If you want to start living a minimalist life, you need to do a massive clean up. Decluttering sure sounds like a challenging job especially if you like hoarding stuff and clinging to a lot of items from your past. But it doesn’t have to be if you do it slowly and make it a habit. Here are 5 tips to decluttering that will help you live a happier life.

  1. Don’t rush it

Cleaning up isn’t magic. It takes time. Trying to do everything at once will overwhelm you, unless you hire rubbish removal services. You’ll get exhausted and eventually give up, which is not what you need if you want to maintain a clean and happy lifestyle. Start slowly, and focus on an area in your house that you can commit to everyday. Consider your bedroom because it’s a very personal and private space and you’ll know everything inside. Commit to keeping your bedroom clean everyday by allotting a few minutes just to put things in order, throw away trash, and arrange your things. Pick up items that you haven’t used in a long while and consider throwing or donating them. Once you’ve done 2 to 3 weeks of successfully cleaning your room, then you can expand your coverage by moving outside. Eventually you’ll cover your entire house and you’ll be amazed by the results.

  1. Get organized

Coming up with an organizational system is important in the decluttering process. You may want to consider the four box method. Basically it seeks to label every single clutter into four categories: to keep, to throw, to sell or donate, or to store.

There are other ways of organizing, like the KonMari method which aims to eliminate anything that doesn’t spark joy. It’s definitely a simple method but one that can drastically help you declutter your space! Find a method that suits you and see how how tidying up can make a big impact in your life.

  1. Donate your stuff

Understand that shelters and charities are not dumpsters where you can throw in your clutter. Have some heart and filter the things that are actually donate-worthy. Even a thrift shop would reject your old tattered clothes so be mindful of the things you want to give out. Before driving to your local Goodwill, make sure that your clothes are properly arranged. Wash them, sort them out, and put them in a decent box. That way you’re also helping the charity handle your things better. Try making donations regularly, as well as decluttering. If you really do have a lot of old stuff that you simply don’t need anymore, consider hiring a local dumpster company to help you out with any waste. You’ll be surprised at the amount of things you can still give away even in a short span of time.

  1. Don’t forget your digital clutter

Sit down on your computer and cleanup your inbox. Look into your hard drive and eliminate files that you don’t need anymore. Old files, photos, music, and videos, if you don’t need it, delete it. Excessive clutter can slow down your computer and render it useless. It’s not just your computer, your phone deserves a good round of cleanup, too! So get on your phone and delete those super old photos, music, videos, and apps. And wait, include your browser history, too. Cleaning your app cache can help speed up your phone.

  1. Declutter your mind as well

You’ve done a good job decluttering physically and digitally, now it’s time to clean your mind. What use is a clean environment if your mind is full of hate and malice? If you’re struggling to keep a clean mind, you have a lot of options. You can meditate. You can pray about it. You can consult someone. Forgive the people who have done you wrong. Focus on the good things in your life. Eliminate the toxic people around you. Remember that the goal of decluttering is not just to create a breathable space, but also to offer you peace of mind. So make the most out of it and enjoy the process!

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