Every once in a while I realize my house is not what it should be which means my decluttering habits are not what they used to be!
Do you know that feeling of overwhelm or anxiety when you step inside your house but you’re not quite sure why? I’ve noticed that feeling is where my house is beyond my manageable control.
In other words, we have too much stuff again and a decluttering session is needed! But, it also means that I have not been keeping up with my decluttering habits and now one whole day of my life is lost to declutter everything.
Instead of letting the overwhelm grow and require a dedicated decluttering day a couple of times a year, I’ve learned to practice decluttering habits that keep things manageable. It saves so much time over the long run, and it helps my emotions too!
You can implement these decluttering habits too! Just stick with them and before you know it, they will be second nature to you.
Let’s check them out…
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Adventure Funds
I’ve shared about this in this blog post before. Instead of accepting gifts from family for our children on birthdays and holidays, we request cash to put in their “adventure funds.” It’s a dedicated bank account for each child.
We pull the money out a few times a year to go on an adventure together. It’s an experience the children would otherwise not get to have because of our tight budget. For example, we spend the money on going to the aquarium, children’s museum, zoo, memberships, etc.
It is something educational and fun, and it eliminates more stuff in our house that we just don’t want or need. You too can make it a habit to stop the clutter before it even enters your house.
Request experiences or money for those experiences instead of physical things for you and your family members! This may even spark new traditions too, which are much more memorable to children than any sort of plastic toy.
Related Post: How To Easily Store Toys Without A Playroom (We Live In A Tiny House!)
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Clean and Tidy As You Go
See a mug in the living room that needs to go to the kitchen? Bring it along! Does the trash look full in the other room? Just grab it now!
Make it a habit to do something as soon as you see it. It’s one of the decluttering habits that is so small yet makes a ginormous impact.
I am constantly picking things up, wiping things down, straightening things, and doing quick tidies here and there. I have come to realize as a homemaker that the more I do that, the less I have to face big piles or big cleaning days. It just makes my life easier!
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As Something Comes In, Take Care Of It
On the same note, as you receive something, take care of it. For example, when you get the mail, put it away or dispose of it properly. If you need to come back to it later, keep a folder in your kitchen that will hold it until you are ready. Don’t just leave it lying around.
Or if you go to a baby shower and get a random favor of lip balm, nail polish, and a teacup, don’t just leave those items sitting on your counter for a week. Take them to their appropriate spots or just be okay with donating them immediately.
Related Post: 17 Homemaker Habits And Skills That Will Make You The Best Homemaker
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Keep Learning and Gleaning
I go through phases where I am so motivated and doing wonderful at decluttering things. But then seasons of life hit, especially seasons like postpartum, where I completely drop the ball. And that’s ok, I just need to put reminders in my life to get on track again.
I love doing that by reading one of these books or watching a minimalism or decluttering video on YouTube. When I keep learning and gleaning information it motivates me to get back on track again!
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Thoughtful Shopping
Online shopping is so tempting to make quick one-click purchases. It creates a spending problem for most of us. Especially when we can delay payment or just put it on a credit card. But, to avoid quick payments is to avoid clutter!
It’s another proactive response to keeping extra things out of your house. Make it one of your declutter habits to wait a few days before buying anything online. See if you still feel that same urge to purchase it a week later.
Often, I realize I can do without something. If a month later I’m still thinking about it, then I know it is worth purchasing because I will use enough. A bonus tip is to just get rid of your credit card altogether and only use a debit card!
I’m also learning to be a lot more thoughtful even when I visit thrift stores. Just because something is cheap does not mean that I need to buy it.
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Unfollow On Social Media
The ads and sponsorships on social media are so intense these days. No matter whose post you are viewing, even an old high school classmate, they are more often than not posting about a new product they are using. Even the constant sales from various businesses make it tempting to splurge and go off budget.
When I take regular breaks from social media I notice that my spending goes down. There is less marketing in my face and as a result, I just don’t think to purchase as many things. We don’t need a lot of things and being proactive and getting off of social media will help you stop bringing in clutter to your home.
Related Post: 4 Reasons To Perform A Christian Social Media Detox
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Know What You Have
Always know all your inventory of your house by continually going back to all your items. Don’t leave storage spaces untouched for months at a time. Don’t forget what you keep in the garage or behind the random linen closet doors.
When we forget that we have something it means that we have too much stuff. Declutter and then regularly go back and revisit every item to make sure it is still something worth keeping up space, time, and energy to manage.
Consider even leaving your attic and basement storage rooms empty so that you never have to worry about items being lost in the abyss. It may sound like one of the annoying and time-consuming decluttering habits, but it truly does make your life more simple and enjoyable!
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Rotate Décor Frequently
I recently learned this tip and it’s something I am trying out. I used to not want to store a lot of home décor and just decluttered almost all of it. However, I still had the desire to decorate my home differently during seasons or just switch things out.
Now I keep a few décor pieces in storage to rotate out. I don’t feel a need to buy random decor throughout the year and instead have a very catered décor rotation strategy. It keeps the joy of keeping things fresh and eliminates my desire to fulfill that need by spending money.
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A Place For Everything
This is probably the decluttering habit that I am the worst at. So many random items never find a true home in my house and just end up in a basket to be lost and forgotten about. Yet, I always come back to the saying “A place for everything and everything in its place”.
After you declutter you can focus on organization, but to even get there you have to determine a place for everything in your home. A label maker like this will be your best friend!
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Boundaries For Items and Time Deadlines
Have boundaries for items, making the boundary the rule that needs to be followed. For example, “I can only keep as many books as can fit on this bookshelf.” Or “I can only have as many sweaters as possible that can fit on this shelf.”
Also, set deadlines to get the decluttering done. For example, “I can’t get coffee with my friends again until I declutter this closet.” Or “By the end of the month, this basket has to be decluttered and everything needs a home or I throw it all away.”
The key to a lot of this is having someone like a family member, hold you accountable to these rules.
Related Post: The 7 Best Homemaking Books For A Cozy And Peaceful Home
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Remember Systems Will Change
As a mom, this decluttering habit is so freeing. My life and the important things in it are constantly changing as the children grow older and as new babies join the family.
I have learned to adapt my life to the changes by constantly decluttering and learning into that feeling. I don’t get discouraged anymore when I have to change a system I implemented last year.
Decluttering requires us to embrace change and constantly change our systems to the season of life we are in now. It’s when we refuse to adapt or address the change that clutter piles up.
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Know What Emotions Things Make You Feel
If you are decluttering something that you don’t need but feel guilty that you spent money on it, don’t dwell on that feeling. Instead, turn that guilt into encouragement that you are learning how to declutter better!
There will be growing pains and lots of emotions as you declutter, but you declutter your emotions too. Get rid of guilt and shame by getting rid of things that spark those emotions. Embrace your feelings and be willing to address them as you go through the process.
Which of these decluttering habits will you implement first? Let me know in the comments below!
Kelsey at GoodPointGrandma
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