The popular concept of living a simplified, decluttered life with much less stuff sounds attractive to most. We have all considered the benefits of owning fewer possessions: this means there is a lot less to clean, less debt and less stuff to organise or pack if there is a move on the horizon. We are all mentally ready to declutter but perhaps a tad intimidated by the idea of where and how to begin.
We have listed below a few helpful tips on how to start and then keep the up the momentum:
Give yourself a solid block of 15 uninterrupted minutes: Pick one area a day that sounds appealing and commit the full 15 minutes to complete it. Put your phone on airplane mode if you need to do so to help you focus.
Give away one item each day: You will over time experience an impressive transformation, merely reducing your stuff one item and one day at a time.
Fill up one trash bag with items to donate: Donate it to someone who needs it’s contents and then start over.
Try the Oprah Winfrey Closet Hanger Experiment: While this idea didn’t start with Oprah, she was the one to make it world-famous. To identify wardrobe pieces to say farewell to, hang all your clothes with the hangers in the reverse direction. After you are done wearing an item, return it to the closet with the hook facing the correct direction. After six months, you’ll have a vividly clear picture of which clothes you can easily discard seeing as they never get worn.
Make a list: We recommend creating a list of places/areas in your home to declutter beginning with the easiest. Tackling the easiest area will give you a sense of accomplishment and will motivate you further.
Get a second opinion: Ask a friend or a family member for their opinion on the items you are uncertain of. Just make sure not to take their feedback personally in case they think it is time to get rid of an item you hold dearly. They won’t be able to see the emotional attachment you have to the item as they will only see it for its current state.
No matter which tip you choose to help you get started the goal is to take your first step with true and genuine excitement fuelling it. There is a whole new world of freedom hiding behind all that physical clutter.
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