Let’s face it—even if you consider yourself the tidiest person ever born, you probably have some unnecessary stuff piling up in your bedroom closet or your kitchen cabinet. Although you’re aware you’ll never use these items again, you find it difficult to part ways, whether it be your 80s prom dress or an old silver necklace you’re attached to emotionally.
Luckily, with the arrival of spring, you might feel more inspired to start the season fresh and finally de-hoarder your place. However, if you’re new at this, you’ll probably end up taking one glance at the chaotic mess in your bedroom and give up, postponing the long-needed declutter for some other time. So, to ensure this doesn’t happen, keep reading for some practical tips and tricks.
Divide and conquer
For someone living in a big flat or house, decluttering can be a long and arduous process that takes up a lot of the person’s energy. To avoid feeling exhausted, the best way to go about cleaning is to do it in stages, meaning you’ll focus on one space before moving on to another. A great place to start your decluttering journey would be the little valuable trinkets you have lying around on your flat surfaces. You’ll need to take care of these first because you don’t want your precious items getting lost in the cleaning process.
The next area to conquer in the kitchen, as this is usually where the “piling-up” begins. Think about the cutlery and dishes sitting away in your cabinets and dispose of those no longer in good condition. If you have a pantry, be sure to go through it and get rid of food and spices past their expiration date.
Afterward, you can move on to the bathroom and throw out the empty perfume bottles and old cosmetic products that you don’t use anymore. The bedroom is best left for last as it demands most time and is usually the room where you’ll find many unnecessary items lying around.
Ask yourself how often you use it
This step is simple—if you come across an item and you can’t remember the last time you looked for it, chances are you probably won’t be needing it any time soon or ever. At one point or another, we’ve all fallen into this trap. You visit the nearby shopping mall, fall in love with a trendy sweater from the new clothing line, and then you put it in the back of your closet, where it rots away for the next couple of years. The same goes for kitchen appliances, jewelry, make-up, book, etc.
Of course, we’re not suggesting that you discard all of these as garbage but if you don’t use them frequently, think about recycling or donating them. When it comes to your jewelry items, why not commit yourself to some DIY projects and transform those pieces into stunning shoe clips, napkin rings, or jeweled frames?
Reap the rewards of hard work
If having a clean and neat place isn’t motivating enough for you, think about the benefits of decluttering. The rising popularity of e-commerce websites such as Amazon and eBay has made selling things easier, meaning you’ll be able to earn some extra cash. You can sell anything, ranging from clothing items to home appliances. Remember the old saying—one man’s trash is another man’s treasure. If you live in a house, hosting a yard sale is the most efficient way to clear out bulky items such as old furniture and kitchen appliances.
Look at it this way—you’re not just getting rid of old stuff, but making room for new things. Once you get that extra space, treat yourself with a piece of fine jewelry , for instance, for all the hard work. This way, you’ll renew your jewelry collection, and the reward will make the cleaning worthwhile.
Store like-things together
Keeping similar groups of objects together is a practical trick that will help you make the most use of your storage. In this way, when you’re looking for a specific item, you’ll know which group they belong to, making it easier for you to find it. Just remember to store your valuables and personal heirlooms in a safe place and somewhere out of your children’s reach to avoid having your jewelry misplaced.
Also, all of your children’s toys should be kept in one basket, whereas your papyrology and documents can be stored in your living room drawer cabinet. It’s advisable to put your stuff in its logical place instead of scattering it across different rooms in the house.
Key takeaways
Hopefully, the article has shown you that decluttering doesn’t always have to be a stressful task. By tackling one room at a time and storing things the right way, namely your costly items, you’ll speed up the process and finish in no time. Plus, you’ll not only have a tidy place in the end but an excuse to pamper yourself for all the invested efforts. So, get up from your couch and face the mess in your bedroom.
