Decluttering Made Easy: What to Tackle, When, and How

• Why use a decluttering checklist?
• Where to begin
• Room-by-room approach
• Planner tips you wish you knew
• Common mistakes to avoid
• Maintain a decluttered wardrobe

• Why use a decluttering checklist? Breaking big tasks into small achievable bit-sized milestones makes it easier to do something. It reduces decision fatigue and you can think clearly. A decluterring checklist will list all things you need to keep in mind that you can refer to as a decluttering guide. This reduces the amount of work you have to do in planning the process and gives you an overview of the entire process.
• Where to begin: A simple rule on how to declutter your home will give you everything you need to know but we often miss the point that starting the process is the biggest step. As it seems time-consuming and intimidating, most people would end up delaying it as much as they can. Hence, begin with things you know you want to get rid of or donate. Start small with places that are easier to manage like bedside drawers or kitchen shelves. This would be followed by a room by room decluttering process if that is the need. But, before you dive in, make a mental or physical plan on how this will flow for you. It is also advised to begin with non-sentimental spaces and items that are easier to decide on and then you move to areas that need more time and energy.
• Room by room approach: Different areas in the house or space need the decluttering planner to think of ways to get rid of excess items and organise what they hold. Kitchens would need eliminating expired/old items, duplicate utensils, worn out appliances or misplaced container lids etc. Bathrooms would need to get rid of expired products, old towels and broken parts/elements. A bedroom would need bedside drawers, closets and bed storage to be cleaned. Hence, make a plan of what needs to be cleaned and estimate a rough timeline and then work backwards.
• Planner tips you wish you know: Make sure you have a donate box where you add items you want to get rid of. Block your time and tasks for everyday/week depending on how long you want to do this. Use progress checklists or written planners to ensure you've sorted things you wanted to. Taking photos before and after helps you see progress and creates a sense of achievement in the process. Do maintain contact with an NGO or organisation that you'd like to donate items to.
• Common mistakes to avoid: A few things to note when thinking about how to declutter you home include making sure you organise after decluttering. Trying to organise a mess will revolt back to begin a mess if done non-strategically. Buying storage before sorting or aligning things you need to put outside could lead to wasted expense. Lastly, holding onto the 'just in case' items can lead to hoarding and you would be stuck in a vicious cycle.
• Maintain a decluttered wardrobe: Adopt a 'one in one out' approach for buying new things. Switch up wardrobes seasonally and use extra storage like the tops shelves or beds to store them so that the main closet can be used to store handy and useful items. Do a monthly checkin to ensure your things are in place. Organising is only the first step of decluttering a wardrobe and maintaining it is the main piece.

In conclusion, decluttering your wardrobe is a series of small things to keep in mind while you work towards organising your cupboard/space. It is very important to plan the method, prioritising areas in the house/space and then acting on it. Decluttering precedes organising because it helps you get rid of items you don’t need and be mindful of what you own which directs future purchases. We hope this article gives you food for thought about decluttering and the steps that go into doing it.

This totally depends on your lifestyle, home size and how much involved you'd be. Typically, people do it within 6 to 12 months.

There is no worry if you feel overwhelmed by the scale of things in this process. Break it down into manageable tasks that you can realistically achieve.

If you need it, love it and would buy it again- keep it else can get rid of it using donations/selling online.