Decluttering Guide

This one is detached from the others, because usually decluttering is a huge job, and will need to be done over time, or in one big swoop.

This method can be done in one big swoop, but is just as easy to do one shelf/drawer at a time. Some days you have time and energy for more, sometimes less. If you are following the other steps in the program, you can do this when you have the energy, or add decluttering to your zone cleaning.

For preperation, choose a spot in your home that is your 'donation center'. This is where you keep your donate box/boxes. Once these boxes are full, take them to the donation center, so they don't keep taking up space in your house. Same goes for trash.

The method:

1) Pick a room, pick a closet/cupboard, go to the top shelf/drawer, and start there. If it is a dresser, you start with the top. I recommend starting in a place where you know you have a lot of non sentimental items that you would like to declutter, and preferably a room you spend a lot of time in. That way, the results will be very visible.

2) Take everything out of the shelf. Throw away any trash. Put obvious donations in the donation box. If something belongs in a different part of the house/on a different shelf, put it there. Clean the shelf/drawer.

3) Go through the remaining items again. Ask yourself if it is an item you need or use often. If not, does it spark joy/is it worth keeping? Is the space of storing this item worth storing the item? You don't have to be perfect about it. The point is to make fairly quick decisions, that motivates you to keep going. Not to get rid of things that truly holds value to you.

4) Put the keep items back, and arrange them in a functional way that brings you joy when you look at it. That means easy to take out, and easy to put away. And somewhat visually appealing. If you need to upgrade some storage solutions, make a list of what you need. It don't have to be expensive to be appealing and functional.

5) This spot is now to be kept nice at all times. Don't shove anything in there that don't belong.

6) Next time you declutter, move top to bottom, clockwise around the room. Whether it is right away, or one shelf per day. This way, the order will spread around the room, contrasting the chaos. And it will be highly motivating for you to keep going. 

Once you finish the room, you might want to go through loosely and scrap a few more items. This is often in the first room, as your ability to judge an item improves the more you do it. But otherwise, just pick another room, and continue the process.

Other hacks:

- In each room, have one decorative basket or box that is your 'messy box'. Here, you can put things that don't yet have a home, or if you need to do a quick tidy. But once it is full, you have to deal with the things and put them where they belong. This allows you a bit of grace, but limiting it means that it will not turn into an exhausting job.

- The container concept. If you find it hard to declutter, let the container decide how much you keep. Such as books on a bookshelf. If you have more books than there is room for on the shelf, you either need to get another container (another bookshelf) to give it a home. Or you need to get rid of your least favorites so they fit the container. They need to be easy to take out, and easy to put back in, so don't pack them so tightly they get inaccessible.

- If you encounter an area that is hard to deal with, take a photo of the items, and go relax for a bit. While relaxing, look at the photo and decide what to keep or donate, or how to organize it. This way, it is less exhausting to deal with. Works great for dishes and tidying very chaotic places as well. Just don't watch a tv show that takes all of your attention while doing it.