Out and About STYLE Mag Issue 3 Vol. 2

PUT THINGS BACK INSTANTANEOUSLY
Now that we know why to declutter and how to declutter,
it’s important to incorporate a few practical steps to ensure
our space remains decluttered. It is obvious to say that
if the house is tidy and organised, then you don’t really
need to put aside big chunks of time to clean. If we end
up putting everything back to where it belongs right after
using it, then there’s no need to put aside time to tidy that
area. Let me get more specific. We’re going out of the
house and we’re trying on clothes. If we put back every
piece of clothing that we’re not wearing right at that very
moment instead of just piling them on the chair or on the
bed, then when we come back home, we’re not faced with
clothes scattered around the room. Another example could
be, you’re on the phone and you need to write something
down, so you pick up a pen and piece of paper, but then
you forget to put the pen back to where it belongs, an
action that wouldn’t have taken you more than a couple
of seconds, but because you forget to do so, you’ll end
up having to do it on the weekend as a bunch of these
seconds accumulate and turn into hours. Putting things
right back in their original spot doesn’t take more than a
few seconds but can save you hours in the future.
ASSIGN AREAS
It’s important to put things back in their original spot
instantaneously, but what happens if you don’t have
assigned areas for some items? I’ve entered homes
where people just scatter their mail on their dining table,
kitchen island or console by the door. It’s all over the place
because there is not an assigned area for the mail. So it’s as
important to make sure you assign spaces. For example,
you can use an empty shoebox and place it near the door
for all your mail to be placed in there. You’ve allocated
a specific place for the mail. This applies to everything.
Let’s consider the doorway and hallway as this area seems
to be one of the difficult spots in every household. You
can assign a space for the shoes, a space for the dog
leashes, a space for the umbrella or jackets. You can use
dividers in your drawers for the stationary, headphones
etc. Or let’s consider your home office or your bedroom
where you have a desk. You can use dividers to categorise
your sheets of paper, and your notes. You can use a jar
for your pen. You can use a small saucer for your clips,
and pins. To summarise, you need to allocate a space for
everything and then remember to put back everything
where it belongs immediately after using it. Now when
you enter your house, you no longer feel overwhelmed, as
everything is where it belongs. And if you have kids and
it’s a little bit more difficult, research shows that kids tend
to learn best through observing. So once they see you do
it, they’ll be more inclined to follow in your footsteps.
IT’S ALL ABOUT YOU!
Everyone’s definition of organised is different, and that’s
okay. For example, for me, it is absolutely important that
all my clothes are organised by colour, whereas for my
partner it’s important that all his clothes in his closet are
ironed. So as long as you feel at peace in that space, then
that’s all that matters because you’ve accomplished that
peaceful state of mind. More importantly, when you do
something that resonates with you, it no longer feels like
a chore. It can even become fun! So ask yourself what
bothers you in your own room or space, which spaces
drain your energy, and accordingly create a personalised
plan and take it from there. Sustainable decluttering can
be a very healing process and is one that benefits the
planet, so I encourage you to try it!
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