11 Easy Ways To Declutter (So Easy You Can Start Today!)

Now the kids have gone back to school, it’s now time to sort yourself out and it all starts with a good declutter of your home.

I loosely use the term easy. While it is a simple method, letting go of clutter is hard to do. I came across an article about a book and it changed my life, well it changed my outlook on clutter and how I saw my home. The book is called The Life Changing Magic of Tidying: A Simple, Effective Way to Banish Clutter Forever by Marie Kondo, the creator of the KonMari Method. Anyone who has encountered the teachings of Japanese cleaning guru Marie Kondo knows that minimalism is currently all the rage. Marie Kondo came up with a simple solution to declutter. It’s genius and why it has taken someone so long to just come out and say it, baffles me. Her method is” – “does it bring you joy”? If it doesn’t, bin it (or donate). I went through my entire house asking myself that one question one item at a time. I ended up with a mountain of stuff to chuck” – and it felt good.

According to the KonMari Method, the clutter piling up around your home is a huge stress trigger and has the affect of distracting us in everyday life and causing restlessness. “When you reduce the noise of things around you, you can focus on creating your life” says Marie Kondo.

Whether you’re pro or anticlutter, you must admit there’s a certain calmness to be found in a well-organised drawer. And that’s why I’m a big fan of KonMari, even if her work is slightly on the the hippy dippy philosophical side. I want to be a minimalist” – even with three kids and two cats. See below for examples of Marie Kondo’s method and see if you are a little inspired to take a turn at organising your own home (I was).

1. Start with your clothes.

Go through your closet only keeping things which “spark joy.” Take all of your clothes and put them in one big pile in one room. (Her idea is to declutter by item type vs. by room.) You then pick up and hold an item and ask yourself one simple question: Does this bring me joy? If it doesn’t, donate it.

2. Get rid of all your documents in the office.

Marie Kondo believes that people keep too many old documents they simply don’t need. (See my article on how long to keep important documents for if you have an issue throwing documents out).

3. Fold your clothes vertically.

That way you can see everything without pulling lots of stuff out.

4. Organise by colour.

Your eye will immediately go to the colour you’re thinking of wearing.

5. Roll socks and stockings.

It helps preserve the elastic.

6. Use small containers of all shapes and sizes.

It can be used for small items like jewellery, make up and face creams.

7. Get rid of your books.

Marie Kondo thinks we keep books far longer than we need to. Get rid of most books and only keep ones that “spark joy”.

8. Declutter your bathroom of unnecessary items and put in containers.

(IKEA is great for small containers and bathroom storage ideas).

9. Keep your kitchen clean.

Kitchens should be spick and span, keeping counters clean and most items out of sight and draws organised.

10. Organise TV cabinets.

TV cabinets should be organised with all leads in an orderly fashion behind the TV and behind or in cupboards should clutter free.

11. Keep your entrance free of shoes, bags and hats.

Kondo suggests using a cabinet in the entryway to hold everyday belongings, shoes, keys and bags.

So if you live in a house where you trip over toys, can’t find things, constantly living in an emotional state of frustration, then it might be time for a declutter. Having a good sort out is beneficial for all sorts of reasons. It’s a big job and you don’t have to do all of it in one go. Take your time and don’t beat yourself up if you’re not a chucker.

Once you get into it, you will find it exhilarating and won’t stop until you live in a peaceful and organised home.

How do you declutter?