Are you tired of living in a cluttered home, but aren’t sure how to clear the clutter? You’re not alone. But decluttering your home doesn’t have to be a daunting task. Today, you’ll learn about 10 hacks to help you declutter faster, make the process easier and reduce the stress you might feel as you declutter.
Let’s get to it!
10 Hacks to Declutter Faster & Easier
Hack #1: Start Small
When you’re decluttering, it’s usually best to start small. Trying to tackle an entire room or space all at once can be overwhelming and lead to burnout.
Instead, choose a small area, like a single drawer or shelf, and focus on decluttering just that space. This will help you build momentum and keep you motivated to continue working to declutter.
It’s easy to get excited about decluttering and take on a big space all at once. But often, your time, energy and/or motivation starts to wane before you’re finished, leaving you with a big mess in the meantime.
Starting small lets you start and finish a decluttering project, even if you only have a few minutes to declutter. Then you can move on to another small decluttering project and tackle it.
Not only will you be making great progress clearing the clutter. But you also don’t have to worry about leaving yourself with a bigger mess than you started with!
Hack #2: Be Ruthless
When it comes to decluttering your home, being ruthless is key. It’s important to have a discerning eye and let go of items that no longer serve a purpose or bring you joy.
With each small space you tackle, go through each item and ask yourself if it’s truly necessary or if it adds value to your life. If the answer is no, it’s time to say goodbye.
By being ruthless in your decluttering process, you’ll be able to see progress quickly and gain momentum in your journey toward a clutter-free home.
Don’t hold onto things out of guilt or obligation – the goal is to create a space that allows you to live more freely and enjoy your surroundings. Really assess if each item is something you use regularly, need often or truly love. If it’s not, let go of the item, the clutter it causes and the guilt along with it.
Hack #3: Have a Plan
Without a clear plan in place, you might find yourself feeling overwhelmed and unsure of where to start. You might find yourself bouncing around from one decluttering project to another, but not seeing a lot of progress anywhere.
A decluttering plan helps keep you focused on what to work on and where to work next.
Having a plan can also make the process of decluttering feel less daunting. Breaking the work down into smaller, more manageable steps. Also giving you a sense of accomplishment as you work your way through your list, seeing the progress you’re making.
Creating a decluttering plan doesn’t have to be a complicated process. It can be as simple as making a list of the different spaces in your home that need to be decluttered and setting a timeline for when you want to tackle each area. Helping you stay accountable and focused on your goals.
Your decluttering plan can also help you plan for what you’ll do with the stuff you’re getting rid of. Giving you a chance to decide where you’ll take donations, where you’ll list items for sale and how long you’ll wait before donating unsold items before you start decluttering and have piles of stuff to deal with.
Taking a few minutes to figure this out before you start decluttering can save you so much time and frustration as you’re decluttering.
Need help making your decluttering plan?
My complete decluttering guide, Your Clutter-Free Home, makes it easy to have a strong decluttering plan to follow.
Your Clutter-Free Home gives you detailed decluttering checklists to follow for every room in your house. Breaking the work down into small, manageable steps. As well as making it easy to see what needs to be done and what to work on next.
It’s a ready-to-use decluttering plan so you can hit the ground running! You can find more details about Your Clutter-Free Home here!
Hack #4: Make a holding zone
Another great way to make decluttering faster and easier is having a specified holding zone.
Your holding zone is the spot where you’ll gather items you’re decluttering, waiting to be taken to the donation center or sold.
Keeping them all together makes it easy to quickly gather items up and drop them off at your donation center. And it also helps you see the progress you’re making decluttering by getting the items out of your main living spaces and into your holding zone.
Your holding zone should be somewhere relatively easy to add items to, but a little out of the way. You don’t want to see the items you’re getting rid of too often and start second-guessing your decluttering decisions!
Put the items in bags or boxes so they’re even easier to take to the donation center. And even more out of sight so you’re less likely to second-guess your decisions to get rid of them!
