"Most of the luxuries and many of the so-called comforts of life are not only not indispensable, but positive hindrances to the elevation of mankind."–Henry David Thoreau
Peace…Tranquility…Calm…Clutter. One of these things is not like the other! Are you overwhelmed by clutter in your home or office? Tackle your chaos one step and five minutes at a time with these quick tips from Zen Habits.
Start clearing a starting zone. What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be a counter, or your kitchen table, or the three-foot perimeter around your couch. Wherever you start, make a rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it envelopes the whole house! Unfortunately, the neighbors don’t seem to like it when you try to expand the no-clutter zone to their house, and start hauling away their unused exercise equipment and torn underwear when they’re not at home. Some people don’t appreciate simplicity, I guess.
For Flylady followers these clutter catchalls are known as "hot spots." Extinguish them and let the cool-calm-clean spread to other areas in your home.
Spend a few minutes visualizing the room. When I’m decluttering, I like to take a moment to take a look at a room, and think about how I want it to look. What are the most essential pieces of furniture? What doesn’t belong in the room but has just gravitated there? What is on the floor (hint: only furniture and rugs belong there) and what is on the other flat surfaces? Once I’ve visualized how the room will look uncluttered, and figured out what is essential, I get rid of the rest.
Don't turn a blind eye to clutter! If you think your room is clutter free, snap a picture of each area then take a second look from the objective photo perspective.
Create a 30-day list. The problem with decluttering is that we can declutter our butts off (don’t actually try that — it’s painful) but it just comes back because we buy more stuff. So fight that tendency by nipping it in the bud: don’t buy the stuff in the first place. Take a minute to create a 30-day list, and every time you want to buy something that’s not absolutely necessary (and no, that new Macbook Air isn’t absolutely necessary), put it on the list with the date it was added to the list. Make a rule never to buy anything (except necessities) unless they’ve been on the list for 30 days. Often you’ll lose the urge to buy the stuff and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and clutter.
Also known as "spaving"–spending to save. Rational purchase: an extra bottle of your favorite laundry detergent you find at a great sale price. 30 Day Waitlisted: Those clearance shoes that match nothing in your current wardrobe.
Learn to love the uncluttered look. Once you’ve gotten an area decluttered, you should take the time to enjoy that look. It’s a lovely look. Make that your standard! Learn to hate clutter! Then catch clutter and kill it wherever it crops up.
Success breeds success! Purposefully removing clutter from your home will bring new love for those cherished belongings that make the cut. The moral of the story: Slow and Steady Wins the Race!
For more quick decluttering tips check out the full story: 18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess.
Share your quick tips over at the Forum .
photo source: Martha Stewart
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