How To Cut Down on Clutter

Is clutter an integral part of your life? Do you find that you are tripping over every little thing in your own house and yet you cannot find anything that you need? Clutter can affect a person both mentally and physically thus it is important to take steps to reduce this unhealthy situation.

Hashtag #MarieKondo is trending on social media right now as de-cluttering is the hot topic of the day.  If you need a little motivation, there are two quick and easy strategies that can be employed immediately to help you cut down on clutter.

Get rid of unnecessary possessions

Of course the first thing that you will need to do is go through everything you own and decide what you want to keep and what you can purge. If you have a lot of clutter in your life, then there is a good chance that you are a “packrat.” You may link material items to your emotions, but if it is making your home and life a mess, then you are better off without the items.

You should ask yourself some key questions when consider each item:

• When was the last time I used it?
• Do I really need this?
• When will I use it again?
• Do I have something similar?

Notice that none of these questions referred to sentimental value. Of course, it is okay to keep a few select items for this – no one is going to ask you to throw out your wedding dress – however if you are turning every material item into a “dear friend” then you may have a problem.

Should it stay or should it go?

Decide if you like to live with the clutter of if you can get rid of some of your unnecessary possessions. If you answer these questions in a way that indicates that you really do not need it then you should look to getting rid of it.

Have a lot of items that have seen better days? Find rental dumpster delivery and collection near you to help you quickly clean up. Renting a dumpster for a week will allow you to get rid of everything at once without worrying about whether your garbage service will pick it up or not. As a bonus, you can get rid of some debris around your home including broken planters or old lawn furniture. Within a week, you could have a clutter-free home, inside and out!

It can be difficult to throw out treasured possessions. Fortunately, in many cases there are other options and this may help you garner the strength to reduce your clutter. Donating is a wonderful way to clear out items and help someone else at the same time. You might even get a tax deduction. You can also give the items to someone you know.

Try organizational solutions

Maybe your clutter is necessary.  We are often taught that all clutter is bad, but sometimes it’s just that you have a spot in your home that appears to be cluttered simply because you haven’t stored things properly.

Sure you can pair down your holiday decor but do you really want to get rid of all of it?  Maybe your desk is a mess, but you use all of the items on it weekly.

When you have items you use regularly or seasonally, finding an organizational solution will help you to have a cleaner, more efficient space.

With the right organizational tools, you can turn clutter into a busy but organized space. There are many stores such as Bed, Bath and Beyond and even Target that sell any number of storage solutions such as drawers, bins, etc. You can try to store your possessions in some of these. Sometimes when you put them in neat you can fill in more items in the same space.

You can also look towards space bags, which can allow items like clothing to be stored in a much smaller than typical space. If you are desperate and you really need the items, you can even consider a storage unit or a shed.

You want to constantly go through your possessions to make sure you get rid of the ones that you do not need. Clutter may come right back if you go out and buy more things that you do not need. Otherwise the above tips can help you quickly start ridding yourself of clutter!