Simple cleaning of the house has recently become a special occupation. Now it is fashionable to talk about the benefits and progressiveness of “decluttering”, and the action itself is elevated to the rank of philosophy or even art. In fact, a variety of motives can move you to get rid of unnecessary things:
Space saving. Square meters are now expensive, and apartments are compact. Keeping things at home that are not urgently needed has become simply unprofitable.
The popularity of the style of minimalism in the interior. Laconic lines, pure colors, a minimum of decor – no visual noise. If you are a fan of this style, then you will have to think about the organization of storage.
Conscious consumption. The idea of a reasonable use of resources is becoming more and more widespread. People tend to buy and use only what they really need. It is both economical and environmentally friendly.
Psychological practice. Accumulation and materialism are often associated with fears, anxiety, anxiety. In this vein, freeing up space from unnecessary means not only putting things in order at home, but also reducing stress, getting rid of negative experiences, and improving decision-making skills.
Stack of old clothes to discard (declutter) or keep. Recycle clothes, eco cotton.
Whatever goal you pursue, we are ready to share with you effective decluttering techniques. Let’s get started.
Mood
Often the hardest thing is taking the first step. How to tune in, find time and finally start to deal with stocks of things?
Get rid of the obvious excess. Look around, most likely right now there are things that you have long wanted to say goodbye to – an empty bottle of perfume, an old faded T-shirt, a stack of re-read magazines. Keep the first step simple, so you start decluttering without stress or doubt.
Do not set global goals for yourself, it is better to focus on the local territory. Tidy up a small nightstand, spice drawer, or desk. Sort out things, throw away or set aside unnecessary things.
Make it a habit to devote literally 5-15 minutes a day to clean up. Use a timer and don’t get distracted by anything during the process. If you feel unbearably nostalgic about your school photo album, put it aside and return to this activity later for a cup of tea. For now, focus on cleaning.
You can make a list of tasks in advance – for example, sort out bed linen, a collection of board games, or audit a first-aid kit. So you do not have to decide every time what to do today. And a large-scale frightening goal – to free the house of everything superfluous – will turn into a list of simple steps.
Tricks
You have set aside time, outlined the task and are determined to proceed. Excellent! But how do you know if you are really ready to part with this or that thing? After all, the goal is not to throw away everything that “lies badly” and make your life less comfortable without the necessary or familiar trifles. Let’s figure it out.
Give yourself time! When sorting things, do not rush. Before you start cleaning, prepare a few boxes and label them. The first is for the necessary things that have not yet found a suitable place in the house. The second is for “thinking”, you will add objects into it, the fate of which is not yet ready to be decided. Later, for example, at the end of the week, return to this box and sort through its contents again. The third is for what you no longer need, but it’s a pity to throw it away. These items can be given away or sold.
When sorting out your wardrobe, follow a simple principle. The closet should only contain what you really like, the right size and the season. It is better to throw away clothes that are out of order (shrink, faded, torn). What is still in good condition, but for some reason does not suit you – attach it to good hands or sell it. And things of an irrelevant size or season, which may still be useful to you, can be stored out of sight – on the top shelves, in special cases.
Actually, the same rules work for any other things. It makes sense to keep at home only what you like and fully meet current needs. Have you not used a thing for a year, but keep it “just in case”? Soberly assess how likely it is that an unloved tea cup or children’s sled can be useful to you.
Sometimes it is especially sad to part with memorabilia – souvenirs and trinkets from trips, for example. If you really want to leave something as a memory of an important event or person, then think about how this can be done without cluttering up the space. Perhaps the best reminder of a vacation would be a family photo in a beautiful frame, rather than a dozen fridge magnets.
Can’t decide to keep or throw away? There is an interesting trick. Put things that cause doubts in a box or bag and put them out of sight for a while – say, a week or a month. If during this period the need for things did not arise, you probably do not need them. Find them a new owner.
Environmental friendliness
So, you “cleaned up” the space. Now the most obvious thing is to simply throw out the unnecessary. But this is not the most environmentally friendly option. And the decision to send things to a landfill can be difficult from a psychological point of view. What are the alternatives?
If things are in good condition and can still be useful to someone, give them that chance. Ask your friends or neighbors, find a charitable organization (some even organize free pickup), post ads for sale on aggregator sites like Avito. Books, for example, can be attached to the district library. By the way, we have already written about where to put unnecessary books.
Items that have reached their end of life should be recycled. Look on the Internet for collection points for clothes, shoes or equipment. In some cases, you can even benefit. For example, in cosmetics stores Lush and Kiehl’s, in exchange for empty jars, they will give you a small gift. In Aquaphor salons, they will give a discount on a water filter if you return old used cartridges to them. And a non-working or outdated smartphone will be accepted in many large online hardware stores at the expense of buying a new device.
Alternative
However, there are cases when none of the above options is suitable. Say, what about bikes or snowboard equipment? Or with Christmas decor? Things that will still be useful to you, but for which there is no desire or opportunity to find a place in the apartment, can be deposited.
We are always ready to help. We will arrive at a convenient time for you, if necessary, disassemble the furniture, carefully pack each item, load it into the car and take it to the warehouse. We will keep it safe and return it as soon as you need things again.
We hope our article will help you get rid of unnecessary items in the house. Choose the appropriate method and equip the house so that it looks aesthetically pleasing, and it is comfortable to live in it.