Need decluttering motivation? Declutter your home to cleanse your mind and soul. Clutter in your home is not only unsafe and sometimes unsanitary but is also an eyesore that drags you down. Picking things up or getting rid of unwanted or unneeded items will make you feel good. A little minimalism can be a good thing.

Our penchant for buying things costs more than the items themselves. We think we need a bigger house to hold all of the stuff we have or we rent a storage unit to put stuff away and forget we have it.

You don’t need to be an extreme minimalist to declutter your home, but a little bit can go a long way in making you feel better about your home and relieve unnecessary stress of dealing with all that stuff.

Start Small with One Area at a Time

No need to overwhelm yourself. The best way to start is tackling one area at a time. The kitchen, living room, a closet, whatever works best for you to get started. Once that area is done, keep up the good work and take on another area.

Clear off counters and tables

The fastest way to make your home look less cluttered is to clear off countertops and tabletops. Clear off everything and only add back the things that really need to be there. Them go through all the cupboards and drawers and see what can come out of there too.

Ask yourself what items you actually use

Get rid of anything and everything that you don’t or won’t use. Ask yourself “Is this something that you need and use?  Is this something that makes you happy?” If the answer is no, get rid of it.

If you have keepsakes, things that bring back fond memories or makes you happy, then keep it. Don’t be afraid to store it away so it isn’t cluttering your home.

Establish a one in, one out rule

The easiest way to keep a home organized is to have less stuff, right? Establishing a rule where if you buy anything new then you must let go of something you already have can help you achieve this.  If you are thinking about buying something but know that something else has to go, then you might decide not to purchase it at all. Money saved and less clutter.

Keep clutter in smart storage containers

Storing stuff in acrylic clear storage bins are one of the most durable and versatile storage techniques for most areas in your home. They stack to make the most of storage space and come in a variety of sizes. Smaller clear storage bins are great to declutter a pantry, hobbies, toys, or office.

They can be used in your laundry room, closets, bedrooms, and even the garage. Using the clear tubs lets you see what is inside without having to take it out and open it up.

Sort clutter into keep, throw out, and maybe pilesWhen you empty a closet, existing storage tubs, pantry, or dresser, put each item in one of three piles to keep, throw out, or I’m not sure yet. Get rid of the throw out pile and neatly put back the keep pile.

Create a container labeled “maybe” for the items you’re not sure about. Put the maybes in the box and hide it away for a few months. Go back later and look through it and see if you can part with some or all the items.

Do a 15-minute clean-up every day

Keep clutter from piling up on you by doing a 15-minute clean-up each day. Pick a time each day that works for you and tackle one area or more. This is a quick way to keep on top of the clutter before it gets out of hand.

See your home through the eyes of your guests

Sometimes you can get so used to looking at your own clutter that it’s hard to notice the messy areas of your home. To take a different perspective, try to see your home as if you are a guest seeing it for the first time.  This fresh look may surprise you and provide extra decluttering motivation in your home.

Pretend you’re moving

Pretend you are moving to another place, and you need to pack everything up. Think about having to pay to have it moved and to unpack it.

I used to move every few years and moving time was always a great time to purge. The less to pack up and move was less that I had to deal with. Still saving those old VHS tapes that probably no longer work? Time to purge. Put yourself in a moving mindset and go through your stuff.

Take before and after photos

Take before and after photos of your decluttering project. Look at the after photos when things start to look cluttered again when you need decluttering motivation. If you are keeping up with your 15-minute decluttering each day you won’t notice much of a difference.

Your Decluttering Motivation

Decluttering motivation doesn’t come easy. You must press yourself to hop in and get to it. Usually, you must make more of a mess first when you are decluttering and organizing before you can start to see progress.

First take everything out of its place, whether that means taking all the food out of your pantry shelves and piling them on the floor or dumping all your clothes out of your dresser drawers so they’re all completely empty.  Then you can consciously start sorting through each item and giving it a new home.

The decluttering motivation will come easier when you see the result. You feel better, cleaner, and less stressed. Use these decluttering tips to get started and remember to start small and appreciate the progress that you make.

See my short Youtube video on Quick Easy Ways for Decluttering.