DECLUTTERING 101

Did you know that we can spend almost 700 hours each year cleaning and caring for our homes, and more than 153 days of our lives searching for misplaced items?
That's proven research for the average

​American home, according to the Author of ‘Simplify, The More of Less, and Becoming Minimalist’ Joshua Becker.
 
Scary thought hey?

Decluttering can enhance your decision making and problem solving skills.

​In fact decluttering creates a sense of confidence and self-efficiency, which can help to enhance your decision making and problem solving skills. 
 
It is both energizing and cleansing, and is known to reduce anxiety, stress and tension. 
 
This is a pretty powerful exercise which when done properly, can open your physical space in your home as well as your mental space in your mind.

From removing unnecessary items from an untidy or overcrowded place, decluttering is also about alignment. 
It’s an action that is about organisation, prioritisation, and developing congruency between our values and actions.

All the more reason to start your journey to a clean and clutter free environment today, right?

But before you embark on the journey of decluttering here are some decluttering 101’s you need to consider prior to dusting off those old boxes or clearing out that old pile of clothes in the corner of your closet.

From years of working in the health and wellness industry helping people to create habits that serve and support them to achieve their lifestyle goals. 
I believe that having rituals and routines in ones life is paramount to achieving success.
 
So here are some of my decluttering 101 routines that I have undertaken over the years that help my family and I to live clutter free, 365 days of the year.

Decluttering 101

101:   Avoid Pile Moving

Pile moving is a pattern of avoidance to a tee. By doing this you are just moving the mess from one space to another and it will not have a full decluttering effect.
​By doing this the clutter will just become a recurrence in your life in time to come.

101:   Declutter with the seasons

I love to declutter seasonally because I believe that our seasons flow in a way that our lifestyle’s often do, and therefore having a good Spring Clean in Spring, and then setting yourself up for the Winter months can be a great way to keep your home in clean and clutter free order.

I also like to clear out my closets every quarter; this is a system in itself especially if you have young children.
In this process I bag up what’s too small to hand down to the next sibling and then let go of the rest that no longer fits and serves a purpose in our home.
I then cross check what items I may need to bring into their closets and whalla, kids are sorted for the next season. 
This prevents the closet build up that can occur and makes it so much more functional and easier to get the children ready every morning.

101:   Declutter and tidy up before Christmas

Decluttering the broken toys or items that the home has outgrown or outworn is a must.
This way you are ready for the Christmas influx and you can sit back and enjoy the festive season without having to worry about your cupboards overflowing and trying to find a home for items and gifts if you have little storage space.

I often purchase the bulk of my Christmas presents around September whilst I do my spring-clean which can make my Christmas period so much easier.
It also free's up my time at Christmas which can be filled with family, work, and social commitments.
Another added bonus of sorting your space prior to Christmas is that you can, at times, find what you might need, or what requires replacing or repair which can be a great gift suggestion when your stuck for ideas’s.

There you have it team, some of my decluttering 101’s.

As you can see, the act of decluttering is all about making room for a life focused on the things that matter most.
 
If you’re ready to tackle your physical and mental clutter then click the link below to learn more.
Why wait, when you can be living in a clean and clutter free environment today!
 
Here’s to living a lifestyle with less stress and more ease,
 
Nicole x

12 WEEKS TO CLUTTER FREE LIVING