Oh it’s just a little bit of clutter we say! Yes, but what is this clutter actually doing to us? Slowly but surely, if we live in a house filled with mess and chaos, we are bound to become overwhelmed. We will find our lives disordered and this will cause us to lose our peace.
Each morning when we wake up, we want to try and use our time effectively and efficiently. Throwing things around the home never really helps to save time as sooner or later we will have to clear them up.
Now I know we are all busy bees, but remember, even 15 minutes of decluttering a day will help a lot!
We leave items around the home for convenience, as we need to be practical. However, just take note of how many of those ‘convenience items’ we leave lying around. Eventually those small items build up creating a mess.
For example, I looked around my kitchen and made note of all the things I left out for convenience: baby formula tin, children’s drink bottles, recipe book… etc. I decided to keep them all away and take them out only when needed. At first I thought: this is going to be such a hassle and an extra step to get each item out. Believe it or not, it made no difference to me. What I had to get used to was changing my HABIT of leaving things out. Once my mind told me to put the item back straight away, it made no difference, time wise.
So where do we start? Focus in a small space. Start by clearing one counter top, one drawer or one shelf. Choose an item that nags you daily or that you get irritated looking at. If that beside table drawer annoys you each night you rummage through to find your book, let’s clear it!!
Slow And Steady:
Beating the clutter requires you to have new habits. For example: Avoid throwing down that jacket every time you get home. Hang it up straight away and teach your children to do the same, remembering that everything has a proper place.
“Don’t put it down, put it away”. Keep repeating this phrase to yourself and you will be amazed at how your home stays neat.
The Four-Box Method:
When you begin decluttering, have 4 boxes. One for rubbish, one to give items away (charity), one for items to keep and one for items to relocate. Each item in every room can be placed into one of the four categories. When you are clearing, avoid being sentimental, keep one or two items which mean something to you, but perhaps not ten.
Complete Each Task:
When you have cleared up an area and have bags to donate to charity, make sure you take it there as soon as possible. Avoid leaving them lying around as this just adds to the clutter. When you have condensed your items to be chucked out, take those bags and boxes out to the trash or recycling immediately. This is the only way your decluttering will be done efficiently and effectively.
Decluttering The Wardrobe:
Over the years many clothes can build up in our wardrobes, but we all know that we tend to go for the same pieces over again. That comfortable skirt, the same pink blouse we look good in etc.
First of all, could we clear those items that no longer fit us anymore? Either too tight or too baggy? If we know we will not wear them, donate them.
Try the hanger trick! To see which wardrobe pieces to clear out, hang all your clothes with the hangers in the reverse direction. After you wear an item, return it to your cupboard with the hanger facing the correct direction. After six months, you’ll have a clear idea of those clothes you do not use (you can do the same for items and dishes in the kitchen). Put a little dot sticker on kitchen items.
Avoid Buying On Impulse:
Oooh! That’s such a bargain, $5 for a craft set for the kids!
Sometimes when something is cheap, we may tend to buy it on an impulse.
Just think, before buying the item you are looking at:
- Is this item really needed?
- Do I have a place to store this when I get it home?
- How much extra work will this possession add to my life?
- Am I buying it for the right reasons?
A good trick can be to put the object back and walk out of the store for 10 minutes. If you still want it or see purpose for it then go back afterwards and get it.
Remember, clutter will eventually rob us of our peace and serenity. It is especially important that we as mums live this virtue of order well. When we do, we will find those other important virtues follow, such as temperance, fortitude, punctuality etc.
Originally posted 2015-08-17 12:00:44.