The surprising benefits of clutter-free living — and how to do it

So, a new year is already upon us, and the list of New Year’s resolutions is beginning to take shape.

Healthier diets, more exercise, more time with family, less stress – these are on top of many lists.

But what about resolutions for the place you spend much of your time…your home?

Why decluttering is good for you

Creating and maintaining a clutter-free environment may be the key to helping you achieve your other list of resolutions.

Although that may sound a little pie-in-the-sky, research has shown many physical and psychological benefits to decluttering your digs, including less stress and anxiety, more inner peace, stronger decision-making skills, and even better sleep.

See the relationship of these benefits to the top resolutions mentioned earlier? Here are a few examples of how decluttering your digs can help.

Living in a clutter-free environment:

• Allows you to perform daily living tasks more efficiently
• Reduces the stress and wasted time of looking for things
• Provides a sense of accomplishment and well-being
• Promotes physical well-being by removing harmful dust particles and toxins from the air
• Creates an environment that is more enjoyable for friends and family, which leads to healthy bonding and relaxed downtime
• Helps promote better sleep by creating ‘friction-free’ bedrooms
• Clutter-free kitchens promote eating at home and reduced prep time for meals
• Promotes ongoing self-discipline, which has a cumulative impact on self-confidence and sense of achievement

Easy tips to start decluttering now

For many, those New Year’s resolutions are long forgotten by Valentine’s Day. But your decluttering resolution doesn’t have to be one of those forgotten resolutions. Here are a few tips to help you ease into the declutter zone and stay clutter-free all year long.

Make a plan

Before you begin, make a quick list of rooms and areas that you’d like to organize and declutter – as well as the primary pain points for why the clutter is getting in your way. Then, prioritize the list in order of which areas are causing you the most stress.

For example, if you are always late for work because you can’t find the right shirt or belt, consider tackling your master closet first. If every morning starts with a litany of curse words as you trip over toys or shoes in the living room on your way to the coffee machine, this may be your first target.

Making a list on paper and prioritizing it is good for several reasons. First, it provides an organized approach to the work, making it easier to get started. The ability to ‘check off’ areas will give you a quick sense of accomplishment and provide motivation to keep going.

Additionally, by tackling your highest pain points first, you’ll eliminate those high-stress situations early and be more productive and efficient in the other areas.

Start small, don’t overdo it

The number one reason most people don’t achieve their New Year’s resolutions is that their goals are too ambitious. That goes for decluttering your home as well.

Start with small areas that will have the most impact. Break up tasks so that you can accomplish one room, area or project at a time before you move on.

To avoid getting overwhelmed, finish each project completely before moving on.

For example, if you have bags of trash or donated items from one closet or room, clear these bags from the room and take them to the curb or garage so the decluttered space looks and feels more like an accomplishment than a work in progress.

Need a little extra motivation? Try putting on some great music or having a glass of wine while you work. These mood-setting tricks enhance the therapeutic effects and make the projects more enjoyable.

Create a sorting system

One of the keys to creating a clutter-free living environment is a sorting system. Sorting systems usually include some combination of the following:

• Don’t need it
• Need it, but not that often
• Need it every day

For items that you no longer need, first, decide on the best way to dispose of them. Should you donate it to charity? Throw it in the trash? Recycle? Sell at a resale shop? For each category, create a bag or box to easily sort and contain items for disposal.

Sort the other items into one of two categories – ‘need every day’ or ‘don’t need that often.’ Items that are not needed often should be grouped together and put into containers that can be stored out of the way. The attic, top shelves of closets and cabinets, or the back of closets are great places to keep these items stored safely.

For items you use daily, consider storing them in areas like the front of drawers, at eye level on shelves, or at the front of cabinets. Keeping frequently used items in these areas makes them easier to find and access. It also makes putting them away easier. And, this is key to keeping your spaces decluttered year-round.

