By Trisha Gedon
STILLWATER, Okla. – While made with good intentions, a New Year’s resolution to reduce clutter in the home may have waned by now. Hopping back on the bandwagon to clean up living spaces has multiple benefits.
When clutter interferes with daily life, develop a plan to get it under control, said Gina Peek, assistant director, Oklahoma State University Extension/Family Consumer Science program leader and associate dean for Extension and Engagement in the College of Education and Human Sciences.
“Removing clutter can improve organization, reduce stress and make a home more usable,” she said. “Decluttering will increase mobility around the home, reclaim unusable space and may even increase socialization because now there’s room to have people visit. Removing clutter can help reduce the risk of falls and give you the ability to move more freely in the home. Think in terms of a medical emergency and how hard it would be to get you out on a stretcher.”
The benefits of decluttering are appealing, but barriers can exist. The task may feel overwhelming, making it difficult to get started. Emotions also play a role because certain items evoke memories.
Peek suggests starting small by prioritizing goals and establishing an action plan. Also, setting a timer for 15 or 30 minutes can prevent feeling overwhelmed and help with staying focused.
“Focus on one area, one closet, one shelf or one drawer at a time,” she said. “You’ll feel accomplished when one task gets done and be more motivated to tackle other areas in the home.”
Declutter systematically by using the four-box method. Label boxes with keep, donate, sell and trash, and put items in accordingly. Next, take the boxes to the donation center or trash outlet in a timely manner. Don’t load them into the car and haul them around for weeks. List sellable items on local sales sites. Put away those things that will stay in the home.
Sentimental items taking up space can be hard to let go of because of the memories and emotions tied to them.
“A strategy that may help is to remind yourself that you aren’t responsible for someone else’s memories,” Peek said. “That bookcase or vase may have meant something to a relative, but if you’re keeping it only because it meant something to another family member, it’s time to let it go. The memories are of the people. Things are just things.”
People are often reluctant to get rid of things because of the original cost, but some of that money can be recouped by reselling. If donating, request a receipt for tax purposes.
Once the clutter is cleared, stay on top of it. Make it a point to put things away and clear out new accumulations regularly. Adopt a one-in-one-out rule. For each new item brought in, get rid of a similar item.
“During the pandemic, there was a lot of talk about Marie Kondo’s method of clearing clutter. Her mantra was if an item in your home didn’t spark joy, get rid of it,” Peek said. “If you don’t use it, it’s taking up space and doesn’t spark joy, channel Marie and get it out of your house. You’ll be amazed at how good you feel when you’re not surrounded by all of that stuff.”
OSU Extension uses research-based information to help all Oklahomans solve local issues and concerns, promote leadership and manage resources wisely throughout the state’s 77 counties. Most information is available at little to no cost.
