Five-Minute Tips to Declutter Your Life

As this month’s theme is Adaptive Living, I truly believe that the first layer to creating a living space that works for seniors is a home that is uncluttered. As seniors age, they have collected things their entire lives. They can have anxiety when it comes to getting rid of things, or they just do not have the physical stamina or their mental faculties prevent them from even getting started. I know for me, the hardest part is just creating a strategy to get things going, but like many, we don’t know where to start.

As the saying goes: How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time. In other words, don’t see it as one huge job. See it as mini tasks. Allow yourself for five minutes for each and see what happens.

No, 5 minutes isn’t going to barely make a dent, but it will be a start, and it might even be enough to get going for longer, but the whole point is that everyone can commit to FIVE MINUTES right? The next day? FIVE MINUTES. The day after that? FIVE MINUTES! Get into the habit of a minimum of a 5-minute focus, and if you feel like doing more, by all means, go for it!

OK so now you have started a new routine. Every day just five minutes. So next? What do you do with them, and how do you start?

1. Create a GROUND ZERO zone. This where to start! It might be in a spare bedroom, in the garage or somewhere out of the way that you can sort through your stuff! Make sure you have plenty of counter space! When you bring something in, create a rule. Not one thing can be placed in that area that is not actually being sorted or placed. Every single item entering GROUND ZERO must be put away. Each day, as you make progress, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it includes your entire home.
2. Incoming Papers Need a Place: When the mail comes in, right away we need to sort it. Some of it is bills, some of it is junk mail, and others might be for various members of your home. Create a designated place to put the mail in and any additional papers that come in. If you have a place by the front door, an ideal place to put things like this is in a basket or sorting rack. You also may want to create areas to put in Receipts, warranties, manuals, notices, flyers? In the inbox! This one little change can really transform your paperwork. In addition, convert to online billing. Less clutter and better for the environment too!
3. Clutter-free Countertops. Start with the kitchen. Get rid of anything that clutters your countertops. That means finding a place for everything and putting it in its place. If you have kitchen gadgets you haven’t used for at least 2 years, it’s time to find a home for them. Put any papers on the counter into the inbox that you created in step two.
4. Have a Family Declutter party: Just ask for help and make it fun! Perhaps there are some heirlooms or items that you have that your family may want that you are ready to get rid of. Ask for assistance in going through your stuff and sorting through the many items you own. If you take the time to schedule something (and family members, you are needed for this) it will help you stay independent with less fall hazards in your environment. Load your home with sorting bins, trash bags, and transportation to take the items to the designated places.
5. Create six sorting bins: Keep, Maybe, Donate, Sell, Recycle, Trash: Having somewhere to put things can make a huge difference in making significant headway. These boxes should live in GROUND ZERO. Just sort. You will run into items that you need to think about, but instead of taking up the time thinking, just put them in the maybe box. Check back in six months, and if the items are still there, your decision will likely be made for you.
6. Donate a load to charity once a week. If you can accumulate a carload once a week, imagine what that can do for your life!! I promise you, when you drop the stuff off, you will feel even lighter every time you go!
7. Create a monthly goal: You have been doing a little at a time every day, and after 30 days that is over three hours of decluttering! What will that accomplish for you? Establish your main priorities and set a specific objective. That might mean “kitchen cupboards are decluttered.” It might mean “closets cleaned out.” Whatever it is, reward yourself for a job well done if you achieve it.
8. Hobbies create clutter! Whether you are a sewer, crafter, or woodworker, make sure that you have a designated area for all the items that you need. Take the time to provide storage options for all the tools or supplies you need and make sure there is adequate space to stay in the area when working them.
9. Clear out your medicine cabinet. If you don’t have one spot for medicines, create one now. Go through everything for the outdated medicines, the stuff you’ll never use again, the dirty-looking bandages, the creams that you’ve found you’re allergic to, the ointments that never had an effect on your energy or your eye wrinkles. Simplify to the essential.
10. Online Sellers can be your best friend! Seek out someone who sells items online, like OfferUp, Craigslist and eBay for a living. They know how to source what has value and what doesn’t. By selling certain items and giving them a percentage, you can rest assured that your item will go for a fair price and it will be displayed and shipped right. (By the way, if you are meeting someone to purchase a product, NEVER meet them alone.

This article was written by Leon Babauta