Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! We will be starting by decluttering specific daily tasks. We are currently working in the attic, so I’ll give you some Attic Declutter Tips. Each day is dedicated to spending only 30 minutes decluttering your specific daily task. We will be working 5 days a week, so you can take 2 days to enjoy time with your loved ones.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can sign up here. Keep reading for some Attic Declutter Tips plus my complete attic declutter checklist.
Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores? Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price.
Struggling with the daily housekeeping chores and wondering: What Housework Should Be Done Daily? Grab my free ebook to walk you through the process. What Does a Deep Clean Include? One of my best Deep Cleaning Home Tips is to use a House Cleaning Planner. Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price. Better yet… get it FREE when you subscribe to my site. Also, you can find my room by room Declutter House Checklist at the end of this post. Keep reading for some Attic Declutter Tips.
Maybe your house is clean but cluttered. If so, you need to know a few Declutter Tips and Ideas before you start using the Step By Step Decluttering plan I use. Does a Cluttered House Cause Stress? You Bet! Let’s look at a reputable, mental health site to answer that question and see exactly How Clutter Affects You. Then you can learn Why and How To Start to Purge Your House.They have given us 8 ways mess leads to stress and exactly How Clutter Affects You. According to Psychology Today:
How Clutter Affects You: Clutter can play a significant role in how we feel about our homes, our workplaces, and ourselves. Can a Messy House Affect Your Mood? You bet! How Does Clutter Affect Your Life? Messy homes and work spaces leave us feeling anxious, helpless, and overwhelmed. Yet, rarely is clutter recognized as a significant source of stress in our lives. (source) But, unnecessary stress is one aspect of How Clutter Affects You.
How Clutter Affects You Mentally can help provide the motivation you need to know How To Start To Purge Your House. Why does mess lead to so much stress? (source)Getting rid of all of that stress can be one of the best declutter motivation tips you need for some instant Decluttering Inspiration.Keep reading for some Attic Declutter Tips.
- Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren’t necessary or important. (source)
- Clutter distracts us by drawing our attention away from what our focus should be on. (source)
- Clutter makes it more difficult to relax, both physically and mentally.(source)
- Clutter constantly signals to our brains that our work is never done.(source)
- Clutter makes us anxious because we’re never sure what it’s going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile. (source)
- Clutter creates feelings of guilt (“I should be more organized”) and embarrassment, especially when others unexpectedly drop by our homes or work spaces. (source)
- Clutter inhibits creativity and productivity by invading the open spaces that allow most people to think, brainstorm, and problem solve.(source)
- Clutter frustrates us by preventing us from locating what we need quickly (e.g. files and paperwork lost in the “pile” or keys swallowed up by the clutter). (source) So, experiencing constant frustration is another aspect to How Clutter Affects You.
Overwhelmed by a Messy House? It can really affect you negatively. How Do You Deal With a Cluttered Mess? One way is to have a plan, set aside a specific time, and learn the Step By Step Decluttering plan I use for helping others learn How To Start To Purge Your House. What Cleaning Should Be Done Daily? I have a room by room specific Printable House Cleaning Checklist linked above. Also, you can find my room by room Declutter House Checklist at the end of this post.
How I Get Help With Decluttering My House: For a clean, simplistic look, one of the best Deep Cleaning Home Tips is to declutter a room before cleaning and then use an Easy House Cleaning Schedule to maintain it. Declutter Checklists can help you learn How to Declutter a House.Read on for some specific attic declutter tips.
How Does Clutter Affect Your Life? As you can already see, there are at least 8 ways we become negatively affected by clutter. Also, I though it might be thought provoking to look at some statistics on clutter to learn more about How Clutter Affects You.
- US consumers buy 40% of the world’s toys, but bear only 3% of the world’s children.
- Most people wear 20% of their clothing 80% of the time. (source )
- 9.4% of U.S. households rent a storage unit. (source)
- People do not look at 80% of the papers and information they keep.(source)
- The average American house is double the size it was in the 1950s–and getting bigger. (source.)
