How to declutter your home for minimalist living
I’m not an advocate of extreme minimalism. My understanding of minimalist living doesn’t involve tossing most of my closet into a trash bag and dragging it to the nearest charity shop, or selling my clothes on eBay and then getting super-insulted when someone wants to pay just $5.00 for my treasured designer piece, which I never wore and can no longer fit into.
Let’s get some perspective people.
If you’re surrounded by clutter, it usually reflects your mental state. You’re either stressed, too busy, or you can’t cope. It can be a combination of all three. When I’m stressed, I find it difficult to keep my home in order. No matter how hard I try, I’m surrounded by the chaos of my own making.
I’ve never considered myself a hoarder. Two or three times a year, I ransack my apartment, stoically giving up my possessions. It makes me feel as if I’m decluttering my brain. I feel invigorated and can think more clearly. Sure, a month or two later, I wonder what happened to my favourite pair of patent loafers (because I’d have to be crazy to throw those away!).
5 tips for decluttering your home
Hoarder to minimalist
When my clothes started spilling onto the floor every time I opened the closet, I told myself it was because I didn’t have enough space in my, unfortunately small, three-door closet. But when I started to sift through my clothes, I could only pick out twelve items that I wore on a regular basis. Some of them had tags on them, others were ancient relics that I couldn’t possibly give up because they reminded me of the ‘good ol’ days’.
We all hoard some possessions. It’s human nature. I hoard food in my freezer and I’m a collector of mugs, which I never take out – in case they get dirty or someone asks to drink out of them.
Yes folks! Decluttering is essential to your well-being. It gives you clarity. Plus, you can make money by selling your unused and unwanted items. Do one room at a time to make the transition easier.
Here’s my three stage declutter process:
- Get rid of the things you don’t use or want. Things that make you think, ‘I don’t remember buying this?!’ or ‘What the heck was I thinking?’
- Get rid of the things you thought you wanted but haven’t used in years. Things that make you think, ‘What the heck is this?’
- Get rid of the things you want but rarely use. You know the ‘phase buys’, like the juicer and the toning belt.
