Whether you’ve recently decluttered your home, or you’ve decluttered in the past just to find the clutter creep back the question may be coming up — what now? What do you do after decluttering to maintain a clutter-free home? How do you keep the clutter away?
I’m glad you’re asking because it’s an important question. No one wants to do the work of decluttering their home just to have it become cluttered all over again.
What does this mean for you after decluttering? Do you have to stop buying anything new to prevent the clutter from returning? Or can you only buy things you absolutely need?
There is a better way to maintain a clutter-free home without going to those extremes!
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After Decluttering – 6 Ways To Maintain a Clutter-Free Home
You’ve cleared the clutter, and are working on your organizing systems, now it’s time to add in some maintenance tasks to make sure all your hard work does not get undone by the dreaded clutter creep.
After decluttering your home, you are going to feel so good that you will naturally be on guard about bringing more clutter back in. However, in time, clutter has a way of creeping back in and before we know it we’re right back where we started.
This is why maintenance is key to a clutter-free home. But that doesn’t mean you can never shop again or only buy absolute essentials. By adding these 6 simple tasks to your regular routine you can maintain a clutter-free home!
Declutter Items Regularly
Regularly going through your items is a great way to make sure you are staying on top of decluttering things you don’t need or use.
No matter how careful you are with your shopping habits after decluttering, new things will come into your home. If you don’t take the time to regularly go through your stuff, it won’t be long before you will find yourself overwhelmed once again.
However, by committing to regularly decluttering your belongings you will maintain a clutter-free home.
The best way to do this is to make decluttering a part of your regular routine. My cleaning routine has me focusing on cleaning a different room each day of the week. I simply add in 5 minutes for a decluttering task in that room. This makes it easy to declutter items regularly and keep my home decluttered.
Limit Your Decor Pieces
Limit Your Decor PiecesAvoid making your home look cluttered by limiting the amount of decor and nick-nacks on your shelves and tabletops. Make sure there is some empty space between decor items.
By committing to limiting decor items it helps you maintain a clutter-free home because you won’t be adding in clutter without noticing it. When you notice your spaces filling up you’ll easily be able to declutter those few items you’re not loving.
It will make a world of difference and make things much easier to clean and dust.
Keep Flat Surfaces Clear
Maintaining a clutter-free home becomes 100 times easier when you keep your flat surfaces clear. This means keeping tables, floors, and countertops as clear as possible.
Avoid piling items on these surfaces at all costs, unless it’s a specific pile that you will be dealing with that day.
Anything that you would normally keep out on a flat surface, store away in a drawer or cabinet instead. This includes things like electric can openers or toasters. Keep them in a nearby cabinet and pull them out only as needed.
By limiting the items on your flat surfaces your home will feel clutter-free and organized.
Keep a Basket or Bin For Donations in Every Room
The easiest way to maintain a clutter-free home after decluttering is clearing new clutter before it has a chance to accumulate.
By keeping a cute decorative basket or bin in each room you simply toss in items that you come access that should be donated. This way things don’t pile up or become cluttered.
When the basket or bin gets full just take the contents to the donation center.
Deal With Clothing Immediately Upon Changing
Another big item that makes our homes look and feel cluttered is clothing. It’s so easy to come home and toss your jacket or sweater on the back of a chair (I know I’m often guilty of this).
Instead, decide immediately what’s to be done with the clothing you are taking off. Does it need to go into the laundry, be hung up, or put back in a drawer? Whatever it is, do it then and there. It will literally take a moment and will make a huge impact on the way your home looks and feels!
If you wore something and didn’t feel great in it, go ahead and toss it in that decluttering basket. If an item of clothing is stained or ripped, don’t put it back in your closet.
Dealing with clothing items right away will help you maintain a clutter-free home without taking a lot of effort.
Do a 15 minute Tidy Up at the End of Each Day
This habit, by far, has been one of the best habits I started after decluttering my home. As part of my regular evening routine, we spend 15 minutes tidying up and returning all items to their correct home.
If I come across an item that does not have a designated home or a place to store it, I know immediately that clutter is starting to accumulate.
15 minutes is not a lot of time, but it makes a dramatic difference in the look and feel of your home. This is something the whole family should pitch in on. You can set a timer and everyone quickly tidies their area. Afterward, the house feels nice and tidy making it easier for everyone to relax and enjoy their evening!
This is an easy task that will help you maintain a clutter-free home!
Keeping The Clutter Out After Decluttering
Keeping The Clutter Out After Decluttering Clearing clutter from your home will only be temporary if you never make an effort to keep the clutter out.
After decluttering, keeping the clutter from coming back is an important part of the decluttering process. It is also essential to maintaining a clutter-free home.
And the truth is there is only one way to do this, you have to take out more than you bring in. Here are a few keys to doing just that!
Start with the “One In-One Out Rule
If something new comes into your home, it’s time to get rid of something old or something that you don’t use anymore that is a like item. So for example, if you purchase a new decor item get rid of an old one. Or if you buy a new t-shirt let go of a t-shirt that you don’t wear anymore.
By following the one-in-one-out rule you stop yourself from bringing in more than you take out. This helps keep you from having too much stuff.
Use the same rule for toys. Have your kids choose a toy to donate to another child whenever they get a new toy.
The practice of getting rid of something every time you introduce something should apply to all your possessions.
Carefully Consider Every New Purchase
Like I said at the beginning, keeping the clutter out of your home does not mean you can never shop again. However, it’s just logical that you will never be clutter-free if you keep bringing in new stuff to your home. This means carefully considering your purchases prior to making them.
It’s so easy to impulse shop, especially these days with everything being available at the click of a button. So before you make that purchase consider whether it is something you truly need or love.
For every purchase ask yourself some basic questions:
- Do you have a place to keep it?
- Will it add value to your life?
- Do you have something you can part with, in its place?
Answering these questions before your purchase will help you be intentional and keep the clutter out of your home!
Turn Down Free Items That You Don’t Have Space For
Whether it’s a free sample, free swag items, or a free desk your Aunt Mary wants to give to you, if you don’t have the space, the need, or love the item, politely say thank you, but no!
Bringing items into your home, even if they are free, that you do not need or have space for is a guaranteed way to bring in clutter.
Clearing clutter from your home and keeping it away takes some effort and intentionality, but the rewards are so worth it! You will create a home that you love, where you feel content and peaceful.
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