Declutter Your Home: 7 Simple Methods to Take Back Your Space
Clutter can sneak up on us, turning our living spaces into disorganized zones of stress. Whether it’s old furniture, unused appliances, or just too much stuff in general, decluttering is a key step toward creating a home that’s peaceful and functional. At Trashtastic, we believe that taking control of clutter can transform your space and your life. Here are seven (7) simple and effective decluttering methods to help you get started!
This method is perfect for systematically tackling a cluttered area. As you go through your space, place items into four clearly labeled boxes: Keep, Donate, Throw Away, or Relocate.
Keep: Items you use regularly and need.
Donate: Things in good condition that can be given to charity.
Throw Away: Broken or unusable items.
Relocate: Belongings that belong elsewhere in the house.
Using this method prevents you from being overwhelmed and ensures every item has a place.
Popularized by Marie Kondo, this method focuses on asking a simple question: Does this item spark joy?
The idea is to keep only the items that bring you happiness or serve a valuable purpose. The process involves sorting items by category (clothing, books, papers, etc.) and making a conscious decision to part with anything that no longer serves you. It’s a gentle and mindful way to declutter, perfect for sentimental items.
This is a great strategy for maintaining a clutter-free home in the long term. The One-In, One-Out rule means for every new item you bring into your home, you remove one similar item. For example, if you buy a new pair of shoes, donate or discard an old pair. It prevents unnecessary accumulation and helps you make mindful purchases.
Make decluttering fun with the 12-12-12 Challenge! Here’s how it works: Find 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to put away in their proper places. It’s a simple way to quickly tackle clutter, and you can even turn it into a friendly family competition to make the process more enjoyable.
Instead of trying to declutter your whole house at once, break the process down by tackling one room at a time. Start with the room that’s causing you the most stress or the one you use most frequently. Focusing on one room at a time keeps the process manageable and gives you a sense of accomplishment with each space you clear.
This method is great for letting go of items you’re hesitant to part with. If you’re struggling to decide whether to keep something, ask yourself two questions:
Can I replace this item for less than $20?
Can I replace it in less than 20 minutes?
If the answer to both is yes, it’s probably safe to let it go! The 20/20 Rule helps ease the decision-making process and makes decluttering less painful.
Decluttering isn’t a one-time activity—it’s a habit. Schedule regular sessions, whether monthly or quarterly, to maintain your tidy space. Block off time on your calendar to review and clean out areas like closets, the garage, or storage rooms. This keeps things manageable and prevents the overwhelming buildup of clutter over time.
Once you’ve decluttered, what do you do with all the unwanted items? That’s where TrashTastic comes in! Whether you’ve got old furniture, boxes of junk, or yard waste, we’re here to help with fast, reliable junk removal. We offer eco-friendly disposal options and take care of the heavy lifting so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Don’t let clutter weigh you down—let us help you clear your space and reclaim your home. Contact us today to schedule your junk removal service!
1. The Four-Box Method
This method is perfect for systematically tackling a cluttered area. As you go through your space, place items into four clearly labeled boxes: Keep, Donate, Throw Away, or Relocate.
Keep: Items you use regularly and need.
Donate: Things in good condition that can be given to charity.
Throw Away: Broken or unusable items.
Relocate: Belongings that belong elsewhere in the house.
Using this method prevents you from being overwhelmed and ensures every item has a place.
2. The KonMari Method
Popularized by Marie Kondo, this method focuses on asking a simple question: Does this item spark joy?
The idea is to keep only the items that bring you happiness or serve a valuable purpose. The process involves sorting items by category (clothing, books, papers, etc.) and making a conscious decision to part with anything that no longer serves you. It’s a gentle and mindful way to declutter, perfect for sentimental items.
3. One-In, One-Out Rule
This is a great strategy for maintaining a clutter-free home in the long term. The One-In, One-Out rule means for every new item you bring into your home, you remove one similar item. For example, if you buy a new pair of shoes, donate or discard an old pair. It prevents unnecessary accumulation and helps you make mindful purchases.
4. The 12-12-12 Challenge
Make decluttering fun with the 12-12-12 Challenge! Here’s how it works: Find 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to put away in their proper places. It’s a simple way to quickly tackle clutter, and you can even turn it into a friendly family competition to make the process more enjoyable.
5. Declutter One Room at a Time
Instead of trying to declutter your whole house at once, break the process down by tackling one room at a time. Start with the room that’s causing you the most stress or the one you use most frequently. Focusing on one room at a time keeps the process manageable and gives you a sense of accomplishment with each space you clear.
6. The 20/20 Rule
This method is great for letting go of items you’re hesitant to part with. If you’re struggling to decide whether to keep something, ask yourself two questions:
Can I replace this item for less than $20?
Can I replace it in less than 20 minutes?
If the answer to both is yes, it’s probably safe to let it go! The 20/20 Rule helps ease the decision-making process and makes decluttering less painful.
7. Schedule Regular Decluttering Sessions
Decluttering isn’t a one-time activity—it’s a habit. Schedule regular sessions, whether monthly or quarterly, to maintain your tidy space. Block off time on your calendar to review and clean out areas like closets, the garage, or storage rooms. This keeps things manageable and prevents the overwhelming buildup of clutter over time.
Bonus: Let TrashTastic Help You with the Heavy Lifting
Once you’ve decluttered, what do you do with all the unwanted items? That’s where TrashTastic comes in! Whether you’ve got old furniture, boxes of junk, or yard waste, we’re here to help with fast, reliable junk removal. We offer eco-friendly disposal options and take care of the heavy lifting so you don’t have to worry about a thing.
Don’t let clutter weigh you down—let us help you clear your space and reclaim your home. Contact us today to schedule your junk removal service!
Updated on: 12/18/2024
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