1. Take the 12-12-12 challenge. The rules are simple: locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to be returned to their proper home. That's it.
Research shows that people use 20% of what they own 80% of the time. The rest takes up space, mostly untouched. Consider the things in your home, the clothes on your body, and even what you take in your luggage on vacation.
Coined by pro organizer Kayleen Kelly, the “Core 4 Method” breaks the decluttering process into four simple steps: clear out, categorize, cut out, and contain. In essence, it's designed to take the stress and overwhelm out of the organizing process.
Aptly named, the 5-second decluttering rule challenges you to pick up an item and within this short time frame, decide whether to keep or discard it. If you can think of a place to put said item, it's a keeper. If you're failing to come to a conclusion, it's time to let that item go.
What Is the 90/90 Rule? Here's the gist: When you come upon an object you're unsure about decluttering, ask yourself two questions: Did you use it in the past 90 days? If not, will you use it in the next 90 days? If your answer is “no” to both questions, away it goes.
“No decorative object smaller than a cantaloupe.” Oklahoma City designer Valerie Helgeson recommends giving your pieces elbow room. “This creates negative space, which is actually a positive,” she said. “It gives the eye and mind a break.”
The 333 method philosophy revolves around one simple rule: you choose 33 items to wear for 3 months. This includes clothing, accessories, outerwear and shoes, but excludes essentials like underwear, sleepwear or workout gear.
Start small and simplify. Beginning the decluttering process by starting small and focusing on one area at a time can be a highly effective strategy to prevent overwhelm, maintain motivation, and achieve tangible progress in organizing your living space.
This rule suggests that you handle items only once, putting them away immediately rather than setting them down temporarily. By adhering to this principle, you can effectively prevent clutter buildup and save time in the long run.
No one item in the 50% is used 3% of the time. Any collection of items from within the 50% are used 3% of the time. So if you have ten shirts, then five are used 97% of the time and the other five are used 3% of the time.
Created by professional organizer Kayleen Kelly, the three-second rule for decluttering requires you to decide in three seconds if you'll keep or get rid of an item.
Always declutter first!! Here's why. #1 It is impossible to effectively clean your home without dealing with your clutter first. If you eliminate the clutter, your home will instantly look cleaner.
People with depression can often find themselves living in messy spaces. This is because feelings of hopelessness, low energy, and lack of motivation can make it hard to keep on top of everyday tasks, such as tidying.
“Kerri Richardson's new book, What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You helps you clear the clutter in your life by figuring out why it's in your life to begin with. It not only helps you eliminate physical clutter, but emotional and mental blockages, too, creating space for your soul to be energized!
For that reason, someone with hoarding disorder accumulates a lot of stuff, to the point that it impacts their day to day life. Clutter, on the other hand, refers to things around the home that are disorganized and don't have a place, notes the International OCD Foundation.
“The entryway into one's home should be the first space you organize above all others, whether that is a foyer, long hallway, or just an entrance area,” according to Jane Stoller, founder of Organized Jane and author of “Decluttering for Dummies.”
The 333 method is essentially a bite-sized version of a capsule wardrobe. You choose three tops, three bottoms, and three shoes, and challenge yourself to create as many outfit combinations as possible with your selections.
Ltd., said that the one-touch rule involves handling an item only once. “Rather than picking something up and setting it down temporarily, you place it immediately in its designated spot. This habit minimises clutter, and helps maintain organisation, and prevents items from piling up,” he said.
Step 1: Decide what you want to declutter
The first step is to make a list of what needs organising. Focus on contained spaces such as a drawer, cupboard, nook, or shelf, rather than whole rooms.
'The 1 In, 10 out decluttering rule is a refreshingly simple minimalist approach to managing clutter,' says Di Ter Avest, home and lifestyle professional organizer and founder of Diisorganized. For every new item you bring into your home, you remove ten items.