4 Tips for Decluttering Your House

Whether or not you are a hoarder, you may find your house in need of decluttering at least once every few year. But if you like to live in a neat, and clean environment, you should make it a point to declutter at least once a year. Spring is a good time to declutter because the weather is nice and nothing beats a good spring clean.

So, here are 4 tips for cluttering your house:

1. Plan how you will reorganize your house:

Decluttering is not only about getting rid of the things you do not need; it is also about reorganizing your house to suit your current needs or taste. So the first thing you should do is plan how you will reorganize your house. You may have to move things from one place to another and from one room to another. Take a tour of every room of your house, create a mental picture of where you want things to be,  and then write it down. Draw pictures, if you are good at it, to see how your rooms will look. Ask your family and friends for their advice.

2. Take a piecemeal approach:

If you are decluttering after several years, the sheer enormity of the task that lies ahead of you can be very daunting. Take a piecemeal approach. Declutter one specific area of your house at a time and do not move on to another until you are done with the previous. You can start with any room you like, but it may be a good idea to start with the bedroom and move to the other rooms. You can also divide the room into two or more sections and concentrate on one at a time. This way you will not be overwhelmed with the tasks.

3. Designate a special area for sorting:

Sorting out things wherever they are is a bad idea because you will end up wasting a lot of time being sentimental about items that you do not need. It also means more cleaning up to do since you will mess up every room. So, designate a special area in your house for sorting. Take all the things that need to be sorted to that area and don't remove them from there until they are sorted. The sorting area should be spacious, centrally located, and easily accessible from all directions.

4. Divide your items into five categories:

Divide your items into the following five categories: (1) things that you need to keep, (2) things to be given to relatives and friends, (3) things to be donated to charity, (3) things to be sold, (4) things to be thrown away, and (4) things you are unsure what to do with. Designate separate areas near the main sorting area for each category of items. If you have time, create a list of things in each category so that you will have a clear picture of the items in each category.

Picture by Benita

By Shondell Varcianna

February 27, 2015