Hack #5: Create a Sorting System
The Four-Box Method is a practical approach to decluttering that can help streamline the sorting process. It involves labelling four boxes or bags with the following categories: Keep, Donate, Sell, and Trash.
As you go through each item in a particular space, place it into one of the four boxes based on its relevance and value.
By the end of the process, you will have a clear idea of what stays and what goes. You can find homes for the items you’re keeping. Add the donate and sell items to your holding zone (with a plan for when you’ll drop them off at your donation center or list them for sale). And finally, throw out the trash.
It’s important to make sure you deal with the items in your four boxes before moving on to the next space you’re decluttering. You don’t want to create more clutter and mess by allowing items to stay in your boxes!
Finish each decluttering session all the way by dealing with the items in your boxes so you can start fresh in the next space you’re decluttering.
Hack #6: Get Rid of Duplicates
Another quick hack to declutter faster is by eliminating duplicates.
It’s easy to accumulate more than one of the same or similar items, especially when it comes to kitchen utensils and gadgets, electronics, and clothes.
Take some time to go through your belongings and identify any duplicates. Keep the one that’s in better condition or that you use more frequently, and donate or sell the rest. By doing so, you’ll free up valuable storage space and make it easier to find what you need.
Hack #7: Digitize Your Memories
As you’re decluttering, you might come across sentimental items you want to keep but just don’t have the space for. This is where digitizing memories can help.
Instead of holding onto boxes of old photos, letters, or other mementos, you can take pictures or scan them into your computer or store them in the cloud.
Not only decluttering your physical space but also ensuring that these memories are preserved for years to come.
Hack #8: Use a “maybe box”
A maybe box is an awesome decluttering hack because it can become your safety net as you’re decluttering.
If there are items you’re unsure about getting rid of, put them in a maybe box. Put the box out of sight and set a reminder in your phone to come back to it at some point in the future. Maybe 1, 3 or even 6 months from now.
When you get the reminder, if you haven’t needed, wanted or even thought about the items in your maybe box, you can feel confident getting rid of them.
A maybe box lets you experiment with being more ruthless as you’re decluttering, without worrying about regretting your decisions.
If you truly need something from your maybe box, you can get it out. But in the meantime, it lets you experience living without the items to see how it goes, without fear holding you back.
Of course, you can’t put everything in a maybe box, or you’ll just be shuffling clutter and won’t make any true progress decluttering.
Save the maybe box for the few tricky items you’re not sure if you’re ready to get rid of just yet. Don’t let a few tricky items slow your progress down. Throw them in a maybe box and let time make the decision for you!
Habit #9: Label everything
Another great way to get your home organized and in order as you’re decluttering is by labelling everything.
When everything in your home has a clear place to keep it, you’ll have fewer items floating around the house causing clutter and mess.
Create a home for each item you’re keeping. Then label its home so you and everyone else in your home knows where to find it and more importantly, where to put it away when done with it.
Hack #10: Practice Regular Maintenance
Decluttering isn’t something you can do once and be done. Regular maintenance decluttering sessions are important to keep your home tidy, organized and clutter-free.
Maintenance decluttering involves going through your possessions every so often. Seeing what you still use, need or love and what you can let go of.
Try to make this a habit and go through things once a month or every few months. Taking a little bit of time each week to tidy up and look for clutter can also make a big difference.
Additionally, try to implement the decluttering tips you’ve learned today into your daily routine. If you’re in the habit of putting things away and giving everything a designated spot, it will be easier to maintain your newly organized space.
By practicing regular maintenance, you’ll be able to prevent the buildup of clutter and keep your home looking tidy. These simple habits can save you time and stress in the long run. Remember, maintaining an organized space is an ongoing process, but the benefits are well worth the effort.
Declutter faster and easier
Decluttering your home can seem like a daunting task, but with these 10 hacks to declutter faster and easier, it doesn’t have to be. Starting small, being ruthless, having a plan, creating a sorting system, and practicing regular maintenance are just a few of the ways you can quickly and easily declutter your space.
