How to declutter
Ziilch Discovers the Secrets of Decluttering
When your home is cluttered you can’t do the things you want to do. Decluttering will make a change to your life. Without mess and clutter you are free to do whatever you like in your own home and you’ll feel better about yourself.
First make the decision that you want to declutter your home then decide on the room you want to tackle first. Clutter can become a problem in every room of the house. Here is a step by step guide to decluttering your home room by room.
First find three boxes. Label the first one “stuff to keep”, the second one “stuff to throw away” and the third one “stuff for Ziilch”. Take these boxes with you into every room in the house.
The Kitchen
Get right to the back of cupboard to see what is in there. Ask yourself how many times you have used this utensil, or container, or appliance in the last year. If you have barely used these things you don’t need them anymore. Look at how much cutlery you have and whether it is taking up too much space. Pick your favourite mugs to keep and get rid of the rest. Do the same for glasses.
The Loungeroom
If you buy a new television you have to decide what to do with the old one. Unless it is going to be used in another room of the house it is clutter and needs to be removed. Any old magazines and newspapers should be thrown out. Get a magazine rack to keep everything in one place.
The Attic/Storage Room
Find any leftover moving boxes and take them to get a refund. Alternatively use them to store loose articles in the attic/storage room. Tackle items one at a time. Ask when was the last time this item was used? If it is in the attic/storage room it must not be very important. Ask yourself why you are keeping the item. Nine times out of the ten you will find you are keeping the item for no reason at all and you can get rid of it and declutter.
The Dining Room
Go through wall units and dressers one shelf at a time. Old napkins at the very back of these shelves have not been used for a long time. That means they are no longer needed. Take everything out of a shelf and look at how much space it takes up. Think about how often you have used these items and why you are keeping them. Try to end up with on third of the items you had before.
The Bedrooms
Tackle each chest of drawers and wardrobe separately. Any socks and underwear you have not worn in the last two months should go. Don’t keep old clothes for sentimental value. That is a waste of space. Make a rule that if you cannot wear an item today it should not be in the wardrobe. If an items is in any way damaged it also should not be in the wardrobe. Apply these rules to other family members’ clothes and shoes.
The Garage
If an item is gathering dust in a corner it means you are not using it and it has to go. Projects for tomorrow can be decluttered today. Check all bottles for used by dates. Dispose of chemicals responsibly. Consider how often you have used certain tools in the past five years. If you don't use it often consider sharing it and rent it out on Open Shed.
The Bathroom
Make sure there is a bin in the bathroom and it is emptied regularly. Check all bottles to be sure they are not empty. Find a holder for all shower products in order to keep them in the one place. Do not let items sit on the vanity unit. Assign specific drawers for specific things and put these things away. If there is no room for certain items it is a good sign you do not need them in your new decluttered bathroom.
Throw away everything in the rubbish box” and start listing the items in the box marked “stuff for Ziilch”. Then you will be free to enjoy your newly decluttered home.
