How to Declutter Your Home And Your Life in The Process
Decluttering can be a magical process. In essence, the principles of home decluttering apply to every other aspect of life. On this basis, here are five steps to declutter your home and your life in the process.
Many people ask themselves what the main benefits of minimalism are.
I want to declutter my home. I will get organized. But in a few months, my mess will be back and I will start all over again.
To avoid this cycle, you need to see decluttering as a holistic process that transcends the confines of your home.
In short, you have to declutter your home and your life in the process.
By following a few simple guidelines, you can utilize the simple act of home decluttering to improve your life on multiple levels.
Declutter your home and your life in the process
The following are five effective ways to use home decluttering as an instrument to simplify and enhance your life.
Learn the art of prioritization through decluttering
When we declutter our homes, we can make choices. We separate our possessions into various groups.
This lamp is beautiful, but it has no function. Maybe I should sell it. It belongs to the “expendable” category.
This photo album contains all my childhood memories. I could never get rid of that. It belongs to the “essential” category.
By sorting our items according to their value, importance, durability, and joy factor, we learn how to establish categories. And this categorization works well in other areas of life.
As an example, you can use the same categories when it comes to leisure activities.
I like playing tennis and golf, but both take away precious family time. Maybe I should play tennis this month and golf next month.
Consequently, your new evaluation tactics create priorities and rankings. You learn how to prioritize.
And this prioritization will help you achieve more focus, productivity, and determination in your personal and professional life.
Establish your principles at home and in your life
As with establishing categories, home decluttering can help you forge principles in life.
As an example, you decide that you will stop buying cheap clothes that do not last. You adhere to the principle of durability.
You consume according to certain norms. You arrange your living spaces in accordance with ideas. And you clean your home in conformity with a certain self-defined cleanliness standard.
In short, your home decluttering journey becomes a reflection of your general principles. And these principles can form a catalog of values – a guiding force in your life.
I believe that these values are the basis for personal growth.
When it comes to my minimalist journey, I found that acting according to values and principles rather than cues is one of the most effective habits to progress in life.
I stopped buying useless stuff, I focused on building a business, and I became more mindful of my social interactions. These changes were a direct result of pre-established values.
Declutter with no mercy
Home decluttering can further your determination and discipline.
If you’ve tried fully-fledged home decluttering, you’ll know that there is very little room for compromise.
Every time you try to get rid of something but hesitate – because your consumption principles are not yet clear – you’ll keep it.
But once your keep-or-purge rules are well-defined, you’ll declutter with no mercy. You’ll know why you bought something and why you should keep it.
In contrast, you’ll also know what kind of possessions do not serve your life.
As such, you’ll become more disciplined when it comes to buying stuff, and you’ll also organize your home more often.
And this determination can become a strong asset in other aspects of life.
Use the Pareto rule
The Pareto rule is a well-known concept that was developed by an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto.
By observing his garden, He realized that 20% of his pea pots were yielding 80% of the peas.
He later theorized this phenomenon and applied it to other areas. As such, Pareto found that 20% of the Italian population owned 80% of the land.
In the context of home decluttering, the Pareto rule works equally well. A small percentage of our possessions provide most of the joy, value, and usability in our lives.
The only way to identify these 20 % is to declutter your home regularly.
And once you’ve identified your most essential possessions, the process of getting rid of the non-essential becomes easier.
Akin to prioritization, home decluttering can be a stepping stone to implement the Pareto principle in your life.
Transform your home into a base for mindfulness and personal growth
Finally, one of the major benefits of home decluttering is the creation of a base for personal growth and mindfulness.
This base exists both in literal and figurative terms.
First, an organized home is a prerequisite for productivity.
I know, some people thrive in a mess of their own making. This is, however, the exception, not the norm.
If you want to achieve more in less time, you’ll need a home without too many distractions and clean, functional spaces.
In this regard, your decluttered home can become a representation of your well-organized professional life.
Secondly, a beautiful, quiet, and peaceful home can become your life’s soothing oasis.
It will foster your calmness and help you deal with stress. It will also provide a retreat for difficult times.
And finally, a decluttered home is the ideal place to reflect on past wins and to plan the next steps.
Useful links on How to Declutter Your Home And Your Life in The Process
- more in the category “Life”
- read Keep or Sell Stuff – How to Decide
- more under the topic “Decluttering”
- read The 5 Stages of Minimalism
- read The 10 Principles of Minimalism
Don’t miss a beat!
Jack Krier is a writer, photographer, and full-time globetrotter. Thanks to minimalism, he built his ideal lifestyle around travel and online entrepreneurship, becoming a digital nomad in the process. On Minimalist Focus, he shares his ideas on minimalism and lifestyle design, helping thousands of readers improve their lives by focusing on the essentials.