The Simplest Tips to Declutter for Fall – Best Decluttering Guide
The summer is ending, and fall is upon us, meaning it’s just about time to do some tidying up. Whether you’re preparing for a school year, getting ready for the holidays, or planning one last trip before work, improving the space you’re living in can be very beneficial. Here are the simplest tips to declutter for fall.
There’s no need to go all out, spending days at a time cleaning every corner of the house. The simplest tips to declutter for fall sometimes are the easiest as well. Check them out and watch how a tidy room can provide many benefits today!
Benefits of Decluttering
Clutter can have a negative effect on mental health. Research shows that it is better to live cleaner, tidier, and less cluttered. This is because a cluttered environment leads to less mental hygiene. Individuals start to feel less satisfied with their surroundings. Plus, too much clutter means that there is a lot to take in visually. This can be draining for the mind.
Physical clutter also leads to mental clutter which can prevent you from thinking clearly and efficiently. Sometimes, mental fog comes from a messy environment as well. This can hurt your ability to complete tasks, memorize things, and process information. That’s why it’s important to try to declutter when you can. This space between summer and fall can be a great time to organize and tidy up for the mental health of you and your loved ones!
Simplest Tips to Declutter for Fall
No need to delay any longer, here are the simplest tips to declutter for fall. The best part about this guide is that it is easy and does not consume a bunch of time. Cleaning and decluttering become much easier when you break them down into simple steps, into do a little bit every day.
Make the Bed Daily
Okay, so you might be wondering why making the bed is even on this list. This seems like something you either do or don’t do, something that takes a bit of time, but why put in that work? Aren’t we just going to plop into bed at the end of the day anyway? Well, making the bed is one of the first tasks you can do to create a visually pleasing environment.
Additionally, it is one of the simplest and quickest activities you can do as soon as you wake up. Performing a small activity like this will allow the brain to release happiness chemicals due to the completion of a task. This is very beneficial to your energy levels and motivation to do more throughout the rest of the day. A habit of organization begins with a single step, or in this case, a single bed made.
Have a To-Do List
If you’re not sure where to start around the house, it can be very beneficial to have a to-do list. A to-do list will give you tasks to perform every day. Having a list will allow you to reduce mental noise, as you will not have to remember what you need to do that day. A list will give you things to do and check off, and can be edited as needed. It does not have to be a long list, you can focus on one area at a time, one room at a time.
For example, you can make a to-do list for your bedroom if you want to stay there. Make one day about cleaning out the closet, make another day about the drawers, and so on. Lists can be as long and complex or as short and simple as you want.
Get Post-it Notes
Post-it notes are the physical alarm we all need to see now and then. Our memories are faulty, that’s just a fact. It’s part of the reason I witness testimony is so changing, our minds are not tape recorders and we remember things differently every time we recall a memory. That’s why, to help ourselves out, we need daily reminders.
For example, if you plan to sort through the bathroom and the mess that’s in the shower, put Post-it notes all over the place. Write down what you want to do so you have a visual reminder to do that. Take advantage of using Post-it notes in other aspects of your life to be more organized. Put them on the fridge and right on them every time you run out of an ingredient. Put them in your bedroom and remind yourself you want to donate some of the clothes you cleaned out of your closet.
The Sparks Joy Method
So, by now we have all at least heard of famous Marie Kondo and her philosophy of sparking joy. This is where, when you’re cleaning and trying to get rid of things, you hold an object in your hand. Then you ask yourself does this spark joy, as in is this something useful, does this bring me happiness, and do I see myself enjoying it? If it does, brilliant, awesome. Organize it, put it back in your closet, and display it. If it does not spark joy, that’s okay. Maybe it’s an object you’ve had for a long time, which can make it difficult to part with. Thank the object for the time you had it and let it go.
Not literally, don’t drop it. Allow yourself to emotionally let it go and donate it, toss it in the trash if it’s time, or recycle it if you are able to. This philosophy may seem theatrical and over the top, but it really does help us part with things that we need to part with.
Lay it All Out
This tip for decluttering is a big one and potentially the most time-consuming one of all. This is a way to organize in which you lay it all out. If you’re trying to go through your closet, take everything out of your closet, all your clothes, shoes, etc., and lay them out. Put back items you like and toss or donate items you don’t like. You can make it less time-consuming by breaking it down into parts.
Start with your T-shirts one day, then do your pants the next day, and so on. You can also use this technique for other areas like cabinets or the kitchen. If you’re organizing a drawer, take everything out of that drawer and put it on the table. That way you can visually see everything that you were storing. This can make it easier to sort through what you need versus what you don’t need.
Check-in Daily
When you’re organizing, it can get overwhelming at times. That’s why it’s important to do little bits every day in order to not feel overwhelmed and stressed. Try to do one room at a time or even less. Start with a corner of a room, a drawer even, if that’s all the energy you have. Make sure you are checking in daily with yourself emotionally and physically. There is no need to exhaust yourself when you are doing something that is supposed to help you mentally.
Make your to-do list, and work through it if it’s too long or too short. Give yourself kindness and Grace and allow yourself to be flexible if needed. These daily check-ins are a good way for you to track your progress, check in with yourself emotionally, and feel better about what you are doing, even if it seems like busy work!
The Takeaway
The simplest tips to declutter for fall are also some of the easiest. When we organize a little bit every day, at some point, we will end up with a well-organized tidy house. This can be very beneficial for our mental health as it reduces visual noise and offers room to breathe easier. Try these tips out and watch how your space changes from a bit of a mess to an organized home with ease.
Remember that health comes from within. Eat healthy, nutritious meals, exercise daily, and take care of your mental health. Daily habits become the building blocks for emotional, mental, and physical health. Take care of your gut health too! Learn everything you need to know about gut microbiota today for free here.
