Me Against the Mess: 7 Ways to De-clutter Your Home, One Room at a Time

5 ways to declutter your home
5 ways to declutter your home

Hello my name is Megan and my house is cluttered. In a few rooms spectacularly so. My resolution for this year, like so many other people, is to get rid of a lot of my stuff. I know how great getting rid of stuff feels because last year one room of mine was was so packed that I hired an organizer to help. I was a little ashamed that I'd let things get to the point that I needed to call in help, but after working with her, I knew it was totally worth it.

For those of you who aren't quite ready to hire an organizer but could use a little push in the right direction, here are 7 tips for de-cluttering the messiest room in your home.

1. Prepare
Set yourself up with music and snacks that will keep your spirits and energy level high. Hire an organizer or find a clear-headed friend who is willing to help. This will help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.

2. Start with a COMPLETELY blank canvas
Take everything out of the room you want to reclaim. As you're removing it sort into piles of things to keep and bags for trash, recycling or donation. Be brutal, and get rid of as much as you can; it will feel great later.

Related: 20 things you can live without to reduce clutter

3. Get rid of trash ASAP
This is key: As the trash/recycling/donation bags fill up move them out of the house and into your car. Schedule the last hour of each day to haul these things to your nearest charity shop and trash dump. (Get yourself some ice cream on the way home.)

4. Clean
Once the room is clear, dust and vacuum. Get into all those corners you normally cannot reach. Then take a moment to be proud. Pose like Superman.

5. Refill the room... slowly
Move everything back in but do this slowly. Be brutal again and move more things in to the donate/trash piles. Put things where they will be used. If you're working on an office, file or shred papers as needed. Take your time and don't leave anything to deal with later.

6. Make sure you're really finished
Make sure that everything you're going to trash or donate is out of your life at the end of your last day. Don't leave a pile to deal with later or a bag of something in your car. Clear it all away and watch as metaphorical mental clouds part.

7. Give yourself a pat on the back
Relax. Have a drink. You deserve it.

- By Megan Reardon

For 2 more tips for de-cluttering your home, visit Babble!

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Megan Reardon has been creating DIYs and collecting links to clever inspirations at her site Not Martha for over a decade. She lives in Seattle with her husband (a part-time rock star!) and an ancient house plant.


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