Decluttering Unleashed: 9 Tips to Tame Your Treasures

It always starts simple. You see a fetching object, decide it’s a must-have, and finally, you’re walking home with it. 

Some other day, you see something online, think it would make the daily routine easy, and now it’s sitting in the corner.

And before you know it, there are so many items and trinkets around your home that you barely have any room for anything else—stressful!

So, today, we’ll help you unleash your decluttering skills! Read on to discover nine essential decluttering tips to help you let go of old things and reclaim your space!

Make It a Habit

Often, clutter accumulates not just due to excessive hoarding habits but also because of poor time management. 

You think of decluttering the kitchen or your garage and suddenly feel there’s too much to do and little time.

Worse, some people start their decluttering mission only to stop halfway through because they didn’t plan properly. 

So, what’s the trick here? You need to set regular maintenance and deep clean schedules! 

For regular maintenance, set 30 minutes weekly for decluttering and ensure the goals are achievable. For example, you can designate the half hour to declutter one or two shelves or sort through old box items. 

As for the deep clean declutter plan, set it for every six months on days you know are totally free.

By scheduling your decluttering session, you ensure that you won’t feel overwhelmed and quit midway or get distracted with something else. Also, a quick tip, it’s best to set a reminder for these tasks on your calendar so you get a notification reminding you. 

Ask Yourself: What’s Your Goal?

Before you get your trash bags ready for your throwaways, do you know what you’re doing? We understand this is a bit of an odd question, but it’s vital to set clear goals before starting.

To make decluttering easier, start by visualizing what you expect the space to look like in the end.

After that, aim for specific goals instead of something vague or general like “tidying up!” Instead, set clear targets like “reduce wardrobe by 20%” and “create a new usable home space.”

Also, you can categorize your process by aesthetics, function, emotions, and lifestyle goals. So, for example, are you decluttering to create a particular ambiance, or are you looking to reduce stress and create a calm environment by reducing the items around? 

Knowing the type of decluttering goal can help guide your efforts in the right direction!

Don’t Think About Storage Solutions

A pitfall many of us don’t notice until we’ve already fallen into is trying to find a way to store our clutter. 

You see, once you start the decluttering process, it’s not about storing everything back in an organized way, but about getting rid of unnecessary items.

That’s why most decluttering missions don’t even start because owners think they need more space to store everything.

The answer here is to avoid looking for storage space in the first place, as it’ll only increase the temptation to keep unnecessary items.

Plus, by not relying on additional storage solutions, you learn to make better use of what you already have.

Create a Good Mood

It’s completely understandable if you don’t feel like cleaning up or decluttering anything. After all, most of the time we’re going about those chores, it feels like we’re doing homework—literally! 

So, your first trick should be creating a playlist and playing the right kind of music for your mood. According to studies, music can significantly elevate your mood and, as a result, increase your energy levels, making decluttering feel less like a chore.

You can also set up a reward system for achieving your decluttering goals. It could be as simple as taking a relaxing bath, making your favorite meal, or going out for some ice cream!

Bring a Friend!

Who said you need to be alone to declutter? Yes, we know some items are just too embarrassing to share with others, but a best friend can make this process so much easier. 

Besides lending you a hand with all the organizing, a close friend or a family member can tell you: “No, throw that out!” without batting an eyelash! 

They know you best, and they have a different point of view than yours towards the items strewn around, and that’s why their opinion can make a difference.

In short, they can see clearly, as their opinions aren’t clouded with sentiment toward the items.

Say No to Dragon-Like Hoarding Habits

Just as dragons love to hoard jewels and gold, people sometimes accumulate items, often out of sentimental value, fear of scarcity, or a belief that this item can be useful down the road.

Nevertheless, these items are probably as beneficial to you as the gold is to the dragon! This is nothing to be embarrassed or ashamed of, as this is more common than you think.

In fact, almost 500 million people worldwide hoard items due to various reasons. To break the cycle, you need to acknowledge this behavior first, and then take a good look at your possessions.

Now, please note we’re not trying to convince you to throw out things you hold valuable but rather redefine this value. 

Shift your perspective and focus on what makes each item meaningful and if the memory it holds is still impactful to this day.

Pretend You’re Moving Out

Pretending you’re moving out can truly put your mind in another space. This is because you’ll start looking at the items around you and wonder “Would I take you with me?”, “ Is it worth making the bags and boxes heavier?”, or “Do I have space for this?” 

If the answers to these questions are all no, then that item has got to go! This kind of make-believe simplifies and amplifies your decision-making process without devaluing anything you own. 

Avoid the Sunk Cost Fallacy

If you don’t know what the sunk cost fallacy is, in short, a fancy way of saying abandon ship while you can! 

Most people hold on to their principles, plans, or items just because they’ve invested too much time and effort in them. 

But does that mean any of those things are right or should be held on to? No.

Just because you spent a lot of money on something or spent most of your time maintaining it, doesn’t mean you should maintain it. 

Cut your losses early on and don’t let your expenses accumulate with your items. 

Regift Gifts

While gifts are always a sweet gesture, not all of them are worth keeping around. Some things could be a duplicate of something you already own or simply don’t fit within your lifestyle.

So, what do you do in this scenario without feeling like a heartless individual who’s throwing away a gift?

Easy, you should regift it or donate it! Just because you don’t need it, doesn’t mean someone else doesn’t. That big fruit bowl you were gifted can look amazing on your friend’s table. 

That novel you got but have already read could be the perfect read for your bookworm colleague! Regifting is a thoughtful way to ensure an item finds a place where it’s valued and used, rather than gathering dust.

Wrapping Up

So, ready to start your decluttering marathon? To give you a quick recap, all you need for a start is a sturdy schedule and clear, achievable goals!

Once you have that mapped out, you can start by making the decluttering process fun. Bring a friend, play some music, or create witty challenges to get you through.

Finally, don’t hold on to things just because you’ve had them for so long or spent so much money on them. Redefine what’s valuable and you might just find yourself with more free space than you expected!