Tips for Clearing Clutter

No matter how many times I tell myself that I won’t let clutter take over my life, it seems to creep back in when I thought I had it handled. I usually notice it the most when the new year starts and I want to get things cleaned up for the holidays. I have said many times, “I just need a bigger place.” The truth is, a bigger place has always led me to accumulate even more unnecessary things!

There was one point in my life where I considered getting storage unit for all my stuff I wasn’t even using. When it gets to that point, you know you have a serious clutter problem. If you are in that same boat, here are some Tips for Clearing Clutter that work. Especially if you are like me and seem to get emotionally attached to just about anything!

Tips for Clearing Clutter

Be super honest with yourself. This is the most important thing about clearing clutter and the biggest piece of advice that I can give you. If you haven’t used it in so long you don’t remember the last time you did, it is clutter. Plain and simple. If it’s in good condition, pack it up and get it ready to donate or give it away. Rather than hold onto something you may not use, remember that you can always purchase it again if you find you really need it.

Make arrangements for your stuff as you go through it. Don’t wait too long to get your clutter out of your house by making the mistake of creating a donate pile that sits there for weeks. If you do this, you aren’t really clearing anything, but rather moving it around. Plus, you are likely to go back and take stuff out that you already made a decision on. As you clear each room, make immediate arrangements by posting things as you go on Craigslist or calling the thrift store for pick ups.

Allow yourself one place for mementos. This way, when that space is full, you will be required to go through it and only keep your most precious things. Sentimental clutter can be the hardest to deal with because it can feel like you are getting rid of a memory, but really, the memories live in your mind.

Find a way to organize papers and recycle ones that don’t need to be around anymore. This can be an especially hard task. If you are anything like me, paper clutter is a huge problem. A good solution for clearing out paper clutter is not letting it accumulate in the first place. Keep scissors, a trash bin, and a place to put important papers accessible right where you open mail.

Decide if you would be more effective alone or with help. Sometimes, getting help to clear the clutter motivates me and other times, it just ends in disagreements about what to keep. If you decide to go it alone, ask your spouse, significant other, and kids to set aside things they definitely don’t want going out and then dig in. With smaller kids, it may even be better to clear their room of clutter when they are not around.