How to Declutter in 10 Minutes – A Series of Posts on Quick Decluttering

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How to Get Rid Of Clutter in 10 Minutes or Less

Clutter is every homeowner’s nightmare. It has a sneaky way of creeping up on you and catching you unawares. While a thorough decluttering operation may be needed on a monthly or quarterly basis, there are so many things that one can do everyday to reduce clutter and keep a neat and tidy home. This post is the first in a series of posts on quick and easy decluttering in ten minutes or less.

1. Declutter a Drawer. Ten minutes is all one needs to get rid of declutter from a single drawer. Drawers have a tendency to accumulate clutter simply because stuff is hidden. Take a drawer, any drawer and spend ten minutes decluttering it. It could be the drawer from the dresser or nightstand, the workstation or the kitchen cabinet. Simply upend all the contents on a surface. Sort through quickly and ruthlessly. Items that belong to that particular drawer on one side, items that are trash or junk on another and items that belong someplace else on a third side. Replace everything that needs to go back into the drawer neatly. Use small trays, bowls or jars to hold like items together. Throw away all the trash, take the items in the third pile, and put them in their right place.

2. Declutter the Catch-All Area. Every home has a catch-all area that holds keys, mail, wallets and other miscellaneous items. In our home, it is the top of the refrigerator. If I don’t declutter it every now and then, I know that this area will become my worst organizing nightmare. So, every once a week, I spend a quick ten minutes decluttering and organizing it. in other homes, it could be the foyer table, a basket on the dining table or any other area. To declutter the catch-all area, follow the same steps as for the drawers. Remove. Sort into three piles. Arrange and organize. Simple and easy.

3. Declutter the Nightstand. Nightstands collect clutter in the form of books, magazines, note pads and similar items. For me, a clean and clutter-free nightstand is an instant perk-me-up in the mornings. I hate looking at clutter, especially early in the morning. And decluttering the nightstand usually takes less than ten minutes. I remove all the books that have piled up and keep only one that I must read before sleeping. Everything else including notepads, pens, junk mail, flyers is either trashed or put in their rightful place. Menu flyers, for example, go into my home management binder while notepad and pen go next to the phone.

4. Declutter the Spice Rack. In the kitchen, spice racks often tend to get cluttered and disorganized. I find ten minutes just right to organize them, arrange spices neatly and have a clean spice rack. I organize spices according to their use. Indian spices together. Italian and continental herbs together. Remove spices that you no longer need or use or that are past their use-by date. Use similar looking jars or containers. Label for ease of identification and you’re done. Ten minutes a week is all you need to keep the spice rack looking super-awesome.

5. Declutter the Entrance. Entrances can get cluttered up with shoes, bags and other items that are removed as soon as one enters the house. Keep a clean and welcoming entrance by spending ten minutes a day or week, according to your requirements, to declutter and organize it. Put up hooks either on the wall or behind the main door to hang coats, jackets and bags. A coat rack can also serve the same purpose. A discreet shoe rack can help to hold shoes and slippers. If there is space, do put a pretty dustbin somewhere to trash all the receipts and junk mail before entering the main house.

These decluttering espiodes usually each take 10 minutes or less and are a simple way to move towards a neater, cleaner and more organized home and life. Stay tuned for the next posts in this series of quick and easy decluttering and organizing. Meanwhile, do share your favorite ways to get rid of clutter easily and effortlessly.

Photo Credit: evelynishere