Here are 3 simple habits you can take to make decluttering a way of life. Of course you can have many long decluttering sessions but these are some easy habits to incorporate into your life. Start with the one that resonates with you and add another when you are ready.
1. Donation Box
- Recycle a box you can lift
- Label it on the outside in big letters to remind yourself what it is for
- Find stuff you don’t want (but is still good enough to pass on to someone else)
- Put it in this box
- Repeat until box is full
- Schedule a pick up or make time to take it to your favorite charity (my favorites are Vapor in Birmingham and the Presbyterian Home for Children in Talladega)
2. Clear the Coffee Table
- Flat surfaces are magnets for clutter, accept this but don’t let it build up
- Take everything off the surface
- Put only the items you really want back on, typical items might be a magazine or two, TV remotes, decorative object, plant or other items. Interior designers recommend 3 to 5 things.
- Put other stuff where it belongs (like dishes back to kitchen, toss trash, recycle magazines)
- Donate (see donation box above)
- Repeat at least once a week, it will make one space look good
3. Book Shelves
- Take everything off one shelf at a time
- Clean shelf
- Return items to shelf making sure all the items still “spark joy”
- Donate (see donation box above) unwanted books and decorations
- Go to the next shelf
- Repeat quarterly, semi-annually or annually