Feel like you’re drowning in clutter but can’t bring yourself to sort through the mess? Don’t feel defeated. No matter how tough the challenge may seem, there is a way to declutter your life. Just imagine how much more functional and stress-free your environment will be when all that unnecessary stuff is a thing of the past – and all it takes is one small step to get started.

Today, we’re going to show you how to eliminate the clutter and simplify your life with our seven helpful tips.

1. Use the coat hanger trick

It’s an oldie but a goody – and a great way to reduce the number of clothes in your wardrobe. Firstly, turn all the coat hangers to face the wrong way in your cupboard. The next time you wear an item of clothing, hang it back up and turn the coat hanger back around the right way. After six months, have a look through your wardrobe and pull out anything on a hanger that’s still facing the wrong way. You haven’t worn it, so (seasonal items like coats and swimming costumes excepted) it’s probably time to let it go. You’ll be decluttering your closet, and charity shops will benefit from the donation – everyone wins.

2. Put the papers away

We all receive more mail than we know what to do with. That said, some things are important and need to be kept neatly stored away. Go to your stash of papers, and recycle any flyers and time-wasting pieces of information. For things like bills and personal correspondence, and anything you deem worthy of keeping, set up a filing cabinet system. Invest in some filing boxes or small storage systems to ensure all the good mail is kept in one place and is easy to find when you need it.

3. Tackle the kitchen

Things have a habit of piling up in the kitchen, but there’s no excuse for it. Your kitchen shelves and cupboards should determine the amount of kitchen essentials you need – don’t just leave items all over every flat surface. If you have too many appliances and cookbooks or your kitchen units seem overloaded with glassware, now is the time to get rid of some items. Plates, cups, glasses, pots and pans, books, kitchen gadgets and anything you don’t use that’s in good condition can also be donated to an op shop for someone else in need.

4. Inherited items and gifts

We’ve all inherited heirlooms or received gifts that we only keep out of obligation – because someone did something nice for us and we don’t want to cause offence. The trouble is, if you don’t love or use them, they just become dust collectors. Instead of keeping these unwanted items, give them to a new home where they’ll actually be appreciated. It’s one of the things that makes charity shops so wonderful – one person’s junk is another person’s treasure.   

5. Tidy the car

Your car is not a dumping ground, and it should only be used to store your vehicle’s documents and any travel essentials. Old rubbish belongs in the bin, along with anything else that shouldn’t be on the seats, in the boot or stuffed in the glove compartment. Start by clearing out all the trash before giving your car a good tidy and vacuum. Then, take it to your nearest car wash to make your set of wheels super-clean and sparkling.

6. Organise your digital life

Bring some order to your computer and smart devices to make life seem a little clearer. It’s never fun searching through hundreds of documents or photos to find that one file you need. Plus, lots of files will clutter up your computer, phones and tablets and make them run slower. Neatly store all your important files, downloads and photos in labelled document folders, and then back everything up. Once you’re done, delete anything you no longer need.

7. Make a schedule

Organising your personal life is just as important as organising your home or car. We often spread ourselves too thin and end up making more commitments than we can stick to, so create a schedule to keep things straight in your mind. This will let you see when you have free time to fit in others and weekly activities. There’s nothing worse than feeling frustrated for letting someone down, or being over-tired for doing too much. Use your time efficiently and effectively with a manageable schedule.

Got some items you can’t bring yourself to donate, but you have no room to store them? Browse Yellow Pages now to find suppliers of quality shelving & storage systems.