Decluttering is one of those New Year’s resolutions that everyone says they’re going to do, but few actually follow through with. Maybe it’s because it seems so daunting? But don’t let the fear stop you!
Here are 7 easy decluttering resolutions for 2023 that will help make your life easier and less cluttered.
1. Vow to always close the loop
What we mean is to finish the jobs you start, and to finish them properly – from start to finish.
“All chores have a beginning, middle, and end. Remember laundry isn’t officially done until it is folded and put away. Dishes are not done if they are still sitting in the sink. Try not to put things down to attend to them later. Later is not a time,’ says Ken Adams, founder of FullOfSports.”
2. Set a small amount of time each day for a quick declutter
If you have a little time, you can declutter your room while the coffee machine is running in the morning or while the kettle is boiling for your evening tea. Set a timer for whatever amount of free time you have.
Focus on surfaces and floors that you see and use every day. If you have the time, declutter your kitchen countertops, hallway console, bedside table, and floors before you start or at the end of the day, or whenever it suits your routine, do it. You can accomplish these kinds of tasks in minutes (especially if you stay on top of them), but they make a huge difference.
According to Alex Federo, Co-Owner of FTW Concrete Contractors, most of us have 20 minutes each day to declutter and sort through our homes. Put it in your diary, listen to good music, set a timer and start with one area at a time. You’ll feel amazing and accomplish so much. Have a great day!
I like to keep my home clean as I go along by following a routine. A quick clean up in the kitchen before I go to bed means I wake up to a lovely clean space. Even something as simple as clearing a surface while boiling the kettle, or tidying up the cutlery drawer while the pasta is cooking,’ says Sue Spencer, founder of Better Homes & Garden.
3. Assess what’s coming into your home at all times
In order to make resolutions that stick, you don’t necessarily have to do them; the ones that stick are often those that change the way you think about your home and the items inside. The easiest way to have a clutter-free home is simply to have less in it – so become more mindful of everything that comes into your home. It’s not just about what you buy.
A Tidy Mind founder Kate Ibbotson advises clients to protect both their home space and their mental well-being. You can’t empty the bath while the taps are still running,’ she says. It simply means you should be mindful of what comes into your home. For example, you might say no to a hanger in a shop, take a ‘purchase pause’ before you buy something, do not pick up hotel toiletry freebies, or bring your own shopping bags to the supermarket.
4.Displaced items basket
As a society, we tend to clutter up our living rooms with items that don’t belong, cluttering them up with things that don’t serve a permanent purpose. The living room is the worst place for this. It can easily become clogged with bags, shoes, laptops, chargers, cups, etc. Take on Sue’s tip when organizing your living room (or any room):
‘Start an ‘other room basket’. If you find anything in the room that isn’t supposed to be there, put it in the basket during the day and put it back where it’s supposed to be. It could even be planning a few days to make homes for everything if it doesn’t have one.
5. Buy Less Stuff
It’s simple. Less stuff means less clutter.
“If you want to have a clutter-free house, the simplest thing to do is stop buying things you don’t need and always ask yourself whether what you’re about to buy can be swapped with an experience like a coffee with a friend, a trip to the cinema or a meal with your loved ones,” explains Benjamin Stenson of Norsemen Home Remodeling. “Remember that having less stuff means less chaos, more organization in your house and more control. Doing rather than owning can bring as much happiness if not more.”
6.Have a one in one (or two out) policy
“When decluttering clothes, we often apply this principle, but it can be applied to anything – cups, candles, shoes, books, etc. If something comes into your home, something has to go. If you are really in need of a cull, make it two things. When buying new things, this approach makes you more mindful – think before you buy if you have anything you are willing to give away in the same realm?
To make space for sale shopping, donate something you no longer use. If you must go shopping for sale, then donate two items to reduce clutter even more. Do this every time you buy something new, especially clothes,’ says Jeremiah Erasga, Content Director of Flightradar Online.
Getting the things you’re getting rid of out of the house as soon as possible is the key to this method of decluttering. Sue Spencer recommends figuring out your exit plan before you begin decluttering. You do not want to add more clutter to your home by dipping back into the donation box or bin bag. Determine where your discarded items will be sent (to a charity, a sales site, a trade-in company, a recycling facility) so you can move them out of your home as soon as possible and enjoy the space you’ve created.
- Regularly Review and Organize Game Collection
“This can be done by setting aside a specific day each month to go through the collection and get rid of any games that are no longer played or desired. This can also include going through digital game libraries and uninstalling any games that are no longer needed.
Another resolution is to declutter the gaming setup. This can involve getting rid of any old or unused gaming equipment such as old controllers, cables, or headsets. It can also include organizing the space where the games are played, such as setting up a designated spot for gaming and keeping the area clean and clutter-free.
Finally, gamers can also declutter their digital lives by regularly cleaning up their social media accounts. This can include unfollowing or unfriending accounts that are no longer relevant or desired, and keeping the number of notifications to a minimum. This can help to minimize distractions and improve focus while gaming. Additionally, deleting unnecessary files and keeping the hard drive organized can keep the computer running smoothly.” says Ivan Lovre Marusic, CEO of Game Taco.
As you make decisions about which things to discard, place them on the ‘unsure’ pile. Once you’ve made the easy decisions, go back to the unsure pile to make final decisions.
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