Rejuvenate Your Space: Tips for Decluttering Your Home

2019 is officially upon us, and as is custom, people like to begin the new year with a clean slate. New Year’s resolutions (whether or not they’re fully realized) are all about putting your good intentions out into the universe. So, it’s probably no coincidence that Netflix’s wildly popular Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, is trending these days. Therefore, we’ve decided to put together some quick tips for decluttering your home.

There are many advantages to purging all of the unnecessary items in your life, such as reducing anxiety and increasing one’s confidence. Studies show people who live in cleaner, organized spaces are generally happier, whereas messier surroundings adds undue strain.

Don’t Let Clutter Get the Best of You

If the clutter in your house is getting to be unmanageable, maybe it’s time to show it who’s really boss! A little bit of resolve can go a long way. So, unless you’re hosting a Royal Gala tomorrow night, decluttering your home doesn’t have to happen all in one sitting. Dedicate brief chunks of time to clearing out drawers, cupboards, or crawl spaces to help get yourself started. But commit to the task and try to clear stuff out once a day or every other day until you’re making some real headway. There’s no sense doing ten minutes of work only to come back a month later having to start all over again. 

Tips for Decluttering

Don’t know where to start? Here are a few ways you can go about decluttering your home:

• Grab a couple garbage bags, one for trash, the other for donation. Carve out a small chunk of time for yourself, and GO! Repeat every day for a week and surfaces you forgot about will begin to materialize as if by magic.
• When going through whatever pile, put on your Sorting Hat and ask yourself when you last wore that piece of clothing; used that decorative percolator; reread those notes from university on Ancient Greek and Roman medicine. Also be sure to answer yourself honestly. And maybe don’t be asking all this out loud unless you’re sure that you’re alone.
• Make a game plan as to how you want to tackle your mess. Some people like to make lists. Checking off items adds a sense of accomplishment. Or go room by room until each area is nice and tidy before moving on to the next.
• If you want to make a quick buck or two as compensation for your hard work, you could even sell some of your stuff. For example, online tools like Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji are great tools for hocking your wares.

If you’d like help with your 2019 cleanup, Over 55 Skills at Work has associates standing by. Contact us today!

*Side note: if you happen to be throwing out any electronics, be sure to recycle them at the appropriate depots. It’s as simple as a quick Google search for locations near you. For those in London, click here.