In a world filled with excess and clutter, embracing minimalism can be a refreshing and transformative approach to organizing your life. Minimalism is not just about having fewer possessions; it’s a mindset that focuses on intentionality, simplicity, and creating space for what truly matters. By adopting minimalist organizing principles, you can declutter your physical and mental space, reduce stress, and cultivate a sense of calm and purpose. In this guide, we’ll share essential minimalist organizing tips that will help you simplify your surroundings and bring harmony and clarity to your life.
Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! We will be starting on the patio and in the laundry room this month. 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.
Ignore the dates within this post. Each year we do the declutter series, so the dates won’t coincide from year to year. If you wish to subscribe and join us as we Declutter a Room in 30 minutes a Day, leave a comment below. You can also find the video below and subscribe via youtube. Follow me as we explore a few Minimalist Organizing Tips.
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.
5 Minimalist Organizing Tips
1. Start with a Mindset Shift
Minimalist organizing begins with a shift in mindset. Embrace the idea of living with less and prioritize quality over quantity. Let go of the need to accumulate material possessions and instead focus on what truly adds value and joy to your life. Cultivate a mindset of gratitude and contentment, appreciating what you already have rather than constantly seeking more.
2. Declutter with Purpose
Decluttering is a foundational step in minimalist organizing. Take a deliberate and purposeful approach when evaluating your belongings. Ask yourself if each item serves a practical purpose or brings genuine happiness. Be ruthless in letting go of things that no longer align with your vision and values. Remember, decluttering is not just about getting rid of things—it’s about curating a space that supports your desired lifestyle.
3. One In, One Out Rule
To maintain a clutter-free environment, embrace the one in, one out rule. For every new item you bring into your home, commit to letting go of something else. This practice ensures that your possessions remain manageable and prevents accumulation. Before making a new purchase, consider if it truly aligns with your needs and if you’re willing to let go of something else to accommodate it.
4. Create Functional Zones
Organize your space by creating functional zones that serve specific purposes. Designate areas for activities such as relaxation, work, and hobbies. Each zone should have only the essential items needed for that particular function. Keep surfaces clear of unnecessary objects, allowing you to focus on the task at hand and maintain a sense of calm and order.
5. Simplify Digital Clutter
In the digital age, clutter extends beyond physical belongings. Streamline your digital life by decluttering your devices and online spaces. Organize files into folders, delete unused apps, and unsubscribe from newsletters and notifications that no longer serve you. Embrace digital minimalism, creating a serene digital environment that enhances your productivity and reduces digital overwhelm.
By embracing minimalist organizing principles, you can create a living space that fosters simplicity, clarity, and purpose. Remember, minimalism is a personal journey, and it’s important to find an approach that works for you. Start with a mindset shift, declutter with intention, and create functional zones that support your desired lifestyle. Embrace the beauty of simplicity and let go of the unnecessary. As you embark on your minimalist organizing journey, may you find joy, freedom, and a sense of peace in the embrace of a clutter-free life.
By incorporating these minimalist organizing tips, you can transform your living space into a haven of simplicity and serenity. Embrace the power of minimalism and let go of the excess that weighs you down. The path to a clutter-free life starts with small steps and intentional choices. Enjoy the journey and revel in the peace and calm that a minimalist lifestyle brings.
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.
Maybe your house is clean but cluttered. If so, you need to know a few declutter motivation tips before you start using the Step By Step Decluttering plan I use. Does a Cluttered House Cause Stress? Let’s look at a reputable, mental health site to answer that question. They have given us 8 ways mess leads to stress. According to Psychology Today:
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)
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.
- 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)
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 Clearing Out Clutter using my DIY Declutter List. What Cleaning Should Be Done Daily? I have a room by room specific Printable House Cleaning Checklist linked below.
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.
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.
- 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 Minimalist Organizing Tips. Plus, we’ll look at a few ways to answer the question: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 House Cleaning Tips to help you get started.
Maybe you are thinking: My House Is So Cluttered, I Don’t Know Where to Start. How can I recognize clutter? Let’s address those questions. I have a visual below using some questions to help. Also, check out these 5 Important Guidelines I use to to keep me focused and motivated as I begin the process of getting my home decluttered.
A few 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.
Minimalist Organizing Tips to Declutter
Supplies Needed:
1. boxes -preferably ones you can donate (Declutter Tips and Ideas: 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
5 Easy Minimalist Organizing Tips:
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 duplicate items, broken items, outgrown clothes and shoes, anything 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
Daily Declutter task: We are working on the patio this week.Your task today for today, September 26th is to: Declutter any faded or worn patio chair cushions.
- Get rid of any pieces that have worn out.
- Declutter any cushions that have been sun-bleached.
- Get rid of any pieces that you no longer enjoy.
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 Housekeeping Schedule for Home printables.
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? One of my Minimalist Organizing Tips is to use a checklist. 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? One of the best minimalist organizing tips is to ask yourself questions if you are undecided about an item. 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.
The Year Long Thorough Declutter Series is designed to help you declutter every room and every space in your home. It includes daily tasks, so you can track your progress. It also includes detailed lists to declutter each room and each space within your home.
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. 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 decluttering ideas plus excellent organization tips to get you started.
I hope you have found my minimalist organizing tips beneficial. Let me know in the comments below. Also, leave a comment to subscribe to the declutter series.
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