- The U.S. Department of Energy reports that one-quarter of people with two-car garages have so much stuff in there that they can’t park a car. (https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-statistics-of-clutter/)
- According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would eliminate 40 percent of housework in the average home.(https://www.becomingminimalist.com/the-statistics-of-clutter/) Wouldn’t eliminating a lot of housework provide some declutter motivation?
Today, we’ll lay out the solutions to get you some Help for Cluttered Homes using my tips on Why and How to Declutter a House. Plus, we’ll look at a few ways to answer the concern of How Clutter Affects You and what you can do about it.
Adding extra stress is one of the main problems of How Clutter Affects You. So, let’s make a plan to rid ourselves of clutter and start cleaning it up. What Cleaning Should Be Done Daily? A Printable House Cleaning Checklist will help you keep your home clean and maintained. I’ll even give you my Deep Clean Checklist and Declutter Tips and Ideas to help you get started.
Learn why you should declutter AND How To Start to Purge Your House using my Declutter House Checklist. Read on for some specific attic declutter tips. Let’s look at a few other ways for How Clutter Affects You:(source)
How Clutter Affects You: It can also make us less productive, triggering coping and avoidance strategies that make us more likely to snack on junk and watch TV shows (including ones about other people decluttering their lives).(source)
My own research shows our physical environments significantly influence our cognition, emotions and subsequent behaviours, including our relationships with others.(source)
Why clutter is bad for your brain(source)
Bursting cupboards and piles of paper stacked around the house may seem harmless enough. But research shows disorganisation and clutter have a cumulative effect on our brains.
How Clutter Affects You Mentally: Our brains like order, and constant visual reminders of disorganization drain our cognitive resources, reducing our ability to focus.(source)
The visual distraction of clutter increases cognitive overload and can reduce our working memory.(source)
In 2011, neuroscience researchers using fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) and other physiological measurements found clearing clutter from the home and work environment resulted in a better ability to focus and process information, as well as increased productivity.(source)
5 IMPORTANT guidelines to keep you on task:
1.Only spend time on your specific daily task.
2.Do not get side-tracked or distracted.
3.Work within a time of day that you have the most energy and stamina.
4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. Recruit help if you are stuck in the decision process.
5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later.
We are working in the Attic this week. Your task today for today, May 13th, is to: Declutter any unwanted trophies, awards, and photos. Read on for some specific attic declutter tips.
Attic Declutter Tips:
Tip: When dealing with sentimental items such as these, consider how you might display them in your home if you plan to keep them. For photos, consider storing them in a box or an album in your home.
Also, As you Declutter Your Attic, here are some Attic Declutter Tips for things that should never be stored in the Attic:(source)
1. Delicate fabrics
Mice, insects, temperature fluctuations, and water damage are all reasons to keep them in a closet instead. And beware, your beloved summer linen pants or cotton shirts are prone to moth infestation. “Often, people think it’s just wool and are surprised to know that moths go after plant-based fibers, as well,” says Lexie Sachs, textiles product analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute.(source)
Fur and leather need a reliably cool climate to stay looking their best. And vintage pieces, wedding gowns, sentimental baby clothing, and fine linens should all be cleaned and packaged by a professional cleaner, then kept in the main part of the house.
2. Furniture and décor made from natural materials(source)
Wood and upholstered furniture don’t belong in the attic, basement, or garage. Wood mildews (you can try to bleach it, but may have to toss it). And area rugs, mattresses, and even plush toys are too susceptible to moisture damage to hold up for very long. “They all need dry, moderate temperatures for proper storage, and dampness from humidity or water leakage is a problem for everything,”says Carolyn Forte, director of the cleaning lab at the GHI. “It ruins items and promotes mold growth.”
3. Important papers(source)
Birth certificates, passports, marriage licenses, and school and medical records don’t belong in boxes where they could become wet or illegible, says Bonnie Silverman, Broker Associate, RE/MAX Diamond, Realtors in Edison, NJ. “If important papers must be filed in the basement, put them into plastic containers up on a shelf. But a safe or a closet is a much better decision.”
The same holds true for photos, books, and artwork, which can be ruined by moisture and extreme heat. “If they’re not properly stored, they can suffer discoloration, staining, or even mold,” she says.
