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5 Easy Steps To Help You Get Rid Of Clutter

5 Easy Steps To Help You Get Rid Of Clutter – 5 easy steps you can take now to help you get rid of the excess. These are the steps I've taken in my own de-cluttering journey which have helped me take control of my time.
As a busy mom, I know how difficult it can be to take care of a home when our schedules are constantly full. Some days I feel like I’m being pulled in several different directions and I have to constantly remind myself that I simply can’t do it all. Over the years, I’ve learned to prioritize my time and scale back where necessary.

One thing that has helped me reduce my cleaning time greatly is having a non-cluttered home. It’s actually quite simple – the less I own, the less time I have to devote to cleaning. Today I’m sharing 5 easy steps you can take now to help you get rid of the excess.

These are the steps I’ve taken in my own de-cluttering journey which have helped me take control of my time.

1. Come up with a plan and follow through.

Decide how much time you want to dedicate to each room or project. I recommend 30-40 minutes minimum each day. It may not seem like a lot of time, but you’ll be surprised how much progress you can make.

If you find that you can’t dedicate that much time at once, break it down into 10-minute increments. If you evaluate how you spend your time each day, you’ll find that reducing the time you spend chatting on Facebook or scrolling through Instagram will free up the time you need to get started.

Make sure you follow through each day and guard this time slot like it’s your job. Visualize the end result to help keep you motivated.

Whether is more space to make room for your child or simply to have a de-cluttered home, make sure you don’t forget what your ultimate goal is.

2. De-clutter the surface areas FIRST

Start by de-cluttering the surface areas. Why? Because it will give you instant gratification. You’ll see the progress you’re making, and in turn, you’ll be motivated to keep going.

I know some experts recommend starting out with the most cluttered room, but I disagree. I like to start out with the easiest room because I’ll get it done quicker.

Just crossing that room off of my list motivates me to keep going and tackle the next one. I call it the snowball effect – you start small and continue to build on that.

Before you know it, you’ve made huge progress and there’s no stopping you!

3. De-clutter some more

After you’ve de-cluttered the surface areas of a room, move on to the spaces that are out typically of out of sight. These include your closets, drawers, under furniture, etc.

Again, I recommend that you start with the area that needs the least amount of attention and build from there.

Don’t get comfortable with the fact that these areas are not typically visible to others. Remind yourself of how it makes you feel when YOU look at it.

I know that when my closet starts to get messy and cluttered, it stresses me out to even look for clothes. Keeping it de-cluttered not only gives me a sense of peace, but it also saves me a lot of time when I’m searching for something!

4. Sort it out

This is probably the hardest step of all. I find that trying to figure out what stays and what I’m getting rid of, is the most time-consuming process while de-cluttering.

My motto is simple – when in doubt toss it out! Don’t overthink the process; if you don’t love it, place it immediately in the outgoing pile.

If you do plan on keeping something, make sure you ask yourself the following three questions before deciding if it stays:

  1. Did you use it in the last year? If no, out it goes. Yes? Go on to question #2.
  2. Will you use it again? No, out it goes. Yes? Go on to question #3.
  3. Can you live without it? Yes, out it goes. No, keep and find a home for it.

This will also help you weed out items that you might be holding on to for sentimental purposes.

5. Do it again

Living the clutter-free life is an ongoing process, but the benefits are worth the effort. I find that I have to go through our home and get rid of stuff a few times a year.

For example; for Christmas the kids typically receive new toys and/or clothes, so I go through their old things and donate what’s not being used or no longer fits.

This frees up space for the gifts they receive and keeps the clutter at bay. I also do this shortly after the school year ends and right after the summer season ends.

It’s amazing how much stuff we accumulate in a short amount of time! Staying on top of it throughout the year will make the de-cluttering process easier and help keep your home clutter-free.

To help you with the process I’m sharing this free printable. Simply click on the image below to download.

De-clutter printable

Do you find that you struggle with clutter? What areas do you struggle with the most? I would love to hear from you!

*This post was originally published in February of 2014, but has been updated to include new information

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  1. dianne says:

    I do not appreciate the clutter I continue to live with each day. However the hoarder in me finds it DIFFICULT to toss much! I was raised in a different era. We did not buy so many new things. We made do and upcycled long before it was the thing to do. We saved things to make crafts. I have way too much stuff. I try and deal with the problem by no longer buying new things such as books or magazines (much). I just keep enjoying the things I already have! If I want to read something new or different I try to get it at the library or read it on line. Some things that are sentimental I try to give to someone I think will appreciate them. But most of my family live far away and have enough stuff so that is not easy. I work at a daycare and try to take some stuff that could be used there to work with me! Most people know to give met things that are consumable (candles, candy, gift cards for restaurants, etc.) Reading Tips and Advice is Helpful! I try to give away the excess! I know not to buy anything I do not need but that is not always easy to do!

  2. Diannah says:

    I find asking a friend over to help is great way to stay on track and not save just because. 🙂

  3. […] busy season, but one that I’m very much looking forward to. I wholeheartedly believe that clutter is the root of many other issues. Clutter often leads to disorganization, which in turn can […]

  4. […] De-clutter all closets and donate, sell or throw out excess clothes. I just did baby girl’s clothes and I have several bags ready for consignment and donation. […]

  5. I love de-cluttering. It’s like one of my favorite things to do. People probably think I’m really weird! LOL. Oh well, organizing makes me super happy! 🙂

  6. Maggie says:

    Something that’s been going well for my sister is when she goes to work, I go in and declutter for her family. I know well enough not to throw away important things, but I can also recognize things that aren’t necessary to keep around.

    Sometimes it’s a lot more efficient to have someone else declutter for you.

  7. […] immediately in the trash bag. This will help you from having to handle the item twice and makes the de-cluttering process much […]

  8. […] If you’re anxious to get started now check out 5 Easy Steps To Help You Get Rid Of Clutter! […]

  9. […] my kids can no longer fit into and find a family in our church to pass the clothes to. It helps me de-clutter and it helps another family save […]

  10. Carie Spence says:

    Oh boy do I need to de-clutter! We are moving in a few months and I need to start purging. Good tips!

    • Jesenia says:

      Hi Carie! De-cluttering now will definitely help your move go smoother. We just went through a move 6 months ago and my husband thanked me for not hauling extra stuff to the new place. I was pregnant at the time so it helped make things easier for him. Thanks for stopping by!

  11. […] 5 Easy Steps to Help Get Rid of Clutter from The Latina Homemaker. […]

  12. Great tips! I am going to give this a try and dust at the same time lol Thanks for linking to Turn it up Tuesday!

    • Jesenia says:

      Haha..sounds good. Thanks for stopping by! 🙂