January is a great time to start a decluttering project. It might feel overwhelming at the start but I promise you, it’s not as painful as it seems to be. Here are some tips to help you get started.
1. You don't have to do it all in a day.
If you think you can organize all your closets and all rooms in a day, no wonder you are getting anxiety attacks! You will just end up quitting the project even before you've begun. Start small. Just go room by room or space by space.
2. Try to get the right organizing tools.
If you've got a desk covered in paper that you can't easily throw away, then you've got to find a good filing system to sort them into. So assess what you need to organize and find the right folders, boxes, baskets or bins. Get yourself a system to label them as well – whether this is a label maker or just by printing out some cards or stickers.
There is a danger in this though. Only buy what you need. Don't over shop for organizing tools as unused ones will also become clutter itself.
3. Let go.
An easy decluttering tip is just to go around the space you need to organize and just fill up one trash bag with the things you can throw, and another trash bag with the things you can give away.
Another way is to take a 12-12-12 challenge. You can get your entire family to participate. You need to find 12 things to throw away, 12 things to donate and 12 things to return to what you’ve set as its proper home. With this method, you'll instantly organizer 36 items in one space.
4. Being organized is a lifestyle.
If you want to be constantly be free from “mess stress” then make organization a lifestyle.
You can do this by continuously purging. Colleen Madsen at 365LessThings.com has chosen to give away one item each day so that by reducing her stuff one day at a time, she frees herself from clutter to experience more of life.
Do something to organize your surroundings every day. Alejandra Costello at Alejandra.tv claims that it only takes 3 minutes a day to be productive and it all starts by making your bed in the morning.
Finally when bringing new stuff into your home, choose wisely. Stop buy impulsively and just purchase the things that you really need.
Good luck and I hope this helps you get started on a life free from clutter.