How to Declutter Everything You Own

In a world filled with constant distractions and accumulating possessions, the idea of decluttering has gained significant popularity. A clutter-free space not only promotes a sense of calm and order but also allows for increased productivity and improved overall well-being. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of stuff in your life, fear not! This guide will take you through a step-by-step process on how to declutter everything you own, leading to a more organized and simplified lifestyle.

Welcome to my Year Long Thorough Declutter Series. We declutter 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. Each day we do a daily task based on the room we are working on. Today, our task is to start decluttering your clutter in your living room. If you prefer watching videos, check out my youtube channel here. Today, we’ll look at some tips for decluttering any unfinished projects in your living room.

The best way to develop a new habit is by slowly and daily application. We will begin a new daily declutter habit starting with the 2nd bathroom. In the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series, we will declutter 30 minutes a day, five days a week on weekdays. Sign up to receive daily encouragement and motivation.

Plus, you’ll learn your specific daily task to work toward completing the goal of a Year Long Thorough Declutter where you will declutter every space and learn how to start to purge your house. Are you ready to finally get organized? If so, will you join us? Leave a comment below to subscribe.

If you are new to the blog, welcome! I blog about cleaning, decluttering, and organizing. You can find my free printables to help you get organized in the drop down menu under the Printables category.

Currently we are working on how to unclutter the Living Room. The daily task for today, Dec. 26, 2023, is to begin to declutter any dried out markers and pens in your living room. Remember, we are focusing on just the living room area, so don’t declutter your whole house. We will cover each room separately.

How to Declutter Everything You Own

Set Clear Goals: Before diving into the process to declutter everything you own, it’s crucial to establish clear goals. Ask yourself why you want to declutter and what you hope to achieve. Whether it’s creating more space, reducing stress, or fostering a minimalist lifestyle, having a clear vision will help you stay focused throughout the process. You can use my plan here by subscribing for the weekly email.
Start Small: Tackling your entire living space in one go can be overwhelming. To declutter everything you own, begin with a smaller, manageable area, like a single room or even a specific category of items (e.g., clothing, books, or kitchenware). This approach allows you to build momentum gradually and experience the satisfaction of completing each task.
The KonMari Method: Made famous by Marie Kondo, the KonMari Method encourages individuals to evaluate each item based on whether it “sparks joy.” If an item doesn’t bring you happiness, it may be time to part ways with it. This method emphasizes the importance of keeping only those items that contribute positively to your life. To declutter everything you own, you can work through each category of items as she suggests.
Sort and Categorize: When decluttering, it’s helpful to sort items into categories. This not only makes the process more systematic but also highlights the sheer volume of similar items you may own. Common categories include clothes, books, electronics, sentimental items, and miscellaneous items.
The 90/90 Rule: A simple rule of thumb is the 90/90 rule: if you haven’t used or worn an item in the last 90 days and don’t foresee using it in the next 90, it’s likely time to let it go. Be honest with yourself during this evaluation process to avoid holding onto unnecessary items.
Mindful Discarding: Dispose of items responsibly by donating, recycling, or selling them. Consider the environmental impact of your choices and choose disposal methods that align with your values. Remember, one person’s clutter might be another person’s treasure.
Organize and Store Efficiently: After decluttering, focus on organizing the items you’ve decided to keep. Invest in storage solutions that maximize space and make items easily accessible. Consider implementing a minimalist approach, keeping only what you truly need and use regularly.
Establish Daily Habits: To prevent future clutter, develop daily habits that contribute to an organized lifestyle. Spend a few minutes each day tidying up, and be mindful of the things you bring into your home. Embrace a more intentional approach to shopping and acquiring new possessions.

Decluttering is a transformative process that extends beyond physical spaces, positively impacting your mental and emotional well-being. By following these steps and adopting a mindful approach to your belongings, you can create a living environment that reflects simplicity, purpose, and clarity. Embrace the journey towards a decluttered life, and watch as your newfound space brings about a renewed sense of peace and fulfillment.

Guide to Decluttering

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. This is one of the most useful declutter motivation tips. Listen to your body and work at decluttering when you feel the most alert and energized.

4.Avoid thinking too long about whether to keep or discard an item. This is one specific way for How to Be Ruthless When Decluttering.

5.Avoid cleaning during your declutter. The goal is to purge the dead weight. Getting rid of the clutter is your priority. Cleaning can be accomplished later. Read on for more declutter motivation tips and my room specific deep clean checklist, though, as you will begin cleaning after your declutter.

Hacks for Decluttering

Supplies Needed:

1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Avoid plastic storage bins because you may be tempted to just store the items and not part with them.)1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Avoid plastic storage bins because you may be tempted to just store the items and not part with them.)

2. sturdy trash bags

3. marker/pen to label boxes

Decluttering Tip: Avoid using storage bins to declutter. Storage bins tend to tell your brain to “store” the items for later. That is just delaying decisions. If you aren’t getting rid of items when you declutter, you are not truly decluttering. This is why I recommend a trash bag, also. A trash bag tells your brain to “trash” the item.

Obviously, recycle if you have that option. The boxes you use should be ones you are willing to part with, so I recommend sturdy cardboard boxes. As to donations, there are many charities that will come pick up your items for you at your home.

I use one in particular where you can book an appointment for pick-up online. This is so convenient, as it saves you the hassle of hauling stuff away yourself. Scheduling that pick-up also motivates you to declutter by a certain date.

Steps for Decluttering

1. Start by eliminating trash first- use a sturdy trash bag

2. Sort items by category if needed so you can see what you have

3.Get rid of items that don’t work or that work poorly, expired items, anything you don’t love, anything that you’ll never use again

4. Box up the donations and trash/recycle the rest

5.Select a charity to donate your items and schedule the pick-up if that is an option

How Do You Declutter Your Entire House (and get it deep clean?): Need to deep clean?

First, My How to Deep Clean Your Kitchen list can be found here.

Second, My How to Deep Clean Your Bathroom list can be found here.

Third, My How to Deep Clean Your Kids’ Rooms list can be found here.

Fourth, My How to Deep Clean Your Living Room list can be found here.

Fifth, 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. Check out the link above to see a sample page of what you’ll get in my printable set designed to help you create your personal Homemaking Checklist.

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 find that here.

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.

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? How Do You Declutter Your Home?.…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.