How to declutter like an expert – Part 1

Decluttering, kondo-ing or dejunking these are all different words but they all have a similar meaning: to get rid of stuff and make space for things that bring value to your life. This is a part of a minimalism lifestyle which is an approach to focus on the things that really matter.

Everyone knows the magic of tidying, the feeling you get when your entire apartment is so fresh and so clean and you are just at peace with yourself. Some other amazing benefits of decluttering are that you can actually reduce stress, boost your productivity and even get better good night’s sleep. Sounds great right? If only there wasn’t the first step…

In fact it is really not that difficult, but before diving into below decluttering tips, you should take a moment and clarify which of these three types describe you best. If you are none of them, then congrats you are already a master of declutter 😉

The Busy Bee

You are too busy in life, and you buy stuff you already own because you don’t have a storage system in place. When it comes to find things fast, you don’t find anything in all the possible junk drawers in your home.

The Hoarder

You must save everything, because you “might” need it in the future. You stick to your pile of old gossip magazines because you “might” look something up someday or you keep uncountable pieces of dried-out nail polish which you bought when you were 12 years old for “just in case”. (I can relate…)

The Devastator

You are just overwhelmed with life, don’t know where to start—so you just live with your disorder and chaos.

Have you found your weaker self? Great, now’s the time to make a change and finally make some space.

Konmari method

Have you ever heard of Marie Kondo? She is the Guru when it comes to decluttering. Her community even created words like “Marie kondo-ing” or “konmari-ing”.

Her mantra is: Only keep things that sparks joy and that awaken happy feelings inside you.

I will illustrate the konmari method based on your wardrobe.

First of all, you have to pull all your clothes out of your closet and put them on a huge pile in your room. Pause for a moment, take in the mass of clothes and think back to all the “I don’t have anything to wear moments”. (haha)

Now carefully pick up each item and try to feel if you perceive happiness or a deeper connection. If yes, then luckily you can keep it. If not,  you shall let it go. Marie Kondo’s rule is to say thank you to the clothes you will give away. I know this might sound ridiculous in the first place but try it out. If you verbally express your gratitude to your belongings, you get close to that profound sense and appreciation of life. If you want to know more about it check out my previous blogpost.

If the Konmari method is still too sophisticated, then below decluttering technique might be for you:

6 – Month Closet Challenge

How does it work?

Hang all your clothes inside out on a hanger in your closet. Every time you try something on you should hang it back inside in the right way. The next time you will open your drawer, you will be surprised about how many clothes you are no longer wearing. Now it shouldn’t be too difficult to separate yourself from them. Make an effort and find your clothing a new owner ;).

For those who now are getting into the full flow of decluttering, they might try out this radical method where you basically get rid of clutter in your entire home in a short period of time.

10 – Minute routine – Trash bag challenge for two weeks 

How does it work?

It is very simple, you only need two huge trash bags. One you fill with stuff you want to throw away and the other one with things you want to sell or donate. Do this for 2 weeks and you will quickly see a difference.

Try to focus on the stuff which you haven’t used in the past 12 months. It is highly likely that these things will never be used again. Get rid of them or even better donate them to a charitable organization in your region. Someone else might be extremely happy and have an actual use for it. Besides, donating has a positive effect on yourself because it is a selfless act and you simply feel good about giving.

Eventually think twice before making a purchase in the future. Is this really necessary? Will it also bring me joy in the long term? Make wise decisions not only for the environment but also for your pocket.

I am intrigued to hear from you, which method you prefer and which you are willing to try out sometime? Due to the current situation and #stayhome environment I would say it is a perfect timing to let go and free up your space. Happy decluttering!

PS: Stay tuned for part 2 where it will be all about organizing techniques.

Photo by Onur Bahçıvancılar on Unsplash