The decluttering process begins by perusing each room of your home. Scan every wall, corner, nook and cranny. Pay close attention to where your eyes hesitate. This hesitation is showing you where you need less. These 3 Tips to Live Clutter-Free will be the simple guide to your decluttering process.
3 Tips to Live Clutter-Free
Clutter mentally wears us down. When we’re surrounded by clutter, the visual chaos subconsciously sucks the energy out of us. Our eyes neurologically need clear space to rest.
Tip #1 – Assess
Assess your belongings and their placement within your home. Ask, “Do I love you? Do I use you? If I discovered you right now, would I buy you?”
Tip #2 – Release
Donate or sell the good stuff. Ditch what can’t be fixed. Remove the NO’s from your home ASAP. Don’t let them weasel their way back in.
Tip #3 – Refresh
Clean the keepers. Dust objects and shelves. Shine picture frames. Refreshing each keeper restores your connection to it.
Your mind will wage a battle with you. Prepare for internal conflict. “But, I paid way too much to let this go… I’ll eventually lose weight… But, my mother-in-law gave it to me…” -Ignore the monkey-mind.
The Clutter-Free Entry
When decluttering your entry and other common areas, pay attention to the where you and your family dump things.
When things are strewn all over the place it’s because you don’t have a designated space for them to go.
Create attractive and intuitive storage solutions with baskets, etc.
“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” -Joshua Becker
The Clutter-Free Bedroom
Making your bed sets the tone for your day. It’s psychologically proven to give you a sense of accomplishment before you dive into your day.
Clear your nightstand of all unnecessary items. Tuck books, readers and lotions in a drawer. Replace the clutter with a low-maintenance succulent, scented candle and a framed photo of you and your boo.
Keep in mind that storing things under your bed or at the top of your closet is not a solution. Out of sight is not out of mind. You pay for that physical and mental storage one way or another.
“Your home should be the antidote to stress, not the cause of it.” -Peter Walsh
The Clutter-Free Bathroom
One of the most common things women become bogged down with is toiletries and cosmetics. I have friends who have hundreds of items spread across their bathroom vanities.
After ditching the beauty concoctions you don’t use or those that have expired, organize the keepers out-of-sight in vanity drawers and cabinets.
To keep from overstocking again, use every last drop of the product before buying a new one.
“Most of us who are weighed down by mental clutter, the to-do lists and calendar events cataloged in our brains, find a shocking amount of relief when we cut back on physical clutter. If your environment is less chaotic, your mind will be, too.” -Erica Layne
Whether it’s a hand-me-down stool that irks you every time you walk past it or a vase your mother-in-law gave you that suits her taste but not yours, if you have negative feelings toward anything in your home, get rid of it.
Remember how great it feels to check into a fancy hotel? With some blocked time, focus, and a little patience, you can create the fancy hotel vibe within your home, too.
Simply decide which things should stay. Choose to sell, donate or ditch. And then clean the keepers.
Free-up your home and mind with these 3 Tips to Live Clutter-Free. You’ll be super happy you did. -xo
For more decluttering inspiration, check out Organization Inspiration for Your Pantry, Closet, and Home Office. And follow me on Pinterest for more tips and tricks. -Featured Image: Boxwood Avenue