We all know that quote from the movie Fight club starting with “We buy things we don’t need…” and we all agree with it and probably shared it once or twice on Facebook. It’s a movie from 1999, but it’s actually connected to the trend arising for the last few years – decluttering.

Placed between the criticism of consumerism and the desire to have a tidy home, decluttering trend has had a huge impact on society. It certainly is worth a try but, as always, it’s easier said than done. The question is where to start and how to do it effectively so, here are a few nifty ideas for efficient decluttering of your home.

Stop hoarding

When it comes to decluttering, prevention really is better than the cure so your first step is to stop buying so much stuff. As a matter of fact, hoarding can be a sign of depression so that’s another reason to question your behavior. Buy only things you really need – like food or household products and don’t stock them. Avoid sales and buying things just because of a good discount. You can even try to challenge yourself and go for a no-buy month or even a half a year. Hoarding reduction is crucial since no declutter technique won’t work if you constantly clutter your home again and again.

Do thing at your own pace

Decluttering experts insist on getting rid of your stuff all at once and that may be the best way to do it. However, people find it difficult to make such a change all of a sudden so it’s okay to take one step at a time. If you’re in the process of moving or renovating, that’s a great time to start decluttering – the less stuff you have the easier it will be to move or organize your things. You can follow that simple rule – one trash bag per week. Clean your home gradually and it’ll probably be easier to let go of those CDs you’ll never play again or tech magazines that are way outdated.

Make some space

Decluttering means getting rid of the things you don’t use, but that doesn’t include the things you don’t use right now. Seasonal clothing, ski gear, Christmas trees and decorations – it all needs space. That’s why it’s essential to clean up your basement, garage, or attic and make some room for the things you’ll actually need again. If you don’t own any of this, you can always rent a storage unit and solve all of your problems. Just be careful not to use it as a warehouse for the things you should’ve thrown away but were too lazy or indecisive.

Question your motives

Every decluttering expert will tell you the same thing – the hardest for anyone that’s new to decluttering is to let go of things that have sentimental value. It’s hard to throw away your notebooks from school, concert tickets, or photographs so the psychologists suggest you take photos of them and store them on your hard disk or cloud. That way you’ll keep the memory of it, which is exactly what you need, and declutter your home at the same time. For things with the material value it’s even easier – just check the prices of similar objects online and ask yourself would you pay that much for it. If the answer is no, then sell it – you can probably buy another one at a lower price if needed.

Scientists have confirmed that humans are bad at multitasking – it’s hard for your brain to process many things at once and that’s why clutter can distract you. So, not only that you’ll house will be tidier, but you’ll also be more productive and feel more content. Go start decluttering now!