I am so excited! As I prepare for 2014, I realized I had so much clutter in my life that it was holding me back from moving forward because I couldn’t focus. This month I rolled up my sleeves and I got busy and the best part is that my kids are on board and we are on wee4 and there room still looks like a room. Now that is something to get excited about! We donated lots of clothes and toys.
Now, it wasn’t enough that I just wanted to clean my home and create some order, but it was important to create a plan, to know where to start.
It’s important to have a declutter strategy in place before you begin.
Begin by doing a walk through of your home, it is important that you see your home with a new set of eyes. Go room by room and make a note of things you want to change.
Review your list of changes. Which room or space irritates you the most? Prioritize your list by the room or spaces you want to tackle first.
Don’t try to tackle an entire room, that can be overwhelming. Begin with a small area and room everything and put it in a pile. Create a pile for the things you want to keep, donate, or relocate to another room. The items you decide to keep place them back until everything is back in place, you will feel a sense of positive energy radiating from that area and feel motivated to continue cleaning up the messes.
You may feel motivated to tackle the next project on the list, but I would recommend that you hold off, look at your list and put a date next to when you will start on the next area. The goal is to create a new habit of keeping your home clutter free, start by keeping that one area clean.
The next step is to work on another small area, but keep in mind that doing too much too soon can possibly burn you out. Instead, plan to spend a minimum of 15 to 20 minutes a day cleaning. Depending on your schedule if you have more time to devote then you may want to schedule an hour or two each week.
Once you have gotten your own clutter under control, it is time to enlist the help of your family. Develop a chore chart for everyone in the family so you are not the only one cleaning. You may be the only one decluttering but it only makes sense for everyone in the family to be involved in general housekeeping. It also helps to develop a routine.
As you go through clutter, whether on your own or with your family’s help, remember the importance of not only cleaning but also getting rid of items that you no longer need. You may want to put a “give away” box in each room. When you find an unwanted or unneeded item, place it into the box. Once the box is full, immediately take it to the car and donate it to a charity like Salvation Army or Goodwill. Perhaps someone else will need it.
You may feel like it is taking forever to clear the clutter, but it took more than a day or two to amass it. It will take time to get your home back in order, but once you do, you will be more likely to use the new skills you have learned and keep the clutter from coming back.
Now you have a simple declutter strategy to help keep your space clutter free.
LaKeisha Hankins
Life Coach to Busy Mom’s
Helping You Unleash Your Passions
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