As you begin your journey towards a cleaner and better-organized home, you may find yourself wondering about the differences between decluttering and organizing and how to balance focusing on these two areas.
While related, these are two distinct tasks with different end goals. Learning the nuances between them and figuring out an approach that works for your needs and situation is key.
Look Critically at Your Belongings
Decluttering and organizing require you to take a critical look at your belongings and living spaces, but the lens you use is slightly different. When decluttering, the focus is on identifying what items you can remove from your home altogether by donating, selling, recycling, or throwing them away.
Be ruthless and honest with yourself. If you haven't used an item in over a year and have no specific plans to use it, it's likely clutter.
According to Onedesk, around 57% of women have stated that they have issues with closet organization. For anything you keep, think about the best storage options within your current closet design and furniture. The right closet design can open up your closet space, giving you more room to store the items you want to keep.
Find the Right Balance Over Time
When beginning your efforts to tame the clutter, you may need to spend more time and energy decluttering before you can organize effectively. Make several passes through your home, starting with the areas that need the most work. Be prepared to set aside donation items and make some dump runs immediately to remove unneeded items from your space quickly.
Stay Motivated With Small Wins
Tackling years of clutter build-up is no small feat. As you work to declutter certain spaces, make sure to pause and feel good about even the smallest bit of home organization before moving on to another area. Snap some before-and-after photos of cleared spaces, cleaned-off surfaces, or neatly arranged drawers for a quick pick-me-up when your motivation starts lagging.
Decluttering and organizing require different mindsets, but with some shifts between the two, you can make excellent headway toward a tidy, efficient living space.
Focus first on removing unused items, then set up logical homes for your most useful belongings. Check in periodically to make sure new clutter isn't accumulating and enjoy your newly refreshed rooms.
If you're looking to declutter and organize your closet, our team can help you with a new closet design to suit your organization needs. Reach out to us today at Closet Masters of Nevada to get started.