In yesterday’s blog post, I explained that this month I would like to introduce you to resources to support you in your life, introducing The Flylady System. Today's post explains the first step in the Flylady system, and that is to begin to build your habit of decluttering. If you missed yesterday’s post, click here to get The Flylady Household Cleaning and Organization System Overview.
Decluttering is key to the Flylady System because it is impossible to clean or organize a home if there is a lot of clutter in your way. Don’t go crazy and spend a few days tossing everything out. If you do, you will just overwhelm yourself, develop decision-making fatigue, and you’ll go dumpster diving to find that important thing you probably threw out while you were doing your first manic declutter. And trust me, the clutter will return.
Like everything else in The Flylady System, you should declutter slowly. This way, you won’t get overwhelmed, and the decluttering process will just become a normal part of your life. On Day 1, set your timer for 10 or 15 minutes and declutter in one space. Stop when the timer goes off and put the trash in the trash can, put the recycling in the collection area, put the giveaway items in a box or bag with a post-it note to remind you who it is for and schedule when you will take it to them, and find a home for the things you want to keep. Remember to check this space regularly to make sure nothing else has gathered here. On Day 2, repeat the process for a different space.
A space can be a pile of things on the sofa, one drawer, or one side of a cupboard, for example. It is a space small enough to complete in the 10-15 minutes you have scheduled for your decluttering session. There are a few caveats to choosing the space:
- Schedule your decluttering time on your calendar or planner. Cross it off when you are finished. This will give you a sense of accomplishment. Alternatively, you could use a tracker and mark off each day that you complete your decluttering. If you are busy, just do a minute or two! It all adds up. Click here for a free habit tracker.
- Choose a small space. If there is a ton of things crammed into the space, just start with the easiest things to get to and, after your 10-15 minutes, walk away until the following day, after getting rid of the trash, giveaways, and putting away the things you want to keep.
- Don’t declutter other people’s stuff. Ask them to look at some of their things for 5-10 minutes on the weekend.
- Leave sentimental items until you’ve decluttered everything else. These might be gifts from other people, things you have inherited, and books.
- Paper clutter is a different kind of decluttering challenge. Tomorrow’s post will discuss paper clutter in some detail.
I hope you try your first decluttering session. Each time you declutter, you will find that it is so much easier to find things, to move around your home, and to organize your space.
Also, check out the new "Pay what you want" printable Decluttering Workbook, made to support your decluttering journey.
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