We continue our series on decluttering your life:
You think you’re a clean person. You don’t leave dirty dishes in the sink—well, at least not often. You sweep occasionally. Heck, sometimes you even make your bed. But still the clutter piles up—whether it’s mail, books, or clothes. And it quickly becomes so overwhelming that it’s hard to know where to start.
We asked professional organizers for their top tips to get rid of clutter for good! They’re all super simple and won’t leave you picking up for hours on end.
4. Use your hangers to your advantage.
“As you wear things, put them back in your closet with the hanger backward, so you can keep track of what you’re actually wearing. You’ll be amazed at how many things you wear over and over—and what you never touch. It may even encourage you to expand your options and use pieces you may have passed over.” — Anjie Cho, author, 108 Ways to Create Holistic Spaces
5. Follow the one in, one out rule.
“For each item that comes into your home, remove a similar item. For example, if you buy a new sweater, sell, donate, or discard one of your older sweaters.” — Nancy Haworth, OnTask Organizing
6. Don’t worry about perfection.
“I remember wanting my home to be like the pages of a magazine. I thought if things were perfect, I would be more inclined to maintain order. About twice a year I would pull everything out of my drawers and closet and attempt to organize. It was usually about a quarter of the way through when I’d burn out, give up, and shove everything back in. Forget about perfection, and take a hard look at what and where things are piling up and causing clutter.” — Shara Koplowitz, O.P.E.N.
