Decluttering

When is clutter a problem? For many people clutter can be an energy zapper or they waste inordinate amounts of time looking for things they can’t find. In extreme cases, people may suffer from obesity or depression when a life of consumption extends beyond ‘stuff.’ In hoarding situations, a house full of clutter can cause fire hazards and other health complications when mold and dust are present. But extreme cases are not common.

What is clutter? Clutter is anything you’re keeping around your house that doesn’t add value to your life. Decluttering is all about making room in your home for the things that matter.

Why should you declutter? Many people enjoy decluttering because it relieves stress by providing a sense of control and accomplishment. For others, getting rid of the junk frees up a little extra space in the house that wasn’t there before. Some people may just need to purge before they move to a new house. Whatever your reason for decluttering your life and home, this ridiculously thorough guide will help you through the process.

Three fun steps:
Step 1: Set Goals
Before you get started, make a plan. No matter how many rooms or how much clutter you have to get through, starting with specific goals will help you create a plan that will reduce any frustration as you go. Here are a few things to keep in mind as you get started decluttering your home:

Write down or make a map of all the rooms and ‘clutter hot-spots’ you want to tackle.
Give each space a grade based on the severity of the clutter. For example, on a scale of 1 – 3 (3 being the most cluttered), a particularly messy room or closet would get a 3. This will help you prioritize your time.
Do one room or one space at a time.
Set completion dates for each phase of your cleanup. Be sure to pick dates that are attainable so you don’t get frustrated. If you make it into a declutter challenge for yourself, it may feel a bit more like a game.
In addition to completion dates, you should plan time to work on specific areas when you expect decluttering those spaces to take longer than a few hours, such as a basement or a garage.

Step 2: Create a Sorting System
As you go through the rooms and spaces in your house, you will need a system for sorting the items you find. You can create your own method, or use one of the most popular organizational tips: the “Three-Box Method.” This method forces you to make a decision item by item, so you don’t end up with a bigger mess than the one you started with.

Step 3: Get Rid of the Clutter
You have a few options for disposing of items that make their way into the “Get Rid of It" box.

Recycle,
Donate or Freecycle,
Have a Garage Sale,

Information from http://www.budgetdumpster.com/resources/how-to-declutter-your-home.php