Clutter often contributes to a conflicted inner state. (Photo Credit: CC BY-ND/Katheryn Krupa/Highland Conservancy)

The holidays are a busy time, and we need to be at our best. A large part of this state of being revolves around being happy with our homes, so Psychology Today has some suggestions for how to get in-home clutter under control. Don’t be a pack rat – make de-cluttering a part of your routine.

Make your bed, don’t wait

Make your bed every morning. Waiting will simply cause decreased motivation. Make it now, not when it’s convenient.

Chuck that daily newspaper each night

The newspaper has its uses, but being newsworthy isn’t one of them the day after. Put it in the recycling, and only keep around a small number if you must for pet cages and the like.

Knock off the little things with the one-minute rule

Anything that takes less than a minute should always be done immediately. Discarding junk mail, putting clothes on the floor into the laundry hamper and putting the spices back in the spice rack are all small chores that take little time to complete.

Envision a new owner for stuff you don’t need

People stuck in the pack rat mentality tend to have a one-sided view of the value of things. If you aren’t into donating stuff to organizations, try giving it to a friend or family member who would like it.

Avoid going to the storage well too many times

Sure, a snow blower needs storage space. But things you won’t use contribute to clutter. Aside from holiday decorations and seasonal clothes, dump as many once-a-year things as possible.

Free stuff isn’t really free

Accepting free gifts and giveaway items is fine if you truly need it. But if you won’t use it on a regular basis, don’t accept it.

Don’t be an Isle of Broken Toys

If it doesn’t work, get rid of it. See how much room this clears in your home.

Become a clutter cryptographer

If you have pieces of paper sitting around everywhere with supposedly important messages and information, do a sweep. If you can’t figure it out anymore or the info is dated, chuck it. If the info is just a Google away, you don’t need to keep the hard copy.

Sources

Psychology Today

Letting go like a pirate