Sometimes it feels like no matter how much I try to get rid of the clutter there seems to be more coming in than I can handle and I wonder why I’m not where I want to be. If you have been trying to simplify your home and life but still feel things are going too slow then maybe you need to boost your decluttering efforts with these 7 tips:

Get to the root of the problem

When you think about it, clutter doesn’t just magically appear, (although it may feel like it does). Every item comes from somewhere and so it goes to figure that we need to get to the root to stop the growth of clutter and stuff. So here are some tips and thoughts to help get back on track with simplifying.

1. Consider going on a shopping fast or no spend month.

Sometimes our shopping habits can sabotage our simplifying efforts. Doing a challenge like this will give you the opportunity to focus on getting clutter within the home under control without incoming inventory coming in. This can mean still buying all essentials of course. The rules are up to you. Focusing on the stuff you have may also help you to realise that you already have more than enough.

2. Put a stop all unnecessary subscriptions and junk-mail

Cancel any subscriptions that you really don’t need and put a stop to all junk-mail. We rarely get time to read or look through too many magazines and junk mail so just keep the ones that you really do need. This will mean less junk lying around on counter-tops and a bonus is that you will not be tempted to buy more advertised items.

3. Eat through your Pantry and fridge/freezer

The amount of food that we used to throw out on a weekly basis was not only a waste of food but also money. Now we try to only buy what we will actually eat that week. But what about the excess food we have at the back of our pantry and freezer? Try only buying necessary food items and making meals by using up those items that are still fresh. Throw out expired items. Again this will save money and give you a chance to declutter the pantry and freezer. I like to give it a good clean out when the food is cleared out somewhat.

4. The one in five out rule

Every time you make a purchase get rid of up to five items of the same. New bag, try to remove 1-5 bags you no longer use. Before you buy a new book decide which books you can pass on. This helps in two ways. You may decide you don’t need the new item altogether or you mininize your stuff the times that you do buy something new.

5. Use up what you already own

In the same way of no.3,use up what you already have before bringing anything else into the home

Before making a purchase ask yourself if there is something you already own that you could use instead? Making do is a lost art that I believe can really move us forward with simplifying our homes, helping the environment and saving our hard-earned cash. For example last year I needed a long petticoat but the vintage cotton ones I saw were pricey plus I knew I had a couple of white dresses I no longer wore. So all I did was cut, put elastic and sew. It was very simple and rewarding.

If ever I need to give a gift I always check if I could re-gift something new that the person would enjoy. There are endless ways we can use up what we already posses and that will boost our simplifying efforts.

6. Have a donations box handy

We keep a donations box in the laundry where we drop items jo longer wanted or needed. You could keep one next to the door. Once full put in the car ready to donate. Its a quick and easy way to declutter your home.

7. Simplify gift giving this Season

Keep it simple this Holiday season by decorating minimally yet thoughtfully. Try halving what you usually decorate the house with and better yet, don’t but any new decor. Give simple consumable gifts and ask for simple gifts or no gifts from loved ones if they ask. This will help keep things calm and orderly during this busy time ready to welcome the new year.

There’s nothing like a major life change or crisis situation to really put things into perspective. At this time of lock-down and a world full of uncertainty, it may be the perfect time to take stock of our home and lifestyle and ask ourselves what is really important, essential and supportive of what truly matters to us.

For each person the answer will be varied. However once we have established what truly matters to us personally, we can then look at what ‘stuff’ we actually need to support those things. E.g, if eating healthy is a top priority then what do I need in order to make that happen? If spending quality time with family is my goal, then what items or activities support that?

Write a list

Some years ago as a sort of New Years Resolution I made a list of what I wanted to focus on for that year. I wrote down about 7 things. On that list were things like, read my bible and pray more, make more healthy meals, write. When I looked at my list, I realised that in order to have the time to invest on my priorities, I needed to cut out those things that were time-wasters and distractions. The first thing to go was T.V. and pointless surfing of the net. That not only freed up time but also mental clutter. I felt more focused.

Define what matters-declutter what doesn’t

During this time of lock-down I am really working on organising and refining our home. Especially as we have a baby on the way! My goal is to remove those things that don’t support my goals and priorities and to make my home more manageable when baby arrives.

The positive thing about this time is that we are most likely much more aware of what’s essential to our daily lives. Here are some tips to evaluate and declutter while on lockdown.

1. As you go through your day take note of what you are using. E.g as you make meals from scratch think about the utensils and appliances you regularly use and those you don’t. Same with other daily routines, which beauty products do you use while getting ready, which clothes do you reach for when looking in your closet? Get rid of all those you don’t need.

2. Make money from un-used items. As you look around your home, are there items of value that you don’t need or use that others would happily buy right now? Recently we sold some ‘stagnant’ items such as a wii fit game, musical keyboard, kids sewing machine. They were like new but not being used so this was a great time to put them into the hands of someone who would use and enjoy them right now.

3. Get rid of duplicates. You may use towels on a daily basis but do you need a multitude sitting in your linen cupboard taking up space? Same with mugs/cups and the like. How many do we realistically need of each item? This may be hard if you like to know that you have backup and don’t like to waste, but think of items being used now instead of later. I also like to remind myself that it is kind of greedy to hoard items when someone else may actually need them NOW.

4. Use up items you have naturally. You may not be able to drop off items at donation centers or you may have items that aren’t ideal to donate that you could be using up naturally. Eating through items that have been sitting at the back of the pantry for awhile and finding recipes to use up the ingredients you have is a good way to declutter and save money! Maybe you have a stash of fabric that you could turn into projects or old clothes that could be cut up to make into cleaning rags. I’m going to put some of my writing paper to good use during this more quiet time. This waste not strategy will help declutter your home in a natural way.

5. Spring clean-even if it isn’t Spring where you are:) There is something about completely cleaning out a cupboard or sweeping out the cobwebs that makes us want to clear out clutter. Once you have washed and cleaned an area or room you could take the opportunity to only put back the items you truly need or love. Give away or sell the remaining. Remember that simplifying the home also means less to clean in the long run!