[vc_row padding_setting=”1″ desktop_padding=”no-padding-tb”][vc_column][vc_column_text]Looking to lighten up this summer? Decluttering is a fantastic way to make more room for the things you do love by removing the stuff you don’t. Here are some of my favorite tips and hacks to keep your space sparkling clean.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
FILL A TRASH BAG
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]If you need a crash-course way to get started decluttering, grab a kitchen trash bag and challenge yourself to fill it with stuff you don’t want. Anything counts, no rules apply, and you can stop when the bag is full!
Try playing some music and dancing around your house, grabbing things you don’t need and tossing them in your bag. Kudos to you if you can find some high-volume items that take up a lot of room. Once its’ full, just drop the bag off at a donation store and pat yourself on the bag for having one bag’s worth of useless stuff out of your life.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
TRY THE 12-12-12 SYSTEM
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]An alternate way to jumpstart your decluttering process is to follow the 12-12-12 rule, which challenges you to find 12 things to donate, 12 things to throw away, and 12 things to put back in their proper places.
This is a great shortcut to get a whopping 36 things straightened out in your home, and the number component makes it a fun challenge. You can adjust 12 to whatever number suits your state of mind, but don’t stop until you’ve met your goal.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
HAVE A “MAYBE” BIN
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]If you’re on the fence about whether or not you want to declutter something, put it into a “maybe” bin in your closet. Give it a few months, and if you haven’t missed the object, you can donate it with confidence.
If you end up needing the object, pull it back out with no harm done. I almost never take anything back out of the maybe bin, but it makes the process of decluttering a little less nerve-wracking.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
SAVE THE SENTIMENTAL STUFF FOR LAST
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]This tip comes straight from Marie Kondo’s terrific book “The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” She recommends saving keepsakes for the absolute last thing you declutter. Because they’re personal and irreplaceable, it can be hard to get rid of trinkets that have special meaning.
I suggest doing them last, because your decluttering muscles will be stronger, and you’ll be better able to decide what you want to keep.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]
DON’T OVERTHINK IT
[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_column_text]A final word of warning before you start decluttering: the minute you decide to start decluttering, you’ll suddenly remember a million reasons why you really shouldn’t give that one thing away. Doesn’t matter if you haven’t ever turned that lava lamp on or if that paisley shirt doesn’t even fit you, a voice in your head will try and convince you to keep it just in case.
Pro-tip? “Just in case” never happens. If you donate something that you really end up needing, buy it again and appreciate it more the second time around![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]