Six Tips to Declutter Your Home 

Too many people live in clutter. They have things all over their home or apartment, making it seem smaller than it needs to be. However, it doesn't have to be this way. You can make a few small changes, and it could make a big difference in your life. 

Want to declutter your home? Here are some tips to help. 

Start slowly. Decluttering can be a big project, so it is important that you don't overdo it (and then never try to do it again)! Start spending a few minutes each week on the task. Start with one closet. If that is too much, start with a drawer. If you take your time, no matter how long it takes, you will be able to slowly see the change when you are done. 

Fill a trash bag fast! One way to make a big difference is to grab a trash bag to see how fast you can fill it. You can just go around collecting trash, or make a bag of things that you want to donate. One or two bags in an area will really change the whole room. 

Donate clothes that you don't wear. Too many people have closets full of clothes that they never wear. Even if you say that you are going to lose the weight and get back into those jeans, you might just want to get rid of them. Going shopping for new jeans is more exciting than pulling out the ones that you have kept for years!

Look through the room as if you were a visitor. Unfortunately, we get used to our clutter and can't imagine it any other way. So, if you pretend you are a visitor, really think about what they would see. They are going to see that your desk is filled with papers that should be filed. They will see that you have just made a pile in the corner of the room for things that you just don't want to deal with. This will give you a new perspective which should hopefully motivate you to make some changes. 

You may also want to take pictures. If you are a visual person, you may do better with pictures. Take a photo of the clutter. Then, move everything and take a picture of the "clean" area. The difference may help to motivate you to do better in other areas of the house too. 

Make piles. While you are going through each room (or drawer or closet), you are going to want to make piles. You should have a pile of things that you want to keep, things that you want to give away, things that you want to donate, and trash. You may also need to make a pile of things that should go back into their rightful place! 

Though you may want a change right away, the truth is that many people get started, get overwhelmed, give up, and never finish the task of decluttering their lives. By focusing on one area at a time, you can slowly get through your whole home or apartment. If you need to see improvement right away (so you stay motivated), you should grab a trash bag and just start filling it with trash or items that you are going to give away. 

While you are going through items, you need to make piles of things that you want to keep, give away, sell, and throw away. If you are struggling, you may want to try to look around as if you were a visitor. If that doesn't work, pictures may help you to see what a difference you could make! No matter how hard it is, it is going to be worth it when you are done!