10 Best Practices to Live a Clutter-Free Life
Living a clutter-free life is about more than just having clear countertops and closets that don’t embarrass you. Clutter-free living is about having clarity and space in your mind and life, as well as your home.
This kind of intentional living reaps great rewards as you prioritize your wellbeing over cluttering up your life with stuff. Here are 10 best practices for living a clutter-free life.
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1) Live within your means
Usually, when we advise people to live within their means, we’re speaking in financial terms. We’re telling them to only spend the money they actually have. But here, think in terms of the space you have - not what you wish you had. Only purchase or allow into your home what you have room for - not what you wish you could accommodate.
Buying a whole set of gym equipment for your at-home workouts is a great idea, but only if your home is large enough. Let the size of your home dictate what you buy. Purchasing first, then figuring out how to make it fit, is a recipe for disaster.
2) Declutter your home after every season
This doesn’t just mean you should declutter at the end of every calendar season. Your regular decluttering can include changes of ‘season’ in your home, like the end of each school term.
No matter when you do it, let regular decluttering become a habit. For instance, at the end of summer, it’s a great idea to go through your clothing to see what you never wore this year and probably won’t wear next summer either. These items can be quickly boxed and given to people who will cherish them. Regularly going through your whole house and reassessing everything you own will soon become quicker and easier.
3) Have a place for everything
Having a place for everything you own is the gold standard for clutter-free living. We’ve all made a purchase and then got home with nowhere to put our new cherished item. With no assigned place, things are left out where they create clutter.
When you declutter, find a home for everything. Consider containers, labels, etc., or anything that helps you remember where each item belongs. When you consider purchases, give more than a passing thought to where that item will live in your home. If the item is important enough, you can consider giving away or selling something you already own to make space.
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4) Stop impulse buying
We’ve all done this. We’ve seen something while out shopping or online that we feel we MUST have right away. We don’t give much thought to where this item will live in our home or whether we truly need it. When you finally realize that the purchase was a bad one, it often takes time to get rid of the item. The money you spent will justify keeping things in your home that should never have been purchased in the first place.
Breaking this habit of mindless shopping will benefit your finances as well as your home.
5) Have a donation box
Having a receptacle for items to be donated will be helpful in building the habit of decluttering. It’s perfect for creating a culture in your home of regular mini-decluttering and giving to others. The items you or your family no longer want may be just what someone else needs.
Once your box gets close to full, go around the house collecting other items to fill it. Then take it to the charity shop or organization quickly.
6) Limit your commitments to the essentials
This tip has to do with decluttering your life. Just like you’re considering all the things that take up space in your home, reconsider what is taking up space in your life. Think about all the things you’ve committed yourself to and question whether they still deserve their space. Just because you held it as a high priority at one time doesn’t justify continuing to clutter your life with it now.
Remember that all the things you do, don’t just take up time; they also occupy mind space. Don’t settle for just having a clean and clear home when you can also have a clean and clear schedule. Be ruthless and only continue with what reflects your current priorities.
7) Have a junk drawer for the little stuff
Although we said you should have a place for everything, a junk drawer is handy for all those small items. It can be helpful to have one home for those miscellaneous little things that don’t warrant an entire shelf or location of their own. It also makes quick tidy-ups a breeze.
Just because this is a junk drawer doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t regularly declutter it. The items in this drawer should be earning their space in your home.
8) Create & enjoy empty spaces
Don’t underestimate the joy you will feel when you see a clear countertop or a near-empty hall closet. It’s gold! You may feel tempted to find something to fill empty spaces but don’t. These open spaces aren’t a waste; they provide much-needed peace and clarity to our minds and homes. Empty spaces are also much easier to keep clear.
9) Practice mindfulness & self-care
Living clutter-free is about intentionality, which includes mindfulness and self-care. Taking care of your home is admirable, but so is taking care of your mind and body. So, as you adopt practices that make the most of your living space, do the same for yourself. Consider meditation, walking, reading, taking up a new hobby, and spending more time with people who are important to you. Create a life for yourself that is nourishing and peaceful.
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10) Remember life is about experiences, not things
Finally, remember that collecting items isn’t what life is all about. Ultimately, owning more things won’t make you happier. Memories that come from experiences are more valuable and longer-lasting than trinkets. Fill your life with beautiful experiences. They won’t clutter your home, and you will become a more extraordinary person.
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