holes in it.įor the kitchen, this could include small appliances that don’t work well, broken dishes, or old Tupperware that you never use. Which will make it more likely that you will continue going onto bigger, more emotionally charged items.įor all other items, start with one room and just quickly scan through to see if there is anything that you can quickly say, I don’t use it, love it, or need it. Having these quick wins can really help push your mind into a positive space. This could be finishing 1 room or one floor of your house by a certain date.ģ0 Things to Declutter You Will Want to Copy This Year Set goals for yourself and write them down on your calendar so that you can work towards those dates. If you are really determined to declutter your whole house, it can happen much sooner. So don’t feel that it HAS to take that long. Keep in mind that the data above stating that decluttering can take up to 2 years for a large home is taking into account the breaks that you will want to take in the process. You will also have more items that have to be cleaned and organized. It will actually do the opposite and cause you stress. Understand that holding onto items won’t bring you more happiness. It can be really overwhelming to part with items that hold so much meaning, so it is important to be mentally and physically prepared to tackle everything. It’s important to stay on top of everything so that it doesn’t become overwhelming.ĭecluttering takes so long because people have an attachment to their items, either because of who it came from, if it was a hand-me-down, or because of what they spent on the item. But you should be going through your home at least twice a year to get rid of anything that isn’t being used. Now, I am not suggesting that you move every few years to stay on top of everything. Whereas, if you are moving every few years, you are more likely to take the time to consider what you really need to move into the new home with you. Living in the same home for a long time doesn’t create the same urgency to go through everything. It’s so much easier to collect items and just keep them in our homes because we are comfortable. How long you have lived thereĭid you move into your home 1 year ago or maybe 25 years ago? Did you move into this home from another home that was already filled with items or is this your first home? Somebody else can love them and use them and that is so much better than holding onto items because of guilt. Take pictures of the items and then donate them. If you are keeping sentimental items that you only have because a family member has passed away, you really need to consider whether you truly love and use the item. The items are just collecting dust and causing you stress. The money is already spent and holding onto these items is not bringing that money back. If you are holding onto expensive items just because of the cost, but not because you use and love them. How much you ownĮven one or two people can still collect a lot of new items throughout their lives, so really evaluate how much you are storing in your home and whether you need to keep everything. If you want more information on how to help your children declutter their toys, I have another post that goes into more detail. If your children receive a lot of gifts for their birthday or Christmas, work with your children ahead of these times to see what they are okay donating in preparation for receiving new toys. So for each new toy that comes into the house, one toy needs to go. One or two adults living in a house are going to collect a lot less than a family with several children.įrequent decluttering is necessary to stay on top of everything whether it is one person or a family.Ĭhildren may need more help deciding what to donate, as they get really attached to each toy. Often though, these items aren’t really needed and are just taking up valuable space in the home. Whereas a bigger house has more rooms and other spaces to store or hide extra items.Īll of these homes may also have an attic or basement, which is an easy place for people to just put items that aren’t frequently being used. So the decluttering process wouldn’t be as time-consuming and overwhelming. In general, the smaller the home, the less stuff you will be able to fit into it. A medium-size home could have an additional 5-10 rooms and a large home 8-15 more rooms in comparison to a small home. Size of homeĪ small home/apartment may only have 1 bathroom, 1-2 bedrooms, a kitchen, and a family room. Factors That Affect the Time to Declutter 1.
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