Decluttering Techniques That Match Your Style*

Sometimes it seems like everyone is either actually decluttering their lives or is talking and thinking about it. It’s certainly a good idea as possessions do tend to build up behind your back and suddenly you’ve no space left.

If you’ve been wanting to have a good clear out and sort, but you’re struggling to get going, maybe you just haven’t found the right system yet. We all need a bit of motivation sometimes, and a method that just clicks might be the catalyst to finally get started. There are plenty to choose from, so here’s a few:

The KonMari Method

Start by decluttering by category, not by location. This means gathering all items of a particular category (e.g., clothing, books, or kitchenware) in one place.

• As you handle each item, decide on its personal value and whether it gives you pleasure. Also, is it useful or necessary? While the method officially talks about ‘sparking joy’, not everything you value or need will provoke that emotion, so change it up to suit your own style and personality. 
• When you’re putting clothes away, fold them vertically so they stack upright in drawers, like books on a shelf. It makes it far easier to see what you have than when they’re placed on top of each other.

There’s a lot more to it than this, but you get the idea.

Minimalism

Embrace the principle of “less is more” by focusing on owning fewer possessions that serve a purpose or that you love having around or using. Don’t be afraid to let items go if they no longer serve a practical or emotional purpose. Aim to create more open space and reduce visual clutter to create a streamlined appearance around the house.

FlyLady System

Fly Lady has lots of tidy up ideas, but here are a couple to be going on with.

• Follow the “27 Fling Boogie” to quickly declutter by grabbing a rubbish bag and filling it with 27 items to store, recycle, or throw away.
• Implement daily routines such as the “Five-Minute Room Rescue” to tackle clutter in small increments.
• Use a timer to stay focused and motivated while decluttering, aiming for short bursts of action followed by breaks.

Seasonal Belongings Rotation

Go through all your belongings, including things like machinery and equipment, sports gear, luggage, holiday or celebration decorations and garden furnishings. Decide how often through the year you use them. 

• Garden furnishings tend to languish outside, getting wet, going mouldy or algae covered and aging prematurely. 
• Lots of clothing only gets used for a few months of the year. 
• Sports are seasonal, with kit taking up space at other times.

All those items don’t need to be at home all year. Instead, look into the cost of storage unit rental and use the space you rent as a preservation area for out of season items.

Swedish Death Cleaning

This sounds morbid, but the principle behind Swedish death cleaning is actually very practical. Nobody likes to consider their own demise, which might also be why so many of us put off writing a Will. Every one of us will get there in the end, so it’s worth considering what you’ll leave behind even if you’re many years away even from retirement.

• Reflect on your possessions with the mindset of simplifying your life and leaving behind a manageable legacy for loved ones.
• Declutter gradually and continually, rather than waiting until later in life so you don’t feel overwhelmed.
• Consider the sentimental value of items and discuss their significance with family members before deciding whether to keep or part with them.

1 in, 1 out Rule

Implement a rule where for every new item brought into the home, one existing item must be shown the door. This rule encourages mindfulness about new purchases and helps prevent clutter from accumulating over time.

Reverse 100 Thing Challenge

Start by decluttering 100 items from your home, focusing on possessions that are no longer useful or meaningful to you. Challenge yourself to gradually reduce your belongings beyond the initial 100 items, aiming for a simpler and more intentional lifestyle. The original 100 Thing Challenge was about living with just 100 things. This turns it on its head and challenges you to first get rid of 100 things. The number is arbitrary really – you can choose any number you like but make it big enough to be meaningful.

Room-by-Room Decluttering

Break down decluttering tasks by focusing on one room or area at a time. Doing just one room can make the process feel more manageable.

• Set specific goals for each room, such as clearing out a closet, decluttering a desk, or organising a bookshelf.
• Sort items into categories (keep, recycle, discard or store for the future) and tackle one category at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Deal with each category immediately so things don’t get put back where they came from. For ‘store for the future’ items, for instance, take a couple of boxes over to your self storage unit and get them out of the house.

There are all kinds of tactics you can use, or games you can invent, in the quest to reduce clutter. It’s finding one that makes sense in your own life that can be tricky if you’re to stick with it in the longer term. 

Give several a go over time and see which works best. Maybe fuse together a combination of ideas. Whichever way you go about it, be patient with yourself and don’t give up as soon as one method falls by the wayside. It’s worth it in the end.