Decluttering, minimising what you own and generally living a simpler life with less possessions is trending in 2019. Japanese ‘tidying celebrity’ Marie Kondo has kicked off a fascinating movement in ‘organising’ which has taken the world by storm and has now become a New Zealand phenomenon.
Even if you don’t like the idea of throwing away your worldly belongings, you might like the benefits which come along with owning fewer possessions. These include owning less to clean, less to organise, reducing stress, or even the possibility of having more money and energy to put into your hobbies and passions. Decluttering doesn’t need to be painful; in fact, it can be fun, so here are 7 creative ways to declutter your home:
1. Start small.
Give away one item each day. If you don’t let yourself get overwhelmed early into your declutteringjourney, then before you know it, you will have re-homed a week’s worth and then a month’s worth of items – and not miss them.
2. Fill one bin bag.
One of the most talked about decluttering techniques is to grab a simple large bin bag and see how quickly you can fill it. While much of what is collected may well be rubbish, there is also a chance it contains items of value that can be donated to charity.
3. Think back to front.
Hang all the clothes in your wardrobe with the hangers in the reverse direction. After you wear an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. After six months, you’ll have a clear picture of which clothes you have worn and which you haven’t, thus making it easier to pass on clothing.
4. Make a list.
Create a list of areas in your home to declutter; starting with the easiest – anecdotally this might be the collection of pens which are kept near a phone in your home or near the fridge where you write notes. Do you really need all those pens? Do they even all work? It’s worth seeing how this goes and taking your decluttering from here.
5. Take the 10-10-10 Challenge.
A simple task of locating 10 items to throw away, 10 items to donate, and 10 items to be returned to their proper home can be a really fun and exciting way to quickly organise 30 things in your house. Once you have done it, maybe you could encourage any other members of your family who live with you to join in.
6. Experiment with clothing.
Choose some key items of clothing and challenge yourself to only wear those pieces of clothing for a whole month. Challenging yourself in this way will enable you to change your perspective on how easy it is to live with less clothing. Once you’ve nailed this, it can flow on to other parts of your life and home.
7. Use your imagination.
It’s good to ask yourself what an item is worth to you before you throw it away. Although Marie Kondo poses the question ‘does it spark joy?’ we can use alternative ways to question something’s worth to us. You can also use this technique when buying new items to stop you making an unnecessary purchase. Just ask yourself if you really need the item or not.
No matter what way you choose to get started and whether it be one of these tips or one of countless others; the goal is to take your first step with excitement behind it. There is a beautiful world of freedom and a fresh way of living that’s hiding behind that clutter. How you remove it is up to you!
Even if you don’t like the idea of throwing away your worldly belongings, you might like the benefits which come along with owning fewer possessions. These include owning less to clean, less to organise, reducing stress, or even the possibility of having more money and energy to put into your hobbies and passions. Decluttering doesn’t need to be painful; in fact, it can be fun, so here are 7 creative ways to declutter your home:
1. Start small.
Give away one item each day. If you don’t let yourself get overwhelmed early into your declutteringjourney, then before you know it, you will have re-homed a week’s worth and then a month’s worth of items – and not miss them.
2. Fill one bin bag.
One of the most talked about decluttering techniques is to grab a simple large bin bag and see how quickly you can fill it. While much of what is collected may well be rubbish, there is also a chance it contains items of value that can be donated to charity.
3. Think back to front.
Hang all the clothes in your wardrobe with the hangers in the reverse direction. After you wear an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. After six months, you’ll have a clear picture of which clothes you have worn and which you haven’t, thus making it easier to pass on clothing.
4. Make a list.
Create a list of areas in your home to declutter; starting with the easiest – anecdotally this might be the collection of pens which are kept near a phone in your home or near the fridge where you write notes. Do you really need all those pens? Do they even all work? It’s worth seeing how this goes and taking your decluttering from here.
5. Take the 10-10-10 Challenge.
A simple task of locating 10 items to throw away, 10 items to donate, and 10 items to be returned to their proper home can be a really fun and exciting way to quickly organise 30 things in your house. Once you have done it, maybe you could encourage any other members of your family who live with you to join in.
6. Experiment with clothing.
Choose some key items of clothing and challenge yourself to only wear those pieces of clothing for a whole month. Challenging yourself in this way will enable you to change your perspective on how easy it is to live with less clothing. Once you’ve nailed this, it can flow on to other parts of your life and home.
7. Use your imagination.
It’s good to ask yourself what an item is worth to you before you throw it away. Although Marie Kondo poses the question ‘does it spark joy?’ we can use alternative ways to question something’s worth to us. You can also use this technique when buying new items to stop you making an unnecessary purchase. Just ask yourself if you really need the item or not.
No matter what way you choose to get started and whether it be one of these tips or one of countless others; the goal is to take your first step with excitement behind it. There is a beautiful world of freedom and a fresh way of living that’s hiding behind that clutter. How you remove it is up to you!
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