How to Declutter in One Day

I am no cleaner then the next person but I have learned that doing certain things will save me loads of time. Decluttering is one of those tasks which may seem daunting but if you do it correctly will not only be a source of peacefulness but will also in the long run free up your time.

If you think about it you realize that clutter is a worldwide problem. All of our neighbors across the globe deal with this issue. You deal with it at home, in your automobile, at your office, everywhere.

Italians may have the heads up on clutter just because homes in Italy tend to be smaller and lack built in closets. Garages are smaller and many do not have garages. So space is limited meaning you just cannot physically stock up on things.  After years in Italy I realized I would have to do away with all those things I just don't need or use because frankly there was no space for them and because they translated into heaviness and busyness.

I decided I would declutter in one day. This is how I did it and this is how you can do it:

I took on one small area at a time. For me it was my kitchen. I took three large bags : one was the recycle bag, one was the donate bag and one was the throw away bag.  I then went through all the visible shelves and took off everything that was not necessary to cooking. I eliminated : 
-all those knick knacks that collect dust and grease 
-decorative bowls that cannot be used for food because of possible lead poisoning
-tickets to past events I had kept as momentoes*
-tea set I had bought in China (possible lead poisoning)
-gadgets I had never used 

I then went into the drawers and did the same. I was on a mission. Here I eliminated stained table covers, place mats, cloth napkins.
I then finished off with the pantry. Here I went wild and eliminated all those expired items that were just sitting there.

The kitchen was done and it took less then 30 minutes. 

I took  my same mission to the bathroom, the living room, the bedrooms. I finished the entire house in one marning and one part of the same afternoon. I spent a maxium of 3.5 hours total.

You can declutter in one day. I did it. I suggest that you do it in parts. For instance do one room and then go take a break and do something else. Go outside. Then pick up and do another room. This way it will be less daunting and even enjoyable. 

The real joy comes at the end when you look around and really feel lighter!

* I suggest that you take a picture of a momento and then eliminate it. It is not the thing that gives us great memories but the good feelings we get when we look at it.