Decluttering your home is one of the subjects I particularly enjoy sharing with you. I know so much about the benefits of decluttering and tidying up that I never tire of talking about it. These activities help us to adopt a simpler, more minimalist lifestyle. Then, we can see more clearly in our daily lives, especially with our children, who contribute so much to the clutter around us. But what really works?

1 – THE DESIRE TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME
This may seem obvious, but if you think about it, not so much. Is it a real motivation to want to declutter your home when you see the results in other people’s homes? Isn’t it more like putting pressure on yourself?

If you’re ready to take action, then other people’s testimonials and results will give you the impetus and motivation you need.

But if you’re feeling pretty good about your home despite a certain amount of clutter and accumulated stuff, telling yourself that decluttering would be a good thing will put pressure on you.

Because you’re bound to have a long way to go. You won’t have made the psychological journey to the point where you really want to change your interior.

So don’t rush into sorting. Take time to reflect, asking yourself if this is really the right thing for you and your family. You’re not on your own. Are your husband and children ready to see items disappear from their cupboards? Are they aware that they’ll have to part with some of their belongings? But the most important question is for you: do you really and truly want to?

Answering these questions will make it easier for you to take action (or not) without remorse.

2 – BOXES AND GARBAGE CAN BAGS TO CLEAR YOUR HOME OF SUPERFLUOUS ITEMS
If you’re really motivated, here are 2 formidable weapons for successfully completing your decluttering and sorting mission. Garbage bags are indispensable for everything that needs to be thrown away, such as :

broken items ;
damaged items that can’t be repaired ;
products that have passed their sell-by date;
anything that’s in a state of disrepair that’s not likely to please anyone.

In fact, I think this is the most spectacular stage in decluttering your home. You’ll see, the amount of stuff we keep that should have ended up in the garbage can much sooner is impressive.

I know, I know, you’ve kept them with the idea of repairing or recovering a part that could be of use to you, one day, perhaps… Years later, apart from a space taken up in your closet and a good dose of accumulated dust, these things haven’t served you at all!

So it’s off to the garbage bag and the dumpster!

As for the other items you no longer use, but which you store in abundance, they include :

duplicate objects and toys (like me – do you have 4 or 5 thrift shops?).
things no longer in use, but in perfect working order, that you keep just in case…
clothes, which we also keep, just in case… they come back in fashion, so we can get back to our 18-year-old size!
the little accessories you’ve bought for the umpteenth time, because you couldn’t remember where you put the last one.

All these items should be placed in boxes and donated to local associations that accept 2nd-hand items in good condition. You can also resell what’s still in good condition and still useful.

3 – THE MOST CLUTTERED AREAS TO BE EMPTIED FIRST
Contrary to everything that’s recommended on the web, you may need a strong boost to succeed in decluttering your home.

What if you didn’t start small, but went for the big stuff?

Tackle the room or piece of furniture you find hardest to clear. Once you’ve finished, you’ll feel not only relieved, but satisfied and at peace with yourself.

This is often the garage, cellar or attic. Don’t leave anything to chance, including garden tools and machinery.

You’ll see the results right away, because it’ll make a real difference to a gentle start.

All the places you declutter later will seem like a piece of cake.

You’ll be able to share your “declutter your home before/after” photos with loved ones and on your social networks with pride.

4 – HESITATION: THE QUARANTINE TECHNIQUE
Tidying up your home and clearing out the excess is a task that often makes you hesitate to part with certain objects. We’re afraid we’ll regret it or run out and have to buy again. Which would be a shame.

Taking a step back from our own belongings is not so easy.

The technique consists of putting all the things you’re unsure about in a separate box. Label the box with today’s date and keep it for several months, up to 6 months (ideal for another sorting session). If, during this time, you haven’t used or missed any of the items in the box, you can throw them away or donate them. If, on the other hand, you’ve come back to the box to take out one of the items before the 6 months are up, then obviously put it back in your cupboards.

Decluttering your home doesn’t have to mean making thoughtless sacrifices.

5 – THE ART OF DECLUTTERING: FOLLOW THROUGH
On the other hand, once you’ve decided to get rid of your trash bags and boxes, don’t stop there and clutter up your garage or cellar in the meantime.

All that work just to clutter up another room…

The art of decluttering lies in getting everything you’ve sorted out out of your home as quickly as possible. Everything must go! Go straight to the end of the process. Don’t store. Don’t tell yourself you’ll go to the waste disposal center when you have time or when you’re in the neighborhood. No, go straight to it!

Just like the most difficult piece to sort, take your bags to the dump or your boxes to Goodwill right after you’ve finished a sorting session. You’ll gain the satisfaction of a job well done. Otherwise, all those boxes will literally continue to weigh on your morale.

6 – THE NON-STOP TIDYING OBJECTIVE
Perhaps you’re one of those people who needs to keep on going without stopping?

Yes, you read everywhere that you need to go at your own pace, take your time and take small steps.

Creating habits and little routines isn’t easy for everyone, especially when all the work still needs to be done.

Sometimes it’s better to get started and not stop until you’ve achieved your goal. Blocking off long periods of time for action, and not stopping, creates momentum.

Reaching your goal quickly and appreciating the result without waiting is often necessary to say: “Stop! Stop! I won’t let myself be invaded any longer”. From then on, habits and little routines can be put in place.

For some people, decluttering without a plan at the outset is a basic necessity if they are to develop good tidying habits.

The only thing to do is to take out your diary and plan the decluttering of your home without any further details. This is sometimes enough to get you started, and not stop until you’ve reached your goal.

In this way, you create the space you need to organize your new interior.

7 – DECLUTTERING AND MINIMALISM FOR EVERYONE
I talk to you about this regularly in a number of articles.

You’re not alone!

Just like point number 1, on the subject of willpower, you need to accept and want to be accompanied in these sorting and decluttering tasks.

I’m not talking about social networking here, but about your family, the ones who clutter up your home with you on a daily basis.

You’ve cluttered up together, so decluttering as a family seems an excellent way of sharing the burden of the task.

Together, your children and spouse will become aware of the excesses of certain consumer habits. You can then show them the way to a healthier, minimalist lifestyle.

Remember, minimalism doesn’t mean living from nothing to nothing. It’s about living better with less, focusing on what’s essential, without being overwhelmed by the superfluous.

Finally, decluttering your home doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task. Imagine having to move house, and the sorting would be unavoidable. Gather in one place for a few months the items you’re not sure you want to get rid of. Once you’ve agreed to part with certain things, follow through. And if starting without stopping is the right thing for you, go for it!