Five Step Guide to Deep Decluttering

Whether it’s the lingering trend of minimalism or the fact that you simply want to rid yourself of material excess, decluttering can be a rewarding yet challenging task. There’s a widely shared belief that what you own can start to own you, which is understandable considering the lengths to which some people go in order to buy new items or fill their homes with just the right possessions. Here is a brief summary of steps that can help you declutter your home and your mind.

1. Know Your Motivations

For some people, decluttering might just be about making more room in their home, either for activities or other items. For other people, it’s about creating space to think without the burden of material ownership overtaking more meaningful priorities and goals. Discover for yourself the reasons you want to declutter. Someone who wants to make moving house easier will have a different approach to someone seeking mental clarity. It’s a personal journey and knowing your motivation can help organise your process.

2. Divide by Type

Before you start the huge task of sifting through all of your belongings, consider which categories will work best for you when dividing them up. Popular distinctions are usually clothing, paperwork, sentimental items, and essentials. This might not suit you. Write a list of possible categories that could helpfully divide your possessions between making the decluttering process that little bit easier. You might want to go by room or by use.

3. It’s Not All or Nothing

Some decluttering guides can be ruthless in their approach to decreasing possessions. They might suggest getting rid of everything that doesn’t have a purpose or that you should sell everything and start from scratch. Depending on your own mindset and lifestyle, decluttering can be much more nuanced. For example, if you aren’t sure you want to part with something just yet, consider keeping it with Storage Ashton until you’ve decided if you want to keep it or not. Give sentimental items to friends or family if you no longer want them but also don’t want to throw them away.

4. Survive the Mess

During the process of deep decluttering, you’ll most likely have to experience some level of untidiness and obstruction. Prepare yourself for this so as to not become overwhelmed in the middle of cleaning and organising. Create a designated sanctuary zone where you can retreat after a hard day of tidying.

5. Give Items a Home

Once you have successfully reduced the number of objects in your possession and you’re happy with the results, make sure that the items you still have can be easily found in a particular location. For example, instead of leaving your keys anywhere, make a habit of putting them on a designated hook. Part of the appeal of decluttering and owning less is to live a simpler life where ideas and achieving goals becomes the priority. If you can limit the material frustrations in your life, then you can start to focus more on yourself.