Sabrina Soto is the queen of decluttering. Seriously, every time I watch the HGTV star work her magic on “Get It Sold” or “Real Estate Intervention,” I want to purge my home of all its contents, save for the couch, the beds and a tiny desk and chair set.
According to Soto, clutter is a bad thing. If you’ve ever seen the TLC show “Hoarding: Buried Alive,” then you know she’s got a point. Excessive TV references aside, experts say clutter is a sign of bad habits: lack of organization, overspending, and attachment issues, just to name a few.
Fortunately, there are several ways to cut down on clutter in your home without having to rent a bulldozer to sweep through your living room. One of Soto’s tried-and-true organizing methods calls for three boxes and a large trash bag. The boxes serve to categorize clutter. Simply label the boxes, “Keep”, “Give Away/Sell” and “Storage.” Items to be thrown away go into the trash bag.
Once you’ve got your boxes and bag, then head to a cluttered area of your home. Next, choose one item at a time and ask yourself, “Do I really need this, or can I donate it, sell it, or throw it away?” By forcing yourself to make a decision about a particular item, it will serve to reduce clutter in your home.
If you don’t have the time to complete the box and bag method, then you could opt for the box and banish method. The latter is a more drastic means to cut clutter. With box and banish you attack clutter without hemming and hawing about whether or not you could possibly, maybe, perhaps, use the item in the future, Box and banish requires a full-on assault of clutter from counters, drawers, chairs, tables, floors, closets, under beds, etc. Simply place the clutter into boxes or bags, and stack them in your garage or attic. If you don’t use any of the items in a month’s time, then toss or donate all of the collected clutter.