De-Cluttering Your Home for the New Year

With busy lifestyle, cluttered homes seem inevitable and it’s taking a toll in our daily lives. We scramble to find things in piles of seemingly endless mess and we waste precious time as clutter clogs the usually smooth workings around the house. What’s more, cluttered homes are more likely to cause accidents like slips and tipping incidents that pose major threats especially if you have small children.

Everyone wants to get organized but very few are successful in doing so, especially in a sustainable manner. Hence, today we will talk about simple formula that you can follow to help you de-clutter your homes for the coming year, and keep a minimalist lifestyle moving forward. 

The keyword is SIMPLE. Often than not, we embark on a gigantic spring cleaning project which sometimes proves too much to handle that we end up overwhelmed and unsuccessful. What we hope to encourage is to keep your de-cluttering session simple, fast and easy enough so that you can start small and finish big.

You will need the following tools:

1. 3 big boxes labeled with the following labels: KEEP, DONATE, SELL
2. 1 black garbage bag for all the things you want to THROW
3. Markers
4. Timer

Follow these tips and you’ll be able to enjoy a clutter-free home in no time!

1. Set aside 2 hours each day for 3 days as your de-cluttering sessions. Instead of doing everything in one go which might leave you too tired and frustrated, do it in batches and with a specific time frame to focus your mind and energy.
2. Use the timer wisely. Set 45 minutes to sort your THROW, KEEP, DONATE and SELL items, and the last 15 minutes to have a coffee/tea break. After your mini break, set another 45 minutes for the second half of your de-cluttering session, and allocate the last 15 minutes to clean up any mess left. Setting a deadline will force you to finish what needs to be done in a day. Do the same for day 2 and day 3.
3. De-clutter per area of the house. Strategize your de-cluttering sessions by allocating which parts of the house you’re supposed to finish on days 1-3. Start where the biggest clutters are like the kids’ room or family area.
4. Go with your guts! It is often hard to let go of things but if in doubt, go with your guts! More often than not, less possessions means less stress.
5. Make some cash. You will be surprised with the amount of assets you have sitting around the piles somewhere. I know a friend who de-cluttered his room and found at least $200 worth of vouchers and grocery gift cards that are almost expired!
6. Donate as much as you can! Someone will appreciate the items that you will donate and it’s another way of lending a hand to others in need. So instead of throwing away things, endeavor to fill the recycle/donate box first instead.
7. Get your kids involved, especially when you de-clutter their rooms. It’s a good way to teach them discipline and encourage them not to get too attached to worldly things. Let them decide which toys they want to keep and give up, and explain to them what it means for them and the kids who will receive their toys.
8. Make it a habit to de-clutter regularly. The more often you do it, the less clutter you make. Follow a quarterly schedule, and reward yourself with a nice meal or massage every time you successfully completed this task.

2018 is almost here, and we are excited for more and bigger things to come for Cosy Angel. Do check out our unique range of products for kids, parents and the whole family! And while you’re de-cluttering your homes, make sure to child-proof them too with our TV and Furniture Safety Strap and Corner Protectors so you’ll have a safe and worry-free new year!

Sources:

https://www.realsimple.com/home-organizing/organizing/declutter-your-home

https://www.becomingminimalist.com/creative-ways-to-declutter/

https://www.home-storage-solutions-101.com/how-to-declutter.html

http://organizedhome.com/cut-clutter/declutter-101-cut-clutter-at-home