If you're feeling overwhelmed, stressed and frustrated, then stop and take a look at your space. Is it chic and neat or cluttered and chaotic? Having a productive and pretty space can make all the difference to your workflow and overall mood. Now's the time to get rid of your clutter once and for all. We've collated all the helpful tips to show you how.
Start with five minutes a day
Clearing away the clutter can seem like such a daunting task when there's a mountain of items to remove, and who has the time to do all of it at once? That's why we love Leo Babauta of Zen Habits' five-minute philosophy. This baby-steps approach asks you to take just five minutes from your day, every day, and tackle one thing at a time. You might think five minutes will barely put a dent in the monumental mess, but it's a start and he says it's important to celebrate that. His website has listed 18 five-minute challenges you can start today.
the one-in, one-out philosophy
It's amazing how much one can accumulate over time, without even realizing it. Before you know it, your kitchen drawers are spilling over with random items, old bills, string, rubber bands, kids' toys and who knows what else. Colleen Madsen's (of 365 Less Things) clutter-reduction blog came up with the one-in, one-out rule: For every item that comes into your home, something else should go out. She writes, "The one-in item does not need to match the one-out item, although to make a difference it would need to be of at least equal size or, better still, bigger. It generally works out that they are similar items because usually you are replacing one with another." Sounds easier said than done; we say give it a try, and you might be surprised.
Take the 12-12-12 challenge
If you really want to get serious about organizing, Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist asks you to consider his 12-12-12 challenge. This relatively simple task — in theory, at least — asks you to locate "12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper home."
Learn how to see the clutter
Sometimes your home or workspace can be what we like to call "aesthetically clean," which really means it just looks the part, but secretly clutter is lurking behind closed cupboards, drawers and doors. Uncluttered says it can be difficult to "see" the clutter in our spaces. "We sense clutter, but as we move through our regular lives we lose sight of it," writes editor in chief Erin Doland. The online course has listed several strategies to help you spot clutter, such as inviting friends over for a party. When you know people will be in your home, it helps you think about how you want them to feel in the space and what you want them to see.
Give your closet the Oprah Winfrey treatment
When your home needs a good clear-out, your closet is one of the first places to start, but it's also one of the hardest. Even if you haven't worn something in a while, there's always that "what if" in the back of your mind, but realistically, if you haven't worn something in the past six months, you probably never will. To find out which pieces you really don't wear enough to warrant keeping, try the Oprah Winfrey closet hanger experiment. While she didn't create the concept, she certainly made it popular.
Hang all of your clothes with the hangers turned in the reverse direction. Once you've worn an item of clothing, put it back in your closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. Do this for six months, after which you will definitely know which clothes you wear often enough to keep, and which ones you can easily get rid of.
Clear out your pantry, and start from scratch
There's nothing worse than loose, half-opened spice packets, condiment bottles with a lick of sauce left and flour that hasn't been transferred to a container and subsequently sprays dust everywhere each time you retrieve it. According to organizing and decluttering guru Nicole Anzia of Neatnik, that means clearing everything out and starting from scratch. "The best way to restore order is to remove everything, wipe off the shelves, toss expired items and then begin restocking," she told the Washington Post. "Categorize and sort items. Nuts, rice, noodles, dried fruit and other things that come in upright sealable plastic bags can be held together in long rectangular containers. Snacks for kids and lunchbox items also should be grouped together and put in bins to make them easy to find."
Throw away the visual clutter – immediately
There's nothing more distracting than clutter you can see. For some reason, all those bits and pieces just make a room feel so chaotic. To prevent this from happening, Janet Schiesl of Basic Organization says you should get rid of the things you don't want or need immediately. "Since you won't be sorry to let those things go, get them out of your house first," she said. That means throwing out unsolicited mail as soon as you take it out of the mailbox, because it doesn't deserve to be on your kitchen counter or side table.
