Many people who like to live a minimalist and uncluttered lifestyle tend to have difficulties in letting go of most of their stuff. But having too many things tends to make your place look like a mess.
Well, the first step to a simplified lifestyle is to learn how to declutter your apartment and get rid of the things you no longer need. However, there’s the challenge of knowing where to begin.
People often have trouble doing it because decluttering is often easier said than done, and starting can be very stressful when you have a lot of things to work on. Still, don’t get discouraged! Think about what you will gain by having less clutter in your life, instead of focusing on all the things you’re going to get rid of.
And remember that it’s totally understandable to feel anxious and stressed throughout the decluttering process. It definitely takes a lot of time and effort to do this, and it’s okay to take it slow. To help you ease onto it, here are some simple and easy tips to help you declutter your apartment.
Choose One Item To Get Rid Of Per Day
Decluttering may be an overwhelming task especially if you rush it in a day or two. To avoid this, get rid of your extra stuff gradually by spreading out the task at hand.
Find one item per day that you no longer enjoy or need, and you will not even notice that this item is gone. These items can be small trinkets lying around the house, or a piece of clothing that no longer fits, or maybe expired items among your toiletries.
At the end of the month, you already made a big difference! And at the end of the year, that’s 365 items you have eliminated. High five!
Fill One Trash Bag At A Time
If getting rid of one item per day is not ideal for your situation, then go ahead and get rid of more! Speed up your decluttering process by grabbing a trash bag and filling it with items that you want to donate or throw away.
Doing it one trash bag at a time leaves you with more time to process how much stuff you are really willing to let go. And it feels really good to see that you’ve already filled up one full trash bag. If you are feeling more productive, then go ahead and grab more bags. It’s totally your call.
However, it’s important to remind yourself that you don’t have to rush the process. It’s completely okay if you haven’t filled one whole trash bag today. You can still do it tomorrow! Or whenever you have the time. No pressure here!
Declutter One Area At Your Own Pace
You can either grab things randomly from room to room, or just focus on one area at a time. Doing the latter helps you address different parts of your apartment in an organized way, thus avoiding the mistake of creating more clutter.
Focusing on one area first gives you more time to decide on the stuff that you want to get rid of. It also gives you the opportunity to find things that you thought “disappeared” ages ago. Moreover, it creates a sense of accomplishment once you finish decluttering one area of your apartment.
You can easily do this by deciding which area you want to do first. You may start with your bathroom and dedicate one whole day to get rid of the stuff you no longer want and need, then move on to your bedroom or kitchen.
Concentrating on one area at a time can also help you feel less overwhelmed and anxious, because you don’t have to think about the whole apartment at this point. Instead, just think about your chosen area.
Make Time For Touch Choices
Some of us are sentimental and have kept things because of the memories we had with them. It’s totally understandable if you’ve grown attached to some stuff that are with you for a long period of time. These items are the hardest to let go, so you should take some time to think about it.
Or maybe look at it in a different way. Ask yourself if you would have still bought the item if you were given the opportunity all over again. And if so, would you have paid the same amount? Would the value be the same?
You may think you are attached to some items but when asked about it, you may realize that things have changed so that’s not the case anymore. Or maybe the value hasn’t changed and you still cherish these things. Both are totally okay.
Deciding to declutter your apartment and doing it can be very stressful to some people, but having a clean and organized apartment can benefit you more in the long run. A clutter-free apartment can provide a happier and healthier space for you and your visitors. And it’s really helpful to easily find the things that you are looking for.
As long as these things are no longer serving their purpose in your life and they are not bringing you any more joy, then it’s time to declutter your apartment. Living a minimalist lifestyle requires getting rid of the items you have grown accustomed to over the years, but it will really help create a lighter and clearer atmosphere in your apartment.
What are you waiting for? Start looking at the items you own and see if they are worth keeping or not, and declutter your apartment effectively using the tips above. Happy cleaning!