5 Decluttering Strategies for Extreme Situations

Even the most organized among us live with some degree of clutter in our homes, whether it’s the classic junk drawer, our garage or that one closet that serves as the receptacle for miscellaneous sports equipment, random seasonal decor and a few old coats. Eventually, we turn our focus toward such areas, and spend an hour or two clearing out the unnecessary items and reorganizing the belongings we choose to keep.

But sometimes, clutter can feel larger than life and overwhelming. In these situations, it’s time to step up your organizing game. Here are a few “extreme” decluttering strategies recommended by the Simplify blog.

Act like a stranger. One of the reasons why our homes become cluttered is because it’s hard to be impartial about our belongings. We keep many things because of sentimental value or because we “just might need it someday.” Try to pretend you’re a guest in your own home and view it through a stranger’s eyes. It will help you see certain items in a new light, leading to the realization that you no longer need—or even like—some of these things.

Evaluate usefulness. Are you actually using all of the items in your home? Or are they serving an important aesthetic purpose by adding beauty and style to your decor? If something does neither, it’s probably time to part ways.

Decide to downsize. What if you were moving to a smaller space? From a four bedroom to a two bedroom, or from a house to an apartment? In this scenario, keeping only what you really need and like and getting rid of the rest would be a must, so try on this mindset and let it help you declutter your current space. P.S. If downsizing is in your future, you’ll be way ahead of the game!

Use math. Play a little numbers game and decide how many of a particular item will suffice, such as four wooden spoons or three lipsticks, then start paring down. Or make your decisions on how many of something to keep—i.e., office supplies—based on the size of the container you want to organize the items in. If it doesn’t fit, it doesn’t make the cut.

Think gain, not loss. While the primary goal of decluttering is getting rid of stuff, focus less on what you’re giving away or discarding and more on what you’re gaining by doing so: more space, a more attractive home environment and, most importantly, peace of mind.