How to deal with clutter?
Clutter can come in many shapes and sizes and is often defined as anything that does not add value to your life or home but is still there.
Here are a few examples:
– Books, newspapers, or magazines you have never read and will never read.
– Clothes you no longer wear or that no longer fit you.
– Damaged, broken jewelry, watches that don't work, etc.
– Old CDs, floppy disks (yes, some people still have them!), or DVDs.
So how can you tame the clutter and reclaim your space?
- Determine your goal.
Before you pull everything out of every cabinet, think about what you want to achieve in each room you're going to tackle.
Do you want more space in your living room?
Perhaps you don't want to endlessly search for your favorite mug in your kitchen?
Or maybe you don't want to frantically search for clothes every morning?
No matter what you're struggling with, try to imagine what each room would look like in its ideal state and, just as importantly, how you want to feel in each space of your home.
- Change your mindset.
As with most things in life, you need to be in the right mood and have the right attitude. You can't start decluttering by despairing over the things you're parting with. That's why it often helps in such situations to sort and divide things into those you want to keep, give away, or sell (ZOS). You can store items that you want to keep and are used seasonally using bags and covers. This makes the whole process much easier and less daunting. If someone close to you could participate in the whole process, it would be ideal and more constructive, because it will be easier to make difficult decisions (as long as they are not messier than you are).
- Plan your time.
It is very important to be realistic about what you can achieve in a given time. If you find the whole process too daunting, break it down into stages. Simply choose one room and one piece of furniture or one cabinet in it. And try to do the ZOS sorting only there. This is a small step towards systematicity and decluttering. Plan individual pieces of furniture or rooms in your calendar, taking into account the time you have available for tidying up on a given day. You will see the effect most quickly by organizing the contents of your purse using cases and covers. Why? They create additional separate spaces inside the purse. Use them and you will find that you can find everything in your purse with your eyes closed!
- Don't replace clutter with new clutter.
If you have decided that a particular item is no longer useful to you or your home, don't immediately buy new ones to replace them because you feel uncomfortable with the emptiness in the room. Never buy in a hurry or under the influence of emotions. Wait until the decluttering process is complete, spend some time in the new space, and then assess whether it really needs new things to replace the old ones.
- Start with small things and work your way up.
It is often advisable to start in a smaller, less "sentimental" room, such as the bathroom. It is often filled with hotel cosmetics and sample bottles – items you are less attached to and rarely use. That's why it's a great place to start cleaning up. It will turn out to be a quicker and less complicated job than your wardrobe or bedroom. In addition, choosing a room that will show quick and visible results will give you the enthusiasm to declutter other rooms.
If, despite our advice, you still feel overwhelmed and discouraged, don't give in to the clutter.
If you feel that you are not up to the task and need support, contact us – we will help you tame the chaos in your rooms, or visit our store – you will find a wide range of organizers and covers that will help you tame the clutter in your purse, closet, or wardrobe.