How to Declutter Your Home Fast and Easy

Many of us strive for a clean and orderly home.  Achieving it, however, is something that can be a real struggle.  The first step, without question, is to declutter your home.

Having too many items hanging around makes it hard to upkeep your home.  Clutter is the enemy of clean.  It can cause you to avoid maintaining certain rooms because the undertaking would simply be too much.

You may avoid vacuuming because there is too much furniture to move around, or neglect dusting because you’d have to move the 22 items on your mantle to do it.

Either way, cleaning tasks are particularly daunting when you attempt to do it around a ton of items.

Worse, items you don’t use, don’t need, and are merely taking up space.

Quick Two-Question Declutter

There are a few very popular methods for decluttering, including the super-popular KonMari Method for The Life Changing Magic of Tiding Up.

But, I find that I can declutter much faster with a simple two-question method.

1. Have I used it in the past year?

2. Does this item have sentimental value?

How to Declutter Your Home with the Two-Question Method

In this post, we’ll talk about how to use this two-question method to declutter each room of your home at lightning speed.

Now, I should mention, that I am a firm believer that not all items that bring back memories need to be kept.  Small items are fine to keep for nostalgia’s sake, but there is no need to hang on to children’s toys and cribs from 20 years ago.

If you’re holding onto something for someone else consider the notion that it may not hold the same sentimental value for them that it does for you.  Your kids are likely not to share the same enthusiasm for their old wooden rocking horse that you have.

Mostly because their perspective of that time in your life is quite different from yours.  But, I digress.  Moving on to the two-question method.

If you use this simple two-question method you should be able to move through your home very quickly.  You will also be able to see the immediate impact of the look and feel of your home.

Bedroom Declutter

Declutter your bedroom and your closet by asking yourself have you used it in the past year?

This goes for clothing that is sitting on a rack, in a pile, in a suitcase, or waiting to be mended.  Go through shoes, handbags, clothes, accessories, and items in your nightstand.

If you haven’t used it in the past year, ask yourself if it has sentimental value.  If so, store it away neatly.

Kitchen Declutter

Have you used it in the past year? Pots, pans, cutting boards, specialty cookware (i.e. Foreman Grill, Juicer, Panini Press), cooking utensils, spices, cookbooks, and pantry food.

Go through all of these items.  Does it have sentimental value?

Things like a vintage salt and pepper shaker set passed down from your grandmother, or your mom’s old cookbook can stay.

Expired spices or ingredients from experimental cooking gone wrong need to go.

Home Office Declutter

Have you used it in the past year? Electronics (headphones, keyboard duster, 3 hole punch, specialty paper goods), organizers, label makers, mousepads, extra power strips.

Go through all of your drawers and files.  If you see old billing statements that you haven’t looked at in a year, shred them.

Old business cards, filled notebooks, USB drives, and any other paper goods that you haven’t looked at in a year, shred them, erase them, or trash them.

Does it have sentimental value? If you’d like to hold onto your very first business plan, or your very first client invoice to show how far you’ve come, that’s fine.

Your old desktop computer, however, can go.

Note: If you don’t currently have a good system in place for maintaining files, check out the FreedomFiler system.  I’ve used it for 8 or 9 years now and love it.

Bathroom Declutter

Have you used it in the past year? Old towels, personal care items, beauty products, cleaning supplies, and hair tools should be evaluated.

Does it have sentimental value?  For this section, I’m going to assume that anything that holds sentimental value in your bathroom is something you’ve probably used in the past year.

If not, is there another place to store it?  Or, another room place to display it?

Kid’s Closet Declutter

Old toys, clothes that don’t fit, special occasion outfits, costumes, and cute little accessories should be evaluated.

Have you used them in the past year?  Do they hold sentimental value for your kids (not for you)?

If you come across something that you really want to hold on to, but your child doesn’t care about you should keep it.  As long as it can fit inside a shoebox, store it away neatly.

If it doesn’t fit inside a shoebox, it should go.

Garage Declutter

Have you used it in the past year?  Seasonal items, beach and camping gear, exercise equipment, and tools.

If you have emergency supplies or an emergency kit in your garage, make sure everything is still in good condition.

It’s fine if you haven’t used it in the past year, in fact, that’s a good thing.  However, you want to make sure it is up to date and ready to use when you need it.

Do you have items of sentimental value stored in your garage?  Are they large items that do not fit in a shoebox?  If so, consider donating them.

If you haven’t used that old dresser you built-in college in the past year, let it go.  It’s only taking up space.  Consider taking a great photo of you with the item as a keepsake instead of the actual piece of furniture.

Conclusion

Did you find this two-question method helpful?  If so, please share this post with a friend.

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