Tag: home improvement

Everyone wants to live happily and freely. But that cannot be possible in a cluttered and messy environment. A cluttered home can take up a lot of mental energy, whether you realize it or not! That’s why I want to share some ideas on how to declutter your home fast so you can create more space in your life.

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One of the reasons your life may have seemed so uneasy is because you’ve got a lot of things to pay attention to. A lot of items to manage, a lot of files to arrange, a lot of books to contain and lot of appliances to maintain!

Once you’ve got lots of things cluttering in or around your home, your life is always going to be a mess. Simply because you’ll be choked up.

The truth is, most of those items in your home are not as useful as they seem. You will only understand how frivolous they are once you start getting rid of them. No matter how old your belongings are, getting rid of them will definitely be a tough decision. After all, you acquired them with your hard-earned money, and frankly, they hold some ”sentimental” value, right? 

But you shouldn’t consider the money you spent on purchasing them, rather, you should be more concerned about how useful they are to you. 

For instance, ask yourself questions like; 

• When last did I wear these clothes/shoes? 
• Do they fit me? 
• Are they torn, damaged, or worn-out? 
• Have I gotten their replacements? 

After asking these questions about your clothes and shoes, you will ascertain how useful (or not) they are to you. And hence, it will be easy for you to dispose of them in order to create some space in your life.

 

 

 

 

Declutter Your Home Fast

You’ll agree with me that any needless item in your home is no longer your property but a source of discomfort. You need to discard them quickly.

But then, it’s often complicated to get started with this whole decluttering process. Especially if you have a lot of clutter to deal with. You’ll likely be overwhelmed – but don’t panic. Breathe in…hold… keep holding… still holding?…breathe out. It is normal to feel that way at first.

You just have to start anyways. And from there, you can take it gradually – one thing after another. You definitely didn’t accumulate all the stuff in your home in just one day… It took many years or even decades!

Now, this article will make things easier for you because I will be emphasizing on how to declutter your home fast! If you need some help on where to get started, I have an extensive list of things to declutter right here.

It will definitely take some time to clear the clutter and create some space in your life. You just have to acknowledge that reality. But in order to get your desired results as quickly as possible, here are some tips on how to declutter your home like, today.

 

 

Related reads:

• Things To Declutter Right Now To Create More Space In Your Life
• 7 Amazing Closet Organization Ideas You’ll Wish You Knew Sooner
• 10 Genius Mason Jar Organization Ideas That’ll Change Your Life
• Bedroom Organization Ideas For Small Bedrooms That’ll Save You So Much Space

 

 

1. Be Consistent And Intense 

When it comes to creating space, more attention should be given to consistency, because just 15-20 minutes of decluttering is enough to make a huge difference over time – as long as you are consistent.

However, when you want to declutter really fast, then just your consistency is not enough… You have to be intense as well! So, to obtain a rapid result, you have to combine both consistency and intensity. 

Consistency: 

In order to be more consistent, you have to schedule your decluttering sessions as often as possible – probably  3 sessions every week. 

Ensure you stick to your schedule. And treat it as important as any other official engagement.

When you are consistent, you will be able to create some time (and energy) to handle other tasks because you won’t have to spend extended time and energy on each session. After all, it won’t be long before you have another (decluttering) session.

Intensity:

Once your aim is to obtain a maximum result within a short time, then you should be more intense each time you want to declutter your home. 

Sure, in a bid to add more intensity to the decluttering process, extra energy must go in. However, the relief you’ll have (after seeing the massive results you’ve attained in a short while) will be a good consolation!

When you are intense, you’ll definitely be fast. And when you are fast, you will achieve a whole lot. Now, if you add consistency to your intensity, it can take you just days (instead of months) to declutter your entire household.

Isn’t that a perfect way to declutter your home fast?

 

 

2. Set Some Decluttering Goals 

Another way to declutter your home fast is by setting certain goals regarding the decluttering exercise. Setting a specific goal will give you a point of focus which will motivate you to reach your desired target. 

