Easy Decluttering

Life is full of various challenges that at first seem like no big deal, but are actually much more difficult than you first thought. In my experience, one of the most common ones is getting into the habit of not cleaning up messes that you intend to put away later, but then never actually do. This is extremely common, and while not everyone suffers immensely with fighting clutter, there are a lot of people who have trouble keeping things neat and clean all the time. I’m no expert, but I have learned a few tips for decluttering through all of the times I’ve had to clean my room after unintentionally wrecking it.

 One key way to make sure clutter doesn’t pile up is have a place for everything that’s fairly easy to access, and if you’re holding onto something you don’t actually like just because you’ve had it for a while, it’s probably a good idea to get rid of it to save space for something that you love.

 When there’s a mess that you have to clean up, don’t put off picking it up. Don’t overthink it, or talk yourself out of it, just do it. It’s not a major issue, it’s just a few objects that are piled up in the wrong spot, and you can change it. Even if the mess has been there for years, that doesn’t mean that you can’t clean it up whenever you want. Thinking that you can’t is simply a trick that your mind is playing on you, and if you attempt to tidy it up and you don’t make it through the first time, try again and again until it’s completely gone. 

If you don’t think that you can ever be a tidy person, think of neatness like a muscle. For some people it is easy, but if it isn't for you, you can still be just as good at it with time and practice and determination. Even if it takes forever or is incredibly frustrating, and you absolutely hate every step, living in a cleaner environment will literally make you happier in general. I know I cried tears of joy when I finally finished cleaning my room after months, maybe even years, of pileup, and if you keep it clean you won’t have to spend an entire weekend on it nearly as often. 

On the occasions when you do have to do a deep cleaning, there are lots of ways to make it easier and more fun. Some of my favorites are to listen to an audiobook or music while working, and if you want to, singing and/ or dancing to music as you clean can make a huge difference. Another useful tactic is offering yourself a reward when you’re done. Sometimes the prospect of being done with the decluttering job is enough, but if it’s not, you could allow yourself to do something you usually don’t have time for afterwards, like read your favorite book or watch your favorite TV show, or maybe do some art or climb a tree. Often, it works to promise yourself some free time to spend however you want once you’ve completed your task, and this is something very valuable if you’re extremely busy. 

All of these methods have made cleaning into something I don’t mind nearly as much, and enjoy more often than not. While it can be extremely overwhelming at first, just start with putting things away, and even if you don’t finish immediately, everything you put into it helps. Hopefully this writing has inspired you, even just a little, and made the prospect of decluttering even a tiny bit easier than it seemed before.