Tips For Creating A Decluttering Plan

Decluttering is something many people find themselves doing at some point. The overall project can be overwhelming and even disheartening. This is the reason why it is a good idea to make a decluttering plan and then put it into action. 

Make a list

Break the entire project down into manageable sections or rooms. Walk from room to room and write down what needs to be done in each one. You can do this in a very simplified form by using a sheet of paper for each room. This way, you are only looking at one room and set of goals at a time. 

Take it one section at a time

So you have your project broken down into sections/rooms, now start with a room and remain there until finished. Start with the easiest task in that room: trash.

Sort out trash

Look around and through everything for obvious trash like empty pop cans, old newspapers, old magazines and empty food wrappers. Other things that are trash consist of broken and unusable items. There is no reason good enough to keep things that are broken or ruined. Make sure you have a box of large trash bags to accommodate the garbage you are throwing out. If it helps you, after you fill a trash bag, take it outside to the dumpster. This way, you will not have to walk around full trash bags. Besides, you can take a small break each time you throw out a trash bag. Walk around outside and enjoy some fresh air.  

Sort out items to sell

Perhaps you have some nice things that you just have no use for anymore. You can set these items aside in a box marked for selling. The key point about setting something aside to sell, is to actually sell it! Do not set aside to sell and then “forget” about it for the next 6 months. Take all of your boxes marked for sale and set them outside of the room. 

Decide if you are going to set up a yard sale or take them to a consignment shop or sell them online. Take a marker and write on each box how it will be sold. The next step is to enlist the help of friends or family members that you trust. Ask them to remove the “sell it” boxes to a place away from your home temporarily. 

Sort out items to donate

Donating gently used items like clothing, bedding and blankets to a homeless shelter or other community organization is a wonderful thing to do. Place all of the items you are donating into a box and mark it with your marker. Call on your loved ones again and ask them to haul them off for you while you finish that room.

Clean the section/room

That last thing to do in the room is to clean it. Vacuum, dust, and remove cobwebs. If necessary, take down curtains and launder them and wash the windows. Clean any furniture in the room as well. Clean and arrange everything you decided to keep and belongs in that room. 

Repeat steps for the remaining rooms

By the time you have the first room done, you will have a feel of how easy this process is once you break it down into sections. Just take it one room at a time and you will be pleasantly surprised at how quickly your home gets decluttered.

Sit back and relax

Whether you kick back and relax after completing one room or after you finish the entire project, by all means pamper yourself! You did a fantastic job and deserve some time to bask in your accomplishments. 

Once you have your plan in place, you are half done decluttering. The hard part is planning how to accomplish a seemingly overwhelming task. Once you have your plan of attack organized in your head, then you can write it down and check things off as you get them done. The reason it is important to write everything down is so you can actually track your progress. 

Sometimes it is difficult to look around and notice progress being made while in the middle of the decluttering process. This can be discouraging to a person. When you can look at your written plan and see things checked off because they are finished, it can be uplifting.