If you've tried over and over again to declutter and let go, but always end up feeling defeated and frustrated, stop decluttering. At least, stop decluttering alone. Ask for help from friends and family, or seek professional assistance. You don't have to do this alone.
A: The 5-year rule for decluttering is simple: Look at your stuff and ask yourself, "Have I used this in the last five years?" If the answer is no, it's probably time to let it go — unless it's something with major sentimental value, of course.
SIGNS YOU MIGHT BE DECLUTTERING TOO MUCH
Your home isn't a fun and happy place that it once used to be. You worry about making mess so stop doing activities that might create mess. You don't let your kids do certain activities because it might bring mess and clutter. You feel guilty for owning so much.
The 50% rule for clutter is a straightforward yet powerful principle: reduce the number of items in any given space by half.
This by-the-numbers decluttering strategy is simple: Only take up 80% of any given space in your home with stuff, and leave the other 20% empty. Generally, that means getting rid of about 20% of the items in your house to ensure your home is comfortable and has a feeling of spaciousness.
If you've tried over and over again to declutter and let go, but always end up feeling defeated and frustrated, stop decluttering. At least, stop decluttering alone. Ask for help from friends and family, or seek professional assistance. You don't have to do this alone.
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.
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.
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.
Compulsive decluttering is a type of disorder that is classified within a broad name, obsessive compulsive disorder, or OCD. Compulsive decluttering is the act of throwing items, or clutter, away, or getting rid of them in an attempt to "clean up" what one with the disorder may think is cluttered.
“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 20/20 rule is a genius invention by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus from The Minimalists. This simple rule is if you can replace something you are decluttering in less than 20 minutes for less than $20, you can declutter it.
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.
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.
It is entirely possible to declutter too much. Decluttering incessantly will result in you not being able to complete daily tasks easily – not because you can't get around your house but because you don't have what you need. You can also suffer from declutter regret, missing items you once let go of.
'The key to being ruthless when decluttering is to remember that your items are not serving anyone by sitting in a storage room, or a musty basement or attic,' she adds. 'If the item is no longer serving you, let it go so that it can benefit someone else. '
Cleaning your home or surroundings isn't just a physical process, but a mental one as well. Reducing clutter minimizes distractions, allowing your brain to concentrate on more important tasks at hand.
“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.”
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.