The best way to keep a clean and organized home is to get rid of things that are no longer needed. Clutter can be detrimental to your home life, if only to find things when you need them. Most of us tend to keep objects even if we have not used them for a long time, either because they recall an emotional bond, either out of prudence in cases of economic difficulty, or out of simple inertia. It is a wise thing to get rid of old things to make room for new ones.
Steps
Method 1 of 2: Part 1: Collect Things
This first part describes how to find and rearrange things. Don't waste time wondering what to do with newly recovered things; if their use is evident immediately, fix them, otherwise put them in the sorting piles.
Step 1. Check all objects that are outdated or no longer usable
Be brutal. If they clutter up the room, and you no longer have a normal place to live, put them in the pile to tidy up later. After all, do you really need those magazines you've been collecting since 1998 but rarely read?
Step 2. Empty the wardrobe and all drawers
Take any clothes that no longer fit you or are out of fashion now, and put them in the sorting pile.
Step 3. Gather together all the paper and other documents you have scattered around
Recycle or throw away the ones you don't need. Keep the rest in organized folders.
Step 4. First clean up any places that attract clutter, such as the bed
Then remove all objects from this area. Throw out the ones you no longer need, clean up the dirty ones, and put everything else back in its place. Anything you don't know whether to keep goes in the sorting pile.
Method 2 of 2: Part 2: Order
Step 1. Place the sorting pile in a large clean area so that you have the vision of everything to organize the sorting well
Step 2. Ask yourself the three basic questions about the objects that ended up in the pile:
- Do you like?
- Do you use it often, or will you use it soon (within 3 months)?
- Will you miss it when you have eliminated it? Is it a very important memory for you?
Step 3. Divide the pile into three distinct groups
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First group: the things you use almost every day and the things you "like".
- For example, the telephone, tools, shoes, and so on. You can put your keys in a jar near the door, you can keep your tools in a toolbox, or buy yourself a shoe cabinet. Find any solution that works for you and helps you find all the most important items with ease.
- The things you are attached to, such as photos, knick-knacks, etc … should now find a place to display them or keep them hidden, or keep them carefully, etc …
- Second group: Here you should put the things you use at least once a week or once a month. These are generally items that should be kept in closets, garages, or other out-of-the-way places. Reorder them in containers (better if they are transparent, so you can easily see the contents) and label them. Other things, like clothes, hang them on hangers and put them away.
- Third group: should include things you haven't used for at least six months or a year. If you haven't used them in all this time, chances are you won't use them anymore. So, get rid of it forever. Give all the items you don't use or no longer want to solidarity and charitable associations, so that they can be destined for someone less fortunate.
Step 4. Don't expect to be able to tidy everything up in one day
Depending on how messy there is, it could take two days or a week. If it's emotionally demanding, it could take months, and it's a good idea to call a friend or objective mate to help you morally as well.
Advice
- Try tidying up one room at a time. Start from one corner and organize according to your style and arrange the entire room before moving on to the next one.
- Treat yourself to a treat, like a movie in the cinema, a new dress, or a trip once you're done. Rewards can help you move forward with the project, giving you an incentive to complete the task.
- If you need to tidy up after work, try doing it a little at a time. Take fifteen minutes each night to tackle a small area, drawer, or shelf.
- You can donate items to charities. It could be old clothes, old shoes, old toys, old appliances, etc …
- Keep order! Working 15 minutes a day to fix a room is better than spending days tidying up a house every year or so. Remember that any improvement is better than nothing.
- If you get tired, take a five minute break and then go back to work. You can listen to some music while you are busy for an hour or two.
- Set a specific time to reorder. Never try to do this after a long day at work if you can avoid it.
- If you live in Australia you can enter the things you no longer need in “Free Treasure” www.freetreasure.com.au and find someone who comes to pick them up at your home; so you save time finding other things to delete.
Warnings
- Don't try to rearrange an entire house in one day.
- Before starting the task, make sure you have the energy and time to complete it. A good rule of thumb is not to take out more than you can tidy up in an hour. Set a timer for one hour, and when it's over, you can decide whether to work another hour if you have the strength. Give yourself a 15 or 20 minute break as a reward, look at emails, have a cup of tea, lie down on the sofa.
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Remember that there is a difference between clutter and objects that create the atmosphere and environment of the areas you clean. This distinction depends on the person.
You may find a friend or relative to help you. But don't call a friend who has the soul of a second-hand dealer, otherwise you will find yourself in a worse situation. And be careful not to ask for help from someone who is too tidy. If you try to get rid of all your "precious" items you could panic and end up throwing nothing away
- Don't force yourself to tidy up. Make it pleasant, or you will soon lose interest. Trust the progress you can make. You can't think of tidying up the disorder that has formed over a long time from one day to the next.