You will definitely need a sense of purpose in order to be serious about clearing your trash. That’s why you need a goal. And if you fail to set certain decluttering goals, you will end up procrastinating till you are totally engulfed in clutter.

With that said, some of the goals you should set for yourself are:

• Property Goals: How many items you want to get rid of and how many you want to keep.
• Time Goals: A certain time frame in which you intend to finish decluttering a specific room. 
• Frequency/Consistency Goals: How frequently or consistently you want to declutter. 
• Space Goals: The amount of space you intend to create in your home within a given period. Or the final result you are looking to obtain at the end of the entire process.

In order to achieve your decluttering goals, you have to be specific about them. Know exactly what you want to achieve at the end of the day and create a benchmark to achieve it.

 

 

 

 

3. Work On Those Goals – Take Action!

Trust me, it is not enough to set goals. You have to act on them. Setting a goal is cool. Planning on how to achieve those goals is even better. But then, the most important thing – if you want to get quick results – is to take action! 

There is no way a goal or a plan will automatically executive itself. You must do it yourself. And the sooner you start taking the necessary action, the faster the whole process becomes. Now, irrespective of how difficult it might seem to start off, rest assured, it will be easier once you commence. 

Where you start from (or how you start) doesn’t matter… just start!

 

 

4. Concentrate On High Impact Spaces 

If you have limited time and you want to declutter your home fast, then focus on decluttering those spaces that will have a massive impact on your home once they are free of clutter. 

What this simply entails is that you must start by tackling the most-used, high-traffic spaces like the kitchen, toilet, wardrobe, living room, lobby, etc.

In a nutshell, pay attention to decluttering those spaces that will considerably make life more convenient for you once you’re done decluttering. Don’t spend much time on spaces that make little or no impact on your life.

 

 

5. Declutter As You Go About Your Normal Day

One of the easiest ways to quickly declutter your home is by making “decluttering” an involuntary activity. Making it something you do automatically and simultaneously as you go about your daily activities.

Just ensure you always keep an eye out for anything that is not necessarily useful and is occupying space in your home.

When you get into the habit of decluttering as you go about your day, the general workload will be reduced drastically when you eventually decide to go into a full-on decluttering session.

For instance, when preparing to go out in the morning – and you are just choosing a suitable outfit for the outing – also pick out those clothes you no longer need from your wardrobe and discard them! 

You can do exactly the same when you’re doing your laundry. Get rid of those clothes that are worn-out or unfashionable. 

Similarly, when preparing your meals (in the kitchen), discard all the needless utensils, condiments, empty cans, spoiled food, etc.

To be more efficient about this, get yourself a decluttering box and keep it in a strategic position around your home. There, you can easily dispose of anything you no longer deem useful. When the box is full, you can either discard it or donate the contents.

 

 

6. Be A little Ruthless 

You have to be a little vicious (yeah yeah in a positive way) if you must discard that clutter without having a double mind. You need to have the right mentality before you can part ways with your belongings. This is because you can easily come up with reasons why you have to keep them – no matter how needless they are.

Hence, you have to keep your primary decluttering goal in mind which is – getting rid of all that clutter as quickly as possible. Focus more on why you don’t need those items. And think less about why you need them… That’s what it means to be ruthless.

The more ruthless you get with your decluttering decisions, the quicker you discard the mess. And hence, you will create the much-needed space in your life once and for all.

 

 

7. Avoid Distractions

If your main aim is to declutter your home fast, then you have to avoid unnecessary distractions. Always stay on task during each decluttering session – and remain focused.

Don’t use the time you scheduled for cleaning your home for something else. If it is about cleaning, then let it be all about cleaning! Don’t allow a Facebook or WhatsApp message to redirect your focus. Moreover, those Netflix movies can wait till you’re done with the task at hand.

That way, you will be more productive and pretty fast with your decluttering. Just so you know, the highest obstacle that slows down the whole process of decluttering is when you allow yourself to be carried away along the line. 

 

 

8. Get A Helping Hand

If you are consistent and intense, set goals, and focus on the task, you will certainly declutter your home fast enough to surprise even yourself. But in all, nothing can be faster than when you declutter as a team.