4. Food (unless you store it carefully)(source)
“If you use your basement for provisions other than root vegetables, make sure those dry goods are in airtight canisters,” says Sean Meredith of SM Inspection Services in Indianapolis. In fact, pack perishables in airtight plastic bags before the hard plastic containers to ward off insects and discourage mildew and rot.
5. Electronics
Extreme heat and moisture can wreck even the most well-made items.(source)
6. Candles
Avoid putting extra tapers and pillars in the attic, where they’re likely to melt during warmer months.(source)
7. Anything flammable (near heat sources)
Paints, turpentine, cleaning products, gasoline, propane, kerosene, or other hazardous chemicals should never be located near anything gas-related (the furnace, water heater, dryer, fireplace, or a stove or oven) or in attic that tends to get very warm. “Many people tend to store these things in utility rooms near appliances and risk fire or possible destruction,” Meredith says.(source)
Need to deep clean? I have lists for you to guide you along.
My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.
My How to Deep Clean Your Bedroom list can be found here.
You can get your printable Daily Housekeeping Routine and Deep Cleaning Your House Schedule here. This 15 page printable kit is delivered digitally to your email for you to print and personalize. What Does a Deep Clean Include? It includes a daily schedule, calendar pages, and deep cleaning checklists for every room and area of your home. Below is a sample page of what you’ll get in my printable set designed to help you make a Housekeeping Schedule for Your Home.
Also, to keep up the general housework, you may need to create a daily housekeeping schedule that suits your specific needs. To do so, I have created a helpful series you can read here.
Need to Declutter Every room? I have declutter checklists for every room and every space in your home to guide you along below.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can sign up here.
Struggling to decide if an item is clutter? Use these questions below to help you determine whether to keep or toss any item.
How to Declutter the Guest Room or Your Kid’s Room checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Laundry Room and Patio checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Coat Closet/Hall Closet/Linen Closet checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Home Office checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Attic checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Garage checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Living Room checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Kitchen Checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Entry/Foyer/Mudroom checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Clothing checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Bedroom checklist can be found here.
How to Declutter Your Bathroom checklist can be found here.
Happy Decluttering!
To Subscribe to this Declutter Series, drop me a comment below. Your email will be sent to me but will not be posted publicly. You’ll receive a daily declutter task via email for the daily task we are working on. You can unsubscribe at any time.
New to deemiddleton.com and don’t know where to start? I recommend going in this order:
Step 1: Check out this post on the 1st step you should take to get organized. If you don’t have a calendar, you can grab my free weekly printable calendar page here. It is in my shopify store, but it is totally free, so you won’t be prompted to put in any payment information. It is a free download and will be delivered straight to your email.
Also, you can get the complete digital printable copy of the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series Calendar and Checklists here. The printable digital download is delivered to your email. It includes 25 pages of printable calendar pages and checklists to help you declutter every room in your home. You can sign up here.
Step 2: Create a daily Housekeeping Schedule. You can use this series to start to set up your own schedule. You can also use this simplified weekly schedule.If you often ask: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Or, if you struggle to get organized and have tried and failed time and again, you can likely find out which of these 11 reasons cause you to fail to get organized.
Step 3: How do you remove clutter?.…Sign up for the Declutter Series and get your entire home decluttered in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week.”Declutter Your Home” checklists are provided in each email.
Step 4: What is the fastest way to clean a dirty house? Use a timer and use the Deep Cleaning Checklists above. They will help you get your home sparkling after you’ve decluttered.
Interested in becoming a full-time blogger like me? Check out my blogging series. At the top of every page on my blog, you’ll find a drop down menu. Just select the BLOGGING category.
Check out the most popular posts on deemiddleton.com:
14 Things That Make Your Home Look Cluttered
How to Create a Daily Housekeeping Schedule
How to Clean House When You Are Completely Overwhelmed By Clutter
What is Preventing You From Getting Organized?
Also, check out a great post on decluttering over here from becomingminimalist.com. Joshua Becker has some great tips on decluttering and minimalism.
For further reading, check out the fly lady here. She has some great cleaning and kitchen decluttering ideas plus excellent organization tips to get you started.
I hope you have benefitted from my post on attic declutter tips. Leave a comment below to subscribe to my daily declutter task email series.
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