Ever since Marie Kondo’s Netflix show became massively popular, more people now are finding home decluttering a pretty powerful way to reduce stress and boosting productivity. The idea is simple enough—get rid of what you don’t need and keep only the things that “spark joy”.
The KonMari approach has certainly helped people to be mindful of their personal living spaces as well improve their mind space. But when it comes to decluttering and organizing your home, there are a few important things you need to keep in mind, especially if you haven’t seriously done home decluttering before.
Schedule a definite time
This can’t be stressed enough; sometimes, you need to force yourself to start decluttering. Most people think tidying up is simply impossible because of their busy schedule. However, it doesn’t have to take so much of your time. Start by allotting as short as five minutes a day to sort your stuff, like organizing your closet. You’ll be surprised just how much you can do in just a short time.
Visualize your end goal
One of the many benefits of cleaning or decluttering is that it also helps clear your mind. You can achieve that by visualizing first what you want to see or have in the end in the end. For example, what are the things you need to organize in your kitchen? Are there any stuff in your glass-door refrigerator that you need to throw out? Do you need more storage for your kitchenware?
Beginning with an end in mind, as they say, will give you more direction and helps you become more focused.
Imagine you’re a first-time visitor
Imagine yourself as if you are visiting your home for the first time. Often, there are untidy spots you haven’t noticed before because you’re so used to seeing them every day. If you are a visitor, what would be your initial impressions of your home? What are the things that you’d rather change? List down your observations so you’d know the areas you need to work on.
Take pictures… lots of it
Finally, make sure to take photos before and after you declutter an area. You can use the photo for reference for any future design changes. Think of them as a visual map of how you want your personal living space to look like. It would be easier for you to visualize any additional design you want for your home?
Also, treat the “after” photos as your reward and keepsakes for all your hard work. They can definitely help you gauge just how far you’ve come since you started organizing your home.
Decluttering is indeed very worthwhile to do, both in terms of freeing up space in your home as well reducing stress and anxiety. It’s why it’s no surprise many became into decluttering after Marie Kondo’s method became a hit.
When decluttering your own home, just remember why you’re doing it in the first place — for your own peace of mind. Once you have come into terms with that thought, everything else will follow.