Getting a helping hand is an ultimate solution to decluttering – if you want to get it over and done with as quickly as possible. A task that could have taken you one full day to accomplish could be completed in a couple of hours if you get yourself a teammate(s).

You can recruit your close friends, family members, or other relatives. While you tackle the rooms, another person can handle the kitchen, then someone else the bathroom… And so on.

Trust me, it’s going to be absolutely easier.

 

 

9. Know When To Walk Away 

You need no soothsayer to tell you when it becomes a “mission impossible”. When you notice that you’re not making any headway in a particular task, you have to readjust or better still walk away.

Look for something relatively easier and get busy with it for the time being. Walking away in this manner will help you conserve time, because instead of wasting time on something you cannot deal with, it’s better to spend it on something you can easily accomplish. 

For instance, if you’re decluttering your kid’s room (in their absence of course) and you find it difficult to ascertain which clothes are suitable or oversized. Or you find it tricky to decide which toy is useful or needless, then you have to step out and move to a less complicated task – instead of wasting the whole time in your kid’s room! 

Sure, you can come back and tackle it at a more convenient time. This way, you’ll make the most of your time.

 

 

Final Thoughts

And there you have it folks! It is one thing to declutter your home, but a whole different ball game to declutter your home fast! Moreover, creating some space in your life can be a little bit problematic, especially if you’re new to this whole “decluttering”  stuff.

So, try to follow all the tips discussed above to get the best possible result in a (relatively) short period of time.

Please pin these tips to declutter your home fast!

Today I want to give you some tips and ideas on things to declutter from your home. If you have a lot of “stuff” that you’re not really using, chances are it’s also taking up some of your mental energy, whether you realize it or not.

Having a clean and minimalist home, filled only with the things you love – and actually USE – is truly mentally freeing. That’s why I truly believe in a monthly or quarterly decluttering process, where you get rid of things that are no longer serving you. But if you have a lot of things, starting this process can be difficult.

One fact of life is that change is constant, it happens anyway – whether we care or not. However, one of the hardest steps one can take in life is making a conscious effort to bring about change. 

That’s exactly how difficult it is to change things in your home – it’s often a hard nut to crack open. The average person would feel very overwhelmed when about to start the whole process of decluttering. Starting up is usually the most difficult part.

The job to be done seems bulky at first. And hence, a common question people ask at that point is; where do I even start from? Well, despite all odds, the good news is; it gets easier once you get started!

 

 

Related reads:

• 10 Bedroom Organization Ideas For Small Bedrooms That’ll Save You So Much Space
• Life Changing Desk Organization Ideas That’ll Make You Super Productive
• Bathroom Organization: 10 Things You Need To Throw Away

 

 

Why Is It Important To Declutter?

When you have lots of clutter in or around your home, you will feel like you’re in a mess. You’ll feel unsettled and in fact, choked up. 

Clutter is not just the dirt in your home, it also includes those many unimportant items you keep stocking up on. So yep, that’s partly why you feel very uncomfortable. If you really want to live conveniently, then you need to create more space in your life.

 

 

 

 

Things To Declutter

Yeah! Let’s get down to business. I’ll be outlining things to declutter right now in order to create the much-needed space in your life. Most of the stuff I will mention (which you have to do away with) are quite negligible. So, it won’t be too difficult to dispose of them. 

A good way to start is by getting rid of the things you can easily forget. But then, this whole process might get tricky at times – because some of the items you MUST discard might seem important to you, even when they really aren’t!

So, look at the bigger picture and decide if you REALLY need all those things: Aren’t those books damaged? Can you really repair them? Aren’t those clothes worn out? Is there any need to keep them? And have you actually USED those items in the last 6 months?

As a matter of fact, once you don’t see yourself using any of those items in the next 6-12 months, then you should dump them – they’re no longer serving you.

Also, be sure to read my post on how to declutter your home fast if you want to get it over and done with quickly.

