How-to declutter your home with a minimalist approach

Clearing clutter from your home is a great exercise in letting go. It’s the perfect time to evaluate what you have, what you don’t need, and be grateful for the items that bring you the most joy. There are other benefits when clearing clutter from your home. It:

  • creates more space to enjoy your home again by removing furniture you don’t like, appliances you don’t need or empty boxes from gifts or moving;

  • can make you extra cash by selling things you don’t need anymore;

  • will reduce the time you spend cleaning because there's less stuff in your home.

One of the easiest ways to start decluttering is to take it one room at a time.  Here are some helpful tips on where to focus in each room.

Kitchen:

  • Take everything out of the cupboards and pantries to evaluate what you have and what you don’t need anymore. For example, do you have five spoons that serve the same purpose? Perhaps you only need one or two.

  • Once you’ve made room, move small appliance that may be sitting on the counter into cupboards, which will keep counters nice and clear.

Main Living / Family Room:

  • Sometimes the space we spend the most time in ends up housing the most clutter like notebooks, magazines, papers, shopping bags, photo frames etc.

  • Think about the purpose for this room. Is it a gathering space for family and friends? Then, what items do not serve this purpose. For example, photo frames with great memories bring a sense of joy. But, unused stacks of magazines take up space that could otherwise be enjoyed when having family and friends over. Purge those magazines!

Bathroom:

  • Take everything out of cupboards to see what you have, what is expired and then use small trays or bins to organize like items together. For example, remove expired medicines or sunscreens and dispose of them appropriately. Then, organize all medicines or sunscreens together that you are keeping. Perhaps the sunscreen bin goes towards the back of the cupboard until it is summertime.

Basement or Storage Closet:

  • Whether you have a basement or storage closet/unit, this can be the place where most of our clutter goes. And then we forget about it!

  • A great way to think of, and use, these spaces are by season. Organize your storage bins by different holidays; take the bin out when you need it, store it for the rest of the year once the holiday is done.

  • For decluttering purposes, take the time to go through bins, boxes or items that have been stored for a long time. You might be surprised what you find. For example, do you have a lot of sports equipment not being used? Donate it to a local charity who collects it or maybe a friend who is looking for less expensive gear could use it.

Decluttering is more than a one-time purge. It's an ongoing process, and a way of living. Once you've gone room-by-room through your home, do it again next month, and again next quarter and until it becomes a semi-annual or annual habit. You'll love the way you feel once it's integrated into your lifestyle. What we love about the room-by-room decluttering approach is that the journey towards living a more minimalist life helps clear your mind and helps to boost your bank account by not spending money on things you don't need. It also makes space in your life for what you value the most. Now, that's a space you'll be eager to come home and enjoy.

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