An art for a Healthy home ~Decluttering ♥️

I have always considered myself a natural organizer. Since 2017 ,I have been packing up my belongings & shifting quite often than before . 2 years ago, I stumbled over minimalism & decided to move into a smaller space going forward , I found myself needing to unclutter a large number of items. Fortunately, was able to accomplish this task .Shortly I realised that back during my college days all my stuff easily used to fit in one hostel room , and over the years I have expanded my inventory so much that even a 2 BHK looks just suffice . I set a personal goal to again reduce my possessions. Coincidentally, on last new year I listened to a podcast airing how people are abandoning their New Year resolutions. Turns out, on average, most people only stick to their resolution for three days. Even though I had never been one to take on resolutions, I found great motivation in beating those narrow odds… in fact, the challenge was irresistible to me.

I decided at that moment to set a new resolution to minimize my possessions. I determined to remove one item each day for the next couple of months . I started with three items to make up for the missed days, and promptly began removing one thing a day for the rest of the year. I am happy to mention that  I not only completed my resolution successfully but it was so simple and satisfying that I continued uncluttering in my slow and steady pace (on an average 2-3 items per week).

Over the last 1.5 year of clearing clutter, I have removed over a 1000 things from my home & my rented place. Also, through the process and through sharing the thought with others, I have had the opportunity to help my near & dear ones realize their own goals . These conversations have sharpened my desire for simplicity and taught me important insight about uncluttering. I have learned that understanding just a few key principles can help anyone just learning how to declutter.

The 10 Most Important Principles to Help Anyone Unclutter:

1. Stop the Flow of Stuff Coming In. Uncluttering takes a lot of time & before you even realise you again add duplicates of the same thing to your home. You’ll need to begin by slowing the flow of stuff entering your dwelling . Determine today to buy less & you won’t regret it. 

2. Remove at Least One Item a Day. The process doesn’t have to be a mad frenzy that disrupts the entire household. May be start with the unnecessary documents/receipts & duplicates you purchase before exhausting the 1st ones . Over the last year , my space has become a bit minimalist by simply choosing one item a day to get rid of. This gradual process began to modify the way I think about stuff. 

3. Get Rid of the Easy Stuff First. There is no need to make things difficult by trying to get rid of the hardest things first. Most likely, it will simply deter you from the task altogether. Instead, start with the easy stuff and then as you strengthen your will to reduce, the harder decisions will become easier.

4. Put a Disposal Bin in Place. Before you begin, investigate recycling, donating and give away options for the items you choose to remove. Segregate & then toss off the rest .The more prepared you are for the task, the simpler it will be and the more likely you will be to follow through.

5. Decide to Not Keep Things out of Guilt or Obligation. What I mean is some unnecessary gifts , some memories which you hold on to just for the sake of having them , some stuff which looked good when you bought it but after coming home didn’t  appeal to you & is just lying around now. Your home should only contain the things you love or use. Don’t let incorrect thinking or other people dictate what you should keep or give away. Remember, if the items are yours, it is your choice to decide what to do with them.

6. Do Not Be Afraid to Let Go. The urge to hold on to items you think you might need someday can be eliminated simply by being realistic about what need really is. Many items in our homes may be useful, but they are not particularly necessary to our happiness, well-being, or the functionality of our homes. Seek to understand the difference.

7. Gifts Do Not Have to be Material. There are so many ways to honor loved ones without giving gifts that end up as clutter. Follow & encourage the concept when buying gifts , buy mostly useful . Some alternative gifts are gifts of experience or adventure, a gift of time spent together, even cash gifts are appropriate in some instances.

8. Do Not Over-Equip Your Home. A home does not need enough linen, crockery, cutlery, or pantry supplies to serve as a restaurant or hotel.  If the food processor can do a job you don’t need that separate mixer grinder & a separate blender .Be realistic about your true needs. In the rare event an unusually large number of guests arrive on your doorstep. So define some items for those occasions & replace them when needed .

9. Do Not Throw Out Things that are not Yours Without the Owner’s Permission. Everyone should have a choice about their own belongings, even your siblings (pun intended ) . Honor them by allowing them to choose. We Indians already have hoarding tendencies & You can encourage these tendencies in your family members by ripping things away from them before they are ready to let go. 

10. Do Not Waste Your Life on Clutter. Every belonging you own takes time out of your life: time to manage it, clean it, repair it, and maintain it; time to choose between objects of a similar category; time spent shopping for it… and that doesn’t even mention the time spent earning the money to pay for it in the first space. Decide to sacrifice less of your precious life on the pursuit and ownership of stuff.

These ten principles are keeping me resolute for the past 18 months. I had no idea when I began this mission how much stuff I would relinquish over the time . What I originally thought was going to be an arduous task has now became a new normal & I have downsized from a 2 BHK full of stuff to 1 BHK which still has the 50% vacant space appealing to the eyes , pleasant to the mental peace.. (a welcoming clean space free of things sitting waiting for me to push them around when I come back from my job)  Uncluttering made it possible. 

And yes this all doesn’t mean that you can’t own things , Infact you can add more precious & pricey things to your arsenal once you stop buying all that crap which is actually not needed . 

In the end I would say “ Shop mindfully so that everything you purchase is a piece that speaks about your taste & adds beauty to your space & inventory “🙂