With that said, here are some things to declutter right now:

 

 

1. THE BATHROOM

One of the easiest places to start eliminating clutter is the bathroom. It is apparently one of the smallest rooms in your home, so it is easier to start from there. And you will see the result of your decluttering endeavor almost immediately. 

Another reason it is preferable to start from the bathroom is that you can easily find certain sentimental items there – which of course are not actually useful to you.

Some of the things to declutter from your bathroom are:

• Old nail polish that are either dried up or that you haven’t used in a year
• Personal care items (like; lotion, face wash, mascara tubes, eye shadow, etc.) that are empty or almost empty
• Makeup items you no longer use. Or those makeup kits that are too old to be kept
• Old perfumes you no longer use. Or their empty containers/bottles
• All duplicate gadgets including; toothbrushes, hairbrushes, tweezers, makeup brushes, nail clippers, etc. 
• Expired drugs (dispose of them properly, or better still, take them to your local pharmaceutical shop for proper disposal)
• Bath toys that are old and look faded
• Old, ripped, stained, or worn-out towels

And so many other unnecessary items!

 

 

 

 

2. THE KITCHEN 

Another good place you’ve got to declutter in your home is the kitchen. As you already know, lots of vital activities take place in the kitchen. You cook in the kitchen and sometimes, you even prefer to eat there. You also do the dishes in the kitchen and store lots of items right there.

As a matter of fact, there is hardly a day that passes without you visiting the kitchen for one reason or the other.

Hence, it is very important to declutter your kitchen if you really want to enjoy any time you spend there.

Some things to declutter from your kitchen include:

• Expired food or spoiled food that is occupying your pantry, refrigerator, or freezer
• Any food you do not like (and won’t probably eat any time soon) that is occupying your pantry or refrigerator). Dispose of them appropriately to create more space for something useful.
• Expired spices
• Burnt food
• Sauces and old condiments 
• Cooking equipment or gadgets you haven’t used in the past 12 months!
• Any gadget that requires much more work to clean and maintain than the relief it offers you in doing a particular work
• Cracked plates, bottles, and bowels
• Dusty plates that you’ve kept for so long without using
• Chipped glasses and mugs
• Mugs you have not used in the past year
• Plastic lids without containers and/or plastic containers without lids
• Any duplicate bake-ware or cookware
• Containers that are damaged, stained, or warped
• Duplicate cooking/baking utensils 
• Water bottles you’ve not used once
• Pots and pans that are worn-out or totally damaged
• Bake-ware or cookware that is cracked or broken
• Special dishes that you’ve stocked in the freezer for so long
• Special dishes you no longer like that are occupying your freezer
• Dishcloths or tea towels that are stained, torn, worn-out, damaged, or that you no longer use
• Rusty can openers or other cooking utensils that are rusty

And in fact, any other thing you no longer need in or around the kitchen. 

 

 

3. THE WARDROBE 

Clothing is one of the basic necessities of human existence. Your clothes affect you directly – especially when it comes to your social life. So, it’s important to pay close attention to your wardrobe and jettison all the clothes that might be taking up space.

Sure, it’s not easy to declutter your wardrobe. This is because you can easily attach sentiments to the clothes you wear. You will most likely feel like you need every single outfit in your wardrobe (no matter how bad they look)… Probably because you spent your hard-earned money to acquire them.

But that shouldn’t deter you from doing the needful. You will definitely feel good after creating the needed space.

Here are a number of things to declutter from your wardrobe:

• Old undies that are either worn out or torn
• Uncomfortable underwear
• Old or damaged bras
• Torn or worn-out socks or socks with multiple holes
• Worn-out bathing suits
• Clothes with holes or so many tears that cannot be amended
• Deeply stained clothes
• Outfits that no longer match your body size (let’s face it, you don’t need those!) 
• Clothes that make you feel very uncomfortable
• Clothes that make you feel or look bad
• Outfits that have lost their stretch and/or shape over time
• Clothes you keep trying on but never end up wearing 
• Clothes that are not special, yet you haven’t worn them in the past 12 months
• Shoes that hurt your feet too much
• Shoes that are undersized and too tight
• Old shoes with holes
• Shoes that you’ve not worn in the past year 
• Any single-legged shoe (like, come on now)
• Medicated eyeglasses that are not in line with your current prescription
• Pieces of jewelry that are either broken or totally damaged – and are irreparable or you don’t feel like repairing them.
• Single earrings
• Old earrings you no longer wear
• Any other clothes, jewelry, or shoes you no longer use or you simply don’t like that are occupying your wardrobe.

