How to Declutter Any Room in Just 6 Steps

What is great about living in a clutter-free space? Clutter is bad for both your mind and wallet. You will lose a lot of time searching for missing things around your cluttered home or office.

Is it worth it to get charged with late fees on your credit card bill just because it was hidden under the piles of paper on your desk?

If your living space has become a cluttered wreck, it's time to clean up that mess. You don't need to pay a professional for advice, with our below guide you can easily de-clutter your home or office and save lots of money. Roll up your sleeves and get started.

1. First things first

Map out a plan. Assign the work for each day. Take different areas of your house or office and include all the details of your activity that needs to be done. By doing this you could save a lot of time later. Consider taking help from family and friends instead of hiring an organising professional.

2. Don't overdo

Not many people can focus on spending an entire day organising. As the day progresses, it is quite likely for you to get exhausted. This will increase your frustration and you may lose interest. Spending a couple of hours each day will keep you focused, efficient and motivated to do more.

3. Organise

A lot of people head out to buy a ton of storage boxes straight after they decide to clean things up and even before getting started. It is quite enticing to buy those fancy bins and baskets from the stores. However many times they're not used at all and adds to your junk. To avoid spending unnecessarily you should first clean and sort things and only buy storage boxes if required.

4. Split up big tasks

Quickly scan and remove the first layer of trash that accumulates in your house or office. Then sort everything in different categories like clothes, books, newspapers, magazines, unused and old things. Purge, recycle or donate things that you no longer use. Keep them all in different boxes, including all the important things that you want to keep and store.

5. Do it NOW

You have already done a lot of work in getting these things out, now finish the process. After sorting, take the individual boxes to where it belongs. Take the bags out to recycle or trash immediately. Arrange to drop the boxes for friends or charity at the earliest.

6. Make it a habit

Don't let it happen in the first place. If you are able to organise and keep things where they belong every time, there could be less chance of piling up the mess again. Now that you have created a logical and more efficient organising system, follow it without any exceptions.

• Replace paper with electronic documents wherever possible like bank or credit card statements. Once your mail arrives, make a note of the important information and save a digital copy.
• Unsubscribe from mail subscriptions if you are not using it. Being mindful with paper can save a lot of money and mess.
• Keep only what is needed so that it doesn't pile up. Organise monthly or quarterly purging sessions.
• Stop shopping. If you don't need it; don't buy it. It is as simple as that.

As you progress you can add more organising techniques that best suit your needs. A clutter-free place can leave us feeling less stressed - both mentally and financially!

Posted by Stephanie Shaw | Published on 07-07-2016 08:16:35