There are certain situations in which clutter becomes a considerable problem. For example, if you are downsizing, all the clutter that was not an issue in your bigger home might present a significant challenge when it doesn’t fit in your new and smaller home.
Decluttering your home is more important than you probably think. It reduces fire hazards and prevents critters from taking up residence in the cluttered spaces you can’t clean. Your home will feel more open and sanitary in the absence of clutter, and you won’t have a problem looking for things you need at any time.
The biggest reason behind the accumulation of clutter is the tendency of most people to acquire things they don’t need. To declutter your home, follow these simple steps:
1. Stop Buying Things You Don’t Need
It’s a challenge for some, but stopping yourself from buying things you don’t need can go a long way in preventing clutter. Don’t go to places where the temptation to buy becomes too hard to contain, such as flea markets and discount shops. Go shopping only when you need to; for example, when you’re almost out of groceries. It might also help to go with a friend who can help you decide on the things you need.
2. Recycle and Repair
Instead of buying a new item, think about recycling or repurposing what you already have. You can also repair broken things instead of keeping them in the garage or the spare bedroom to collect dust and then going out to buy a replacement anyway. For example, take your broken generator to a machine shop in Trinidad and ask if it can still be repaired. Items like generators aren’t cheap, so you get to save money and prevent more clutter at the same time.
3. Use the 4-box Method of Sorting Clutter
Get four boxes – or three boxes and a trash can – and go to every room in your house. The first box is for items you want to keep. The second is for those you can give away. The third is for things that should be relocated. And the last one is for trash. Your friend can also help you with this. They can be the voice that reasons with you each time you find it hard to let go of something you don’t need.
4. Get Rid of Items that You Haven’t Used in a Year
This is an especially important step when you declutter a closet in your room or a cabinet in your kitchen. Clothes that you haven’t worn in a year or more should go, for example. Kitchen cabinets are known for keeping things you’ve already forgotten.
5. Hold a Garage Sale or Donate
Holding a garage sale is a popular suggestion for a good reason. Don’t go through all the trouble of labeling each item a different price. Just put things in boxes and label the boxes. Let customers rummage through the boxes and pay for whatever they want. You can also sell more valuable items online. If your friends are helping you declutter or set up the garage sale, allow them to pick out the things they want for free. Whatever items aren’t good enough to sell belong in a donation box. Ask a friend to pick up the box, so you don’t change your mind on the way to wherever you’re supposed to donate the items.
Decluttering is healthy and safe. It also lets you appreciate the space that was once covered in all the items that you never used.
