With the New Year comes lofty goal setting, which, for many, includes whipping their house into organizational shape. January is one of the best times to declutter your belongings and reorganize, allowing you to start the year with a clean house and a clear mind.
If you’re unsure whether decluttering should be on your bucket list, watch out for these signs. If you experience more than a couple of these, your home could benefit from having less stuff.
You Have Many Duplicates of Basic Items
The biggest tell-tale sign that you have too much stuff in your home is that you have duplicates of basic items. Think ponytail holders, measuring cups, pads of paper, your favorite pasta sauce, toiletries, etc. Items like these are often over-amassed when you can’t remember whether or not you have any at home. Then, you shop and buy some just in case, bringing many duplicates into your house.
When there’s less stuff in your home, it’s easier to see what you already have and to find a proper spot to store it. This enables you to go shopping with a clear mind, saving you from bringing excess items into your house and saving you money since you aren’t buying things you already own and don’t need.
Getting Out the Door in the Morning Isn’t a Smooth Experience
Whether you’re headed off to work in the morning or trying to wrangle your kids into getting ready for school, every morning shouldn’t feel chaotic. Getting showered and dressed should be easy, as should finding your kids’ shoes and bookbags, since everything has its own “home.”
If you feel frazzled more often than not in the mornings, let go of some stuff and set up the proper organization to get you out of the door on time and in a good mood.
There are Clothes in Your Closet from High School
A disorganized closet is often the root of a cluttered home. Let’s face it—it’s hard to separate from clothes you’ve spent your hard-earned money on. Even if those clothes don’t fit, are torn, stained, or from three decades ago. But there’s no point in it.
Hanging on to ill-fitting clothing isn’t going to recoup the money you’ve spent on them. Let the guilt go, and clear out your closet so it only contains items that fit and flatter you. Everything else can be donated. The feeling of opening up your closet doors only to see your best clothing options far outweighs a closet packed full of unwearable garments.
You’re *Always* Embarrassed for Company to Stop By
We all have moments where we hear a knock at the door, take a look at our house, and hope it’s just a mailman dropping off a package and not an unannounced visitor. But that feeling shouldn’t be constant. If you don’t let anyone in your house because of its conditions, it’s time to reevaluate your values and needs.
An accumulation of stuff shouldn’t be hindering your relationships or be a cause of embarrassment. Paring down your items will make keeping the house organized and clean far easier.
Your Home is More than “Ten Minutes from Clean”
A rule I like to live by is that my house can always be ten minutes from being company-ready. That doesn’t mean it’s perfect. (It’s not.) But at all times, I should be able to spend ten minutes giving my house a light tidy that puts it in “presentable” condition.
Plain and simple —the less stuff you have, the easier it is to tidy up your home. When you get rid of all the items you don’t love, use, or need, it’s possible to have your home always be “ten minutes from clean.” (It also makes it much more manageable for kids to help.)
You Close Your Eyes and Hope for the Best When Shutting Cabinet Doors
Do you toss items in a cabinet or closet and then quickly close the door, hoping the contents won’t spill out the next time you open it? If so, your house might not need a complete overhaul, but your cabinets and closets could benefit from a declutter.
Work on one area at a time, removing all the broken, neglected, and unused items until you can confidently shut your cabinets without worrying about an avalanche.
You Feel Overwhelmed in Your Home
Your home is your retreat from the world—a refuge where you should be able to relax and recharge. If being at home causes you to be more overwhelmed than anything, it’s time for an overhaul.
Transform your house into your sanctuary. The first step in doing this is decluttering so you’re only surrounded by truly useful, practical, and beautiful items.
