I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering

I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering, but the clutter came back. But, there are valuable lessons to learn from it. If that describes you, you are in the right place.

Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! Find organizing ideas, deep cleaning checklists, and How to Deep Clean and Declutter Your Entire Home.

First, I want to Welcome to the Year Long Thorough Declutter Series! We will be starting in the bathroom 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.

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.

Now before, I had mentioned I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering. But for me, it wasn’t permanent like it was supposed to be. The clutter slowly crept back in. Today, I’ll explain why I declutter yearly and how to do so yourself.

Check out my ebook on this topic, entitled Make Over Your Homemaking. Use this link to get it at a discounted price.

The Japanese Method of Decluttering: My Experience

If you’re like most people, you probably have a love-hate relationship with clutter. On one hand, it can be comforting to surround yourself with familiar items. On the other hand, too much clutter can be overwhelming and stressful. That’s why many people have turned to the Japanese method of decluttering, known as “Marie Kondo.”

Marie Kondo is a Japanese organizing consultant and the author of “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.” Her method is based on the idea that you should only keep items that “spark joy.” Here’s what I learned when I tried the Japanese method of decluttering for myself.

Step 1: Commit to the Process

The first step in decluttering with the Japanese method is to commit to the process. This means setting aside time, energy, and resources to get rid of everything you don’t need. It’s not just about cleaning up your space – it’s about transforming the way you think about possessions and organizing your life.

Step 2: Start with Clothes

Marie Kondo recommends starting with clothes because they’re relatively easy to sort through and it’s easier to see the impact of your efforts. I found this to be true – as I went through my closet, I quickly realized how many items I had that I didn’t wear or didn’t bring me joy.

Step 3: Hold Each Item and Ask Yourself If It Sparks Joy

The core of the Japanese method of decluttering is to hold each item and ask yourself if it sparks joy. If it does, keep it. If it doesn’t, get rid of it. This may sound simple, but it can be surprisingly difficult. I found that I had to be honest with myself about why I was holding on to certain items – often, it was because I felt guilty about getting rid of them or because I thought I might need them someday.

Step 4: Store Items Neatly

Once you’ve sorted through your items, the next step is to store them neatly. This means folding clothes properly and putting them away in a way that makes it easy to see what you have and access what you need. I found this to be one of the most rewarding parts of the process – it felt great to see my closet organized and to be able to easily find what I was looking for.

Step 5: Repeat the Process

The Japanese method of decluttering is a lifelong process. You’ll need to repeat the steps regularly to keep your space tidy and your mind clear. I found that after a few weeks, I started to notice new items that I didn’t need or that didn’t bring me joy. It’s a continuous process, but one that’s well worth the effort.

In conclusion, the Japanese method of decluttering is a great way to transform your space and your relationship with your possessions. It’s not just about getting rid of clutter – it’s about finding joy in what you have and making the most of your life. If you’re feeling overwhelmed by clutter, I highly recommend giving the Japanese method a try.

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.

Maybe your house is clean but cluttered. If so, you need to know why I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering before you start. One reason is that clutter affects us in many ways. 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.

I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering as a means to remove clutter for good. Clutter affects your mental health. 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.

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.

I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering before cleaning. 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.

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?

I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering to learn how to keep only what I love. 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.

I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering and here are some great tips…

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.

I Tried the Japanese Method of Decluttering to know HOW TO DECLUTTER:

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.

2. sturdy trash bags

3. marker/pen to label boxes

Decluttering Home Tips: What Should I Declutter First? Again, start with an easy project, so you can see instant progress. One shelf or one drawer is a good place to start. 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.

What Do You Throw Away When Decluttering? Why is Decluttering So Hard? Perhaps you are dealing with years of accumulated clutter. You may even be a hoarder. It can be very overwhelming. Often, we get stuck because we don’t know where to start. What Should I Declutter First? I want to show you how to take a baby step approach to decluttering. I want to help you make it easier. If you lack time, I have a blog post on the One Day Declutter process I use. You’ll find the link to that post at the end of this article.

How Do You Declutter Without Being Overwhelmed? We’re going to do it slowly and thoroughly in just 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week. How Do You Get Rid of Clutter In Your Home? 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.

Bonus: What Should I Declutter First? Check out this great video I found that will show you how to deal with clutter. She will inspire you!

We are working in the 2nd bathroom this week. Your task today for today, December 30th is to: Declutter any bath towels and wash cloths.

How to Declutter:

What is the First Step to Decluttering? What Should I Declutter First? We’ve already stated that a small area is a good place to start. Think of one small area indoor home that you use daily that could use a makeover.

Instantly, I think of my top bathroom drawer and my kitchen silverware drawer. Another idea would be to declutter one shelf. In my own kitchen, the shelf that needs the most attention right now is one of my pantry shelves. Bonus tip: It helps to remove everything from that shelf or drawer as you get started. Then, you can see what is actually in there and only put back the items you use.

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

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.

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.

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.

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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.

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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. 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.

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 Do A 1 Day Declutter

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.