My office is the catch-all for stuff in our house, and it’s gotten pretty overwhelming, so I started using this decluttering tip and I thought it might help you, too.
Declutter five things at a time.
Once a day, or every time you walk into the room, or as often as you can, pick up five things and decide what to do with them.
What Five Things?
This decluttering tip can feel a little vague but it’s actually a really easy way to get started. How do you pick five things?
- Pick up five pieces of trash
- Grab five things that don’t belong in the room and put them where they go
- Start a donate box and put five things in it
- Pick up the supplies from your last project that you left out
- Put five books back on the shelf
Five is an easy number to start with because it feels like making progress without being too overwhelming. And you can probably see the difference right away, even when you’re starting with a big mess.
Taking five things off a table might allow you to see part of the surface. Clearing five things off the floor makes a little more space. Putting five things away encourages you to do more.
Because of course you don’t have to stop at five things with this decluttering tip. Once you get started, maybe you’ll want to set a timer for 10 minutes and see how much you can get rid of or put away. Or you start with five things when you enter a room and expand to take five things with you when you leave, too.
Need more help? Here’s another way to look at how to declutter fast.
Five Things Decluttering Tip in Action
I’ve been working with five things this week to slowly take back my office. I started with a space in front of a bookshelf, and even just moving five things I can see the difference.
I try to do this every time I go in the room, but it doesn’t always happen.
Still, having the idea of decluttering five things in my mind while I’m up there causes me to do it more often than not. I might also do some while I’m between other tasks.
I find that focusing on a particular area is helpful because it makes it that much easier to see progress. Start with the part that’s more frustrating to you, or your desk/work table. Or start at the door and work your way around.
Just start.
That’s really the beauty of the five things decluttering tip. Even if you’re busy you can pick up five things. And doing so consistently several times a day — or even once a day — will make a visible difference, and a difference in how the space feels.
Ready to declutter your craft supplies and get started on creating a space you’ll love? Check out my book How to Declutter Your Craft Supplies.