Organize for the way you live

Another key to a decluttered lifestyle is to organize your ‘stuff’ for how you live. We all want a closet that looks like a magazine photo. Or a pantry where every box and spice is neatly organized and faced. Or, even a game room where every toy is neatly organized on a shelf.

But, for most, this type of hyper-organization just doesn’t fit our lifestyle. The object of the game is to make your life easier, more enjoyable and with less stress. If keeping things perfect adds more stress, then it’s not worth it.

Try these tricks to keep things organized in a livable way.
(Check out extra resources at the bottom of this article)

• Containers
  Use baskets or decorative boxes to store ‘like things’. These allow you to throw things in without the hassle of single-item arrangement. Toy boxes, magazine baskets, pen cups, and mail bins are all great examples of storage that look tidy but don’t require Stepford-wife routines.
• Hidden Storage
  Use hidden storage furniture to keep things close but hidden. For example, coffee tables with drawers for extra blankets and remotes. Or under-bed drawers or bins that pull out are good examples of hidden storage.
• Compartmentalized Storage
  Use compartmentalized storage containers inside cabinets and drawers. These are great for keeping ‘like items’ together, such as socks, toiletries, hair products, etc. In the kitchen, slide-out drawers help to organize plastic containers and pans, so finding the right one is fast and painless.
  And, it minimizes that awful banging of pots and pans or fruitless hunt for the right Tupperware lid. Now, that’s stress reduction at its finest! Shoe racks, spice racks, turn-style racks, and wall hooks are also great ways of keeping important items organized and accessible.
• Get the Troops Involved
  When creating your organization system, it’s best to get the family involved. By getting their help in creating a solution, you’ll have a much better chance of finding something that works for your daily living. And, just maybe, they’ll be more motivated to keep the system on track.
• Keep a Junk Drawer
  Don’t stress over junk drawers. Every family needs one or two. Just use compartmentalized containers to ‘somewhat’ organize things in the drawer so you can find them when needed. And make a point of cleaning the junk drawer once a quarter or so.

Create systems

Finding things when you need them is nirvana. To make the decluttering process stick, try creating systems for each area so you’ll know right where to look.

The key to creating a system is the rule of ‘like things’, such as t-shirts, pens, travel toiletries, etc.

Labeled and organized file folders are probably one of the most notable ‘systems.’

Your system will be tailored to your lifestyle, so a little forethought is beneficial. One example: try organizing your clothes by use (for example, work, sport, casual) in your closet. Then take it a step further and organize by color or sleeve length. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can find things when you know exactly what section of the closet to look.

Keep it going

It feels great to have a clean, organized and clutter-free home. Keep that feeling going by maintaining the organization in your daily habits. Try not to let things pile up until you’re overwhelmed and can’t tackle them. Keep areas picked up each day or every few days. Incorporate little tricks into your daily routine, such as sorting the mail immediately and throwing junk mail into the recycle bin on your way from the mailbox.

Donation Centers for Drop-off & Scheduled Pick-Up  

Frisco Resale/Family Services– Drop off or schedule pickup, Frisco TX

Grace Bridge Resale– donations drop-off, Frisco TX

Charity Clothing Pickup – Drop-off locations & schedule pickup, locations vary

Recycle2Support – Drop off and schedule pickup, Little Elm, TX

Goodwill Industries– Donation center, The Colony, Allen & Plano locations

Clothing Resale & Consignment Shops-Frisco

Clothes Mentor– buys brand name clothes, shoes, handbags & jewelry

Plato’s Closet– Buys gently used clothing

Uptown Cheapskate– Buys gently used clothing, shoes, bags, and accessories

Restyle – Women’s consignment boutique

Closet Revival– Buys upscale ladies clothing

The Good Steward– Men’s & women’s consignment

Kid to Kid– Buys children’s clothing, toys & equipment

Furniture Buy Consignment– Furniture consignment

City of Frisco Bulk-Trash Disposal

Free bulk trash pick– Saturday pickup schedule varies by home address

DIY Trash disposal– 2 free drop-offs a month with Frisco water bill