Managing the clutter in your life can be a struggle. From the clothes you haven’t worn since high school that are still hanging in your closet and the books you just got for Christmas that you haven’t cracked open yet, to the piles of receipts and old mail. It’s not easy to keep everything under control when we are busy but it is not impossible.
When things start piling up and taking over our lives, decluttering is one of the best ways to get back a sense of peace. Sometimes a more minimalist life can come in handy.
Here are some quick, easy tips on decluttering your life in small steps:
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Declutter your home
Having a messy, disordered house can be distracting and upsetting, and it’s even worse when it’s too overwhelming to know where to start to clean it! The best way to do things is one step at a time. For example, you could start with one room and work from there. If that is too over-whelming, start with a bookshelf.
You can declutter your home by donating books you know you’ll never read to a local library or selling them online for a profit. Another simple step is to stop buying new items you don’t need, like books, if you’ve got a hoard of books already waiting to be read at home. An option for book lovers is to use a kindle to save space and prevent a need to declutter them in the future!
Declutter your wardrobe
One of the best ways to declutter your life is to declutter your wardrobe. It’s essential to keep track of what you have and what you don’t, so make sure you’re keeping an updated inventory of everything in your closet.
When you take the time to count out each piece, you’ll begin to see where there are too many duplicates or items that are just taking up space and aren’t being worn anymore
If there are clothes that aren’t getting the love they deserve from you, sell them on eBay or pack them away for charity. You may even be able to sell them at a consignment store.
Declutter your electronic devices
This is the first step in decluttering your life, and it’s probably the most important. You can’t get rid of clutter if you don’t have any space to put it in. The best way to declutter your electronic devices is by deleting old photos and videos, unused apps, and other files that you don’t need on your device.
You should also remember to clean junk files from your computer to clear up as much space as possible. You can also set up a backup plan for backing up and storing your data. Another great way to free up some space on your phone or computer is by getting rid of unwanted browsers.
Declutter your finances
One of the best ways to declutter your life is to declutter your finances. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, it can be difficult for you to keep track of all the money that goes through your hands. Plus, if you have credit card debt, it’s easy for things like impulse purchases and networking events to fall through the cracks. With a little bit of time and effort, however, you’ll be able to manage your finances more effectively.
Start by organizing all your monthly income statements in one place so that they are easier to access in the future. This will help you track what needs to be paid off each month and how much money is left over after expenses are met. You’ll also want to organize all your bills by month so that they don’t pile up in a drawer or inbox while they wait for due dates.
Another way is becoming more intentional with when and where you spend money. One simple step is creating a budget which will make it easier for you to know how much money you should spend on specific things throughout the month. It may seem pretty basic, but having this system will help control spending habits better than staying completely blindsided by purchasing decisions in real-time.
I know when you look at your home as a whole, the thought of decluttering can be over-whelming. You may not know where or how to start. Or you may be one of those people that wants it done all at once, is all gung-ho, and then gets half way through and has even a bigger mess to contend with.
Whichever one you are, know that the best way to start decluttering is to start small. The smaller the better. A room, a corner, or a drawer. Then make a commitment to do that everyday and in no time, you will be done without the stress. I hope the above tips encourage you to get started today!