Do you ever look around your home and feel buried beneath heaps of stuff? Toys, clothes, letters, and all sorts of odds and ends that have seemingly been stashed away forever?

If you nodded in agreement, it’s time to declutter.

But before you feel overwhelmed, we have a strategy that might just change the game for you: The Calendar Method.

The Calendar Method

The concept is straightforward. You don’t attempt to clear your entire home in a day but rather over a month. Here’s how:

Day 1: Begin on the first day of the month. Choose one item that you don’t need anymore. This could be an old magazine, an unused pen, or that T-shirt you haven’t worn in years. Either throw it away or put it in a donate box.

Day 2: On the next day, pick two items. This could be a pair of shoes you don't wear or two old water bottles.

Decluttering eases movement and brings peace of mind at home. Image source: Pixabay

Then, continue the pattern. Every day, add one more item than the previous day. By the end of a 31-day month, you should be able to declutter almost 500 items from your home.

But remember, during the initial days, start with items that aren’t emotionally relevant to you, so as days pass, you’ll find the strength to part with things that previously seemed indispensable.

Here’s another handy tip: Tackle one room at a time and follow the daily count. This will help make the process more organised and less overwhelming.

Why the calendar method works

Clearing clutter gradually reduces stress, and setting daily goals makes the process manageable.

You're not just clearing out stuff but also building a habit of assessing what’s essential and what's not. As the days go by, it becomes easier to let go.

So, if at the end of the month, guess what? Just start the cycle again! Remember, it’s not about speed but consistency.

Benefits of decluttering

Here are other benefits of decluttering other than making your space tidier.

1. Save your loved ones' trouble. Cleaning out a loved one's home after an unexpected event is emotionally and physically challenging. Instead, share special moments with family now.

2. Get your home market-ready. Whether you plan to downsize or stay put, a clean, tidy home is much easier to sell.

3. Prepare for downsizing. Retirement often means less space, so start clearing out your possessions now.

4. Relieve stress. Clutter can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed. Cleaning can be a stress reliever and burn some calories, too.

5. Donate for a tax deduction. Consider donating unwanted items to charity for a tax write-off, benefiting others in need.

6. Improve air quality. Reducing clutter helps eliminate allergens like dust, pollen, and mould, making your home a healthier place to breathe.

For more tips on how to declutter faster, you can watch this video below:

Video source: YouTube/A to Zen Life​

Key Takeaways

• Being surrounded by clutter in a home can feel overwhelming, but much of it can be discarded using the calendar method of decluttering.
• This method involves starting on the first day of the month and adding a piece of clutter to discard each day, building up the muscle of decluttering.
• The calendar method helps create a habit and momentum in decluttering, making it easier as the month goes on.
• If at the end of the month, clutter remains, simply start the process again.

Members, do you declutter, and how do you do it in your way? Share your decluttering tips in the comments!

 

[Kanda]

Do you ever look around your home and feel buried beneath heaps of stuff? Toys, clothes, letters, and all sorts of odds and ends that have seemingly been stashed away forever?

If you nodded in agreement, it’s time to declutter.

But before you feel overwhelmed, we have a strategy that might just change the game for you: The Calendar Method.

The Calendar Method

The concept is straightforward. You don’t attempt to clear your entire home in a day but rather over a month. Here’s how:

Day 1: Begin on the first day of the month. Choose one item that you don’t need anymore. This could be an old magazine, an unused pen, or that T-shirt you haven’t worn in years. Either throw it away or put it in a donate box.

Day 2: On the next day, pick two items. This could be a pair of shoes you don't wear or two old water bottles.

View attachment 33043

Decluttering eases movement and brings peace of mind at home. Image source: Pixabay

Then, continue the pattern. Every day, add one more item than the previous day. By the end of a 31-day month, you should be able to declutter almost 500 items from your home.

But remember, during the initial days, start with items that aren’t emotionally relevant to you, so as days pass, you’ll find the strength to part with things that previously seemed indispensable.

Here’s another handy tip: Tackle one room at a time and follow the daily count. This will help make the process more organised and less overwhelming.

Why the calendar method works

Clearing clutter gradually reduces stress, and setting daily goals makes the process manageable.

You're not just clearing out stuff but also building a habit of assessing what’s essential and what's not. As the days go by, it becomes easier to let go.

So, if at the end of the month, guess what? Just start the cycle again! Remember, it’s not about speed but consistency.

Benefits of decluttering

Here are other benefits of decluttering other than making your space tidier.

1. Save your loved ones' trouble. Cleaning out a loved one's home after an unexpected event is emotionally and physically challenging. Instead, share special moments with family now.

2. Get your home market-ready. Whether you plan to downsize or stay put, a clean, tidy home is much easier to sell.

3. Prepare for downsizing. Retirement often means less space, so start clearing out your possessions now.

4. Relieve stress. Clutter can make you feel overwhelmed and stressed. Cleaning can be a stress reliever and burn some calories, too.

5. Donate for a tax deduction. Consider donating unwanted items to charity for a tax write-off, benefiting others in need.

6. Improve air quality. Reducing clutter helps eliminate allergens like dust, pollen, and mould, making your home a healthier place to breathe.

For more tips on how to declutter faster, you can watch this video below:

Video source: YouTube/A to Zen Life​

Key Takeaways

• Being surrounded by clutter in a home can feel overwhelming, but much of it can be discarded using the calendar method of decluttering.
• This method involves starting on the first day of the month and adding a piece of clutter to discard each day, building up the muscle of decluttering.
• The calendar method helps create a habit and momentum in decluttering, making it easier as the month goes on.
• If at the end of the month, clutter remains, simply start the process again.

Members, do you declutter, and how do you do it in your way? Share your decluttering tips in the comments!

Huge floods in 2022

 

[Kanda]

Huge floods in 2022 were a forced de cluttering process. .I now throw away as I go and not build up so much clutter

 

[Gsr]

Unless you are a business nothing you donate can be claimed as a tax deduction as far as I’m aware. I imagine if people could claim donations off their tax no one would have to declutter, peoples homes would be very bare, especially in these hard times. Saying that, I am in the process of trying to declutter our home. I’m being very ruthless, getting rid of so much between the op shops, bin, recycling. I have decided to keep the bare minimum of clothes, furniture, Knick knacks etc that we need to survive. I have realised that our kids won’t want most of our life’s collection, they throw anything and everything out regardless of what it is or who gave it to them, so I’m giving away a lot of stuff, and only keeping really special stuff I think they might like, things like the bohemian crystal wine glasses we received for our wedding in 1974, my grandmothers crystal tray with dainty legs she received for her wedding in 1926, the few pieces of my mother’s lilac design dinner set she got for her wedding in 1951 (it was divided up between us ten siblings, my brother who died in a car accident at 20 had his share put in his coffin with him). I will keep special family treasures but donate ordinary stuff like souvineers from holidays.