Clutter. Where in the world does it come from? Sometimes I find myself wondering who brought in all this stuff while I wasn’t looking.
We thought it would be helpful to mention a few keys points on how to declutter around your home, but before we talk about decluttering, here are some things to realize about clutter:
- It creates a chaotic environment. “A place for everything, and everything in it’s place” is impossible
- You have to work harder because things have to be moved, rearranged, and lifted
- It’s hard to find things
- Things get broken and lost
- It’s incredibly stressful when you are expecting company
- It can cause you to duplicate things you already own. (Ask me how I know!)
- It can even get us in trouble with our monthly bills and other expenses because papers get buried or misplaced
Now you need to be reminded of one very important fact–it didn’t happen overnight and it will take some time to bring things back under control. Just as it takes time to get your body back in shape after having a baby, it will take time to get your home back in shape as well. It will ultimately require developing new habits for dealing with clutter.
#1 Learn to put things away where they belong by the end of the day.
Decide on a few key areas of your home that get out of control on a regular basis.
- Is it dirty dishes in the sink? Decide to unload the dishwasher first thing in the morning and add dirty dishes to it throughout the day. Avoid putting any into the sink.
- How about clothes? Place hampers in convenient places throughout the house. Have one in each child’s bedroom or bathroom. At bedtime, make children clean them off their floor before tucking them into bed.
- How about toys? Make a point of picking them up on the way to naptime and bedtime. Sometimes, twice a day isn’t enough!
- What about books? Whether you homeschool your children or read a lot, have bookshelves in convenient places and put them away when you’re done with them. Avoid stacking them whenever possible.
#2 Learn to throw things away you know you won’t use again.
Be honest now–how many times have you saved something thinking you might need it someday? While there is a place for a few things to tuck away for a rainy day, we tend to clutter up our lives with stuff we think we’ll use someday.
Don Aslett shares in his book, Clutter’s Last Stand (a great book on decluttering by the way) on packing a box with stuff you think you’ll need sometime, date the box, and hold on to it for six months. If after six months you haven’t even opened it, keep it closed up and give the stuff inside it away. A pretty good thing to do if you’re not sure of what to get rid of.
#3 Keep individual members of the family responsible for their own stuff.
Obviously, a small baby is not able to do this, but your husband and older children can deal with their own stuff. As soon as possible, teach your children to declutter their old toys and clothing. You could even encourage and teach your children how to use eBay to make some spare change on items they no longer want, with your permission, of course. 
#4 Keep the trashcan conveniently located whenever you go through the mail.
Catalogs, flyers, newspapers and magazines can stack up and junk up your home quickly. Keep your trashcan right by you whenever you go through the daily mail. You love how it makes you feel.
Clearly, this is not an exhaustive list of things to do, but it’s a great place to start.
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