Life seems to always get in the way of finishing a task. Whether you work from home, are retired, or enjoying living life sometimes it is there is just not enough time in the day! I find myself trying to put something where it belongs and I get distracted and it ends up somewhere else. I remember putting jelly in the cabinet and peanut butter in the fridge when the kids were growing up. As the years go on you begin to notice (or someone else does!) how cluttered your home has become. There is no more room on the end tables. The closets are already packed to the ceiling. Perhaps your junk drawer has spread into most of the drawers. It may be time to declutter.

According to Good Housekeeping, give yourself a break. “Nobody’s house is perfect!” They suggest using your calendar for a weekly or monthly check-in to declutter. I, personally, do not need another thing on my calendar. Instead, I focus on one room at a time. When watching tv I will put all of the “extra stuff” in a basket in front of me. This way I can watch tv while going through it. I make piles for where the items go. When I am done watching – I put the stuff away where it goes. In my bedroom, I will declutter my dresser and end table onto my bed. I turn in a little earlier than usual and begin sorting. It doesn’t generally take me more than a few minutes. The kitchen is a huge catch-all place for me! What gets me cleaning it up is when I am cooking using a timer. I will organize the utensils, go through the mail, or clean out the pantry. This is done a little more frequently as we use the space more often.

Clutter can cause you stress as you feel overwhelmed not being able to tackle it all. Decluttering actually reduces stress, which makes your heart extra happy. Once you get on a routine of decluttering you might want to think about creating something to prevent it from getting too far out of hand the next time. I keep a basket in almost every room I drop stuff in when I do not want to put it where it belongs. This is especially helpful for a multi-living home.