Reducing clutter is the first step on the road to minimalism, but we are the first to admit that it’s actually a rather hard step to take, and one that may need a little guidance.
These steps will get you on the right path and ensure that you get rid of what you don’t need, without any regrets.
Step 1.
Choose a room.
To kick-start your decluttering choose a room in your house and stay focused. If you spread your energy and focus about you won’t do a proper job may get side tracked and will surely miss out on something. If you do need a break at any time rather play at an online casino Singapore than wander around trying to declutter other areas at the same time.
Step 2.
Draw up a plan of action.
If you think of decluttering as a job you need to draw up a plan to ensure it goes smoothly. If you are working in the kitchen make a list of the cupboards you need to clear, and any other areas that may have accumulated things you don’t need.
Step 3.
Do a quick sweep.
Often a quick sweep of a room will instantly tell you what you can get rid of in the quest for minimalism. Do a quick sweep and gather all the things you can pass on and put them in a box, ready to go.
Step 4.
Ask questions.
Now that you’ve done a quick sweep you need to do a slower one and start asking yourself a few questions. The biggest question you need to ask is WHY? Why do you need something? Is it useful? Have you ever used it? Do you plan to use it? Do you even know how to use? See where we are going… If there is no logical answer to the question why, it’s time to ditch whatever item you are considering keeping.
Step 5.
Dig deep.
If you only declutter the surface of a room you’ll never be on the true path to minimalism. This means you really need to dig deep, in many ways. You need to remove any emotional attachment you have to anything, and get rid of it. Unless it its crucial to your life, it could serve someone else better. You also need to dig deep – literally- in your cupboards. It’s amazing what can accumulate at the back of cupboards, especially if you don’t use them often.
Step 6.
Reassess the room.
Once you’ve decluttered, you can reassess the room and see whether it needs to be rearranged to work better, or if, now that you have more space, you want to shift the furniture around. With added space comes the freedom to play, and whether it’s rearranging your kitchen to be more convenient, or your bedroom to be more Feng Shui, once the clutter is gone, it’s the perfect opportunity to do so.
Step 7.
Resist temptation.
Once you’ve decluttered and are embracing a more minimalist lifestyle it’s crucial you don’t go out and buy all kinds of new things to start cluttering up your space again. You’ll need to be disciplined and resist temptation, but it will pay off in the long run.