 

 

4. LINEN CLOSET 

A linen closet is obviously small. So, once you get that space decluttered, you will be able to see the result immediately. And of course, you’ll love every bit of extra space you create in there.

Just so you know, you can choose not to waste those old, worn-out linen (even after removing them from your home). They can be used to provide shelter for animals!

These are some of the things you should consider discarding from your linen closet:

• Any worn-out linen
• Sets of sheets you don’t like and will never use
• Extra linen you’ve not used for a very long time
• Those pillows you’ve not used in over a year
• Blankets you don’t like: either because of their awkward colors or because you’ve gotten a better one
• Deeply stained blankets and pillows that can’t be washed clean

And so on.

 

 

5. ELECTRONICS AND RELATED APPLIANCES

In the world today, there is hardly a home without an electronic gadget. In fact, they’re arguably the commonest items you’d find in most houses and apartments: televisions, computers, DVD Players… name them!

For that reason, it’s quite easy to clutter your home with some of these appliances that are seemingly useful but are actually needless.

Therefore, you have to pay attention to all that electronic clutter around your home.

• Get rid of any old computers (after you’ve copied all important data from them and after removing the hard drive). You can either give them away to those who might need them or better still sell them (if possible).
• Do away with all old HDMI and USB cables you’ve upgraded or replaced. There is really no need to keep them around.
• Scrap your damaged televisions (or the old ones that are no longer in use).
• Discard all other electronic devices that you’ve upgraded (that still consume important space in your home).

 

 

6. THE LIBRARY 

Another place that can easily get cluttered is your home library. If you’re an eclectic reader, there’s every tendency that your library will get too stuffed up at some point. 

That’s why it is very vital to assess your library from time to time. Examine your bookshelf and find out if there are books that are no longer needed.

You can donate some of the books (that are still in good condition) to your community library. This will ensure the books are easily accessible if there is any need for you to read them again.

So, here are some things to declutter from your library: 

• Books you’ve stocked up in your bookshelf for more than 2 years without any desire to read them
• Books you’ve read but won’t likely read again
• Old, torn, worn-out textbooks
• Books you started reading but along the line, you found them very boring – and you don’t intend to continue
• Old books that no longer match your age
• Books that contain outdated information or knowledge

 

 

7. OTHER MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS 

Everything cannot fit into a particular category – there are so many other items to declutter!

• Old receipts that are no longer useful
• Expired cards like; credit cards, store reward cards, membership cards, identity cards, etc.
• Keys you no longer use
• Old magazines
• Take out menus or other manuals that can easily be found online
• Junk mails 
• Old coupons 
• Spoiled pens
• Damaged toys
• Ugly decorations 
• Throw pillows that are too old or worn-out… or maybe you no longer like them
• Board games with some missing pieces
• Unimportant photos
• Worn-out or broken furniture
• Old DVDs you’ve never watched or don’t plan to watch soon
• Old VHS tapes you no longer have the device to play them on

And basically, all things you really don’t need! 

 

 

Things To Declutter – Final Tips:

Decluttering your home might be a bit tasking, but then it is necessary if you really want to live an organized life.

Fortunately, there are certain ways to make the process a lot easier.

1. First, ensure you take it one step at a time. Don’t try to declutter every room in just one day.
2. Put on your favourite music to make the process quite enjoyable.
3. Finally, declutter your kids’ rooms when they’re out. Because it becomes more difficult to discard any needless toy when they are around – it suddenly becomes their favourite.

Please pin & share these things to declutter right now!