Declutter Your Home with QUICK Decluttering
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Have you ever looked around your home and just wanted to ditch it all and start over? I know I have. I mean, there were times when I’d look around the room and wonder, “where did all this stuff come from?”.
And while the dream of an HGTV home makeover is pretty slim, wouldn’t it be magical if you could declutter your home quickly?
With this guide you can!
Imagine looking around your home and not seeing piles of clutter and delayed decisions. How amazing would it be to know where to find something in your home when you need it instead of spending half the morning looking for it? And what would you do on a Saturday with your family if you didn’t spend most of the day cleaning the house?
All of this is possible when your home is clutter-free.
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Look, we already know that when our homes are filled with clutter, and stuff that we don’t know what to do with, it affects us negatively both mentally and physically. You’ve lived that in your life so you don’t need some study to confirm it (even though they do).
If the idea of a slow declutter feels like it will take too long and you just want to fix the problem, then read on to find our more about the Q.U.I.C.K. Declutter Method. This works more slowly too, but let’s just go with a QUICK declutter since that’s what I promised you in the title.
The Q.U.I.C.K Declutter Method
QUICK decluttering is one of my favorite ways to declutter ANY SPACE! Over the years I've seen lots of methods, but this one works the best. Like I said, you don’t have to declutter your entire home in one go with this method, but it does make it possible.
Why does the QUICK Declutter Method work?
The QUICK Decluttering Method works because it keeps you focused on the task, sets appropriate deadlines, gives you a plan that works for each space, and is customized by whoever is sorting their clutter. But the real secret behind the method is how it begins.
The method is made up of 5 steps and Q.U.I.C.K. stands for:
Question the purpose
Uncover what you have
Into the piles
Curate your favorites
Keep clutter away
Q: Question the purpose
Instead of looking at your home as one entire space, start by examining the purpose of each room. When each space has a purpose, or a task/activity that takes place there, it’s much easier to know the items you need in the space.
Let’s look at an example or two. The purpose of your kitchen is to cook and store food. As a family, the space may also serve as an area for science experiments or any number of kid’s creative projects. But, we can all agree that this is not the place we sleep at night so we would never store our pillows, blankets, or bed here. On the flip side, you wouldn’t put your utensil holder on your nightstand because that is not the most convenient place to grab a fork when it’s time for dinner.
Of course, these are absurd examples, but it helps to make the point that each room has a purpose - you just need to be very clear about what that purpose is.
Starting with purpose helps you know what you have, what to keep, and - possibly the best part - where to find things when the declutter is complete.
If you want to take it up a level and not just clear out your home, but really love being in it as well, list out the 3 emotions you want to have in each room too. This will help you decide which of your items you really want to keep in your home as you move through the QUICK process. It makes it much easier to ask if each thing helps invoke the emotion you want feel in each space. I promise this works!
This is a pretty simple step, but it’s one that often gets overlooked. Start by questioning the purpose of each room and list out the emotions you want to feel when you’re there. This will make the actual decluttering process much easier when you get to step 3.
U: Uncover what you have
The second step in the QUICK Declutter Method is to uncover what you have in each room. For many of us we forget what we have tucked away in each space. This is why we run into trouble.
Maybe you’ve stored your tools in the entry closet, in the garage, and in the junk drawer. Or maybe you have some kids toys in the living room and some in their bedroom, and during this process you find some toys in * gasp * your bedroom.
Well, no wonder you have a hard time finding things when you need them! There are some items here and some items there instead of being in just one location for you to remember. There’s too much going on in life to try to remember which toys are here and which toys are there.
Things that do not have a place to belong are haphazardly placed around our home. We’ll get to giving things a place to go in step 4, but before we can create order, we need to know what we have. So in step 2, pull out and uncover what you have stored and kept in each room.
Do this one room at a time. If you are decluttering your bedroom and find things that belong in the office, make a pile and take them to the room they belong in. You can declutter them once you get to that room. This will help keep you on task and help you see ALL of the things you own when you get to that space.
On the other hand, if you have already decluttered your bedroom and find something later in the day that belongs there, you need to give it a home in your bedroom or get it out of your home.
I: Into the piles
The third step in the QUICK Declutter Method is where we start to see our progress. Things get messy, but it's all part of the process. After you have uncovered your belongings, the third step is to sort each item left in the room and put it in one of three piles:
Toss/Recycle
Keep
Donate/Give
Resist the urge to keep things just in case. If you have not used something in over a year, the likelihood that you will need it in the future is slim. And I have found that I can often substitute a lot of things when necessary. For instance, have you ever thought you were out of food and then somehow you whipped something up with items you had on hand in your pantry. It’s kinda like that. Our brains can get really creative when we give them the opportunity.
Another good rule of thumb is that if you can replace something for less than $20 (or $10 if money is tighter) and you’re not sure if you’ll need it in the future, it’s okay to let it go as it would be easy to replace. From personal experience, there are not many things I’ve had to replace when using this method so I’d recommend giving it a try.
Now, you’ll notice I did not list a Sell pile here. One of the most common questions I get is, “Can’t I make a lot of money if I sell my things?” The answer is you might be able to, but most likely the hourly rate you would make by selling your things is usually pretty low. So my advice is to donate items you no longer want and use the time to do something fun instead. Plus, this is decluttering in a weekend and selling used items on like takes a ton of time.
If you have having trouble making a decision on some items I have included questions to ask yourself so that you can make the decision easier in the Clutter Rescue workbook. You can download a copy for free here.
C: Curate your favorites
Now's when it starts to get fun! The fourth step of the QUICK Declutter Method is to put the items from your keep pile back into your room. The secret here is use the purpose for the room (from step 1) to determine which of your favorites get to stay here and those that need to find a home elsewhere.
You also want to consider the emotions you want to feel when you are in the room. If you want your bedroom to feel relaxing, serene, and sexy it may not be the best place to house your treadmill. Or if this is the ONLY place in your home for the treadmill (and you use it regularly!) consider how you can separate it from the rest of your space (curtains, room divider, etc.) so that the emotions you want to feel here shine through from the moment you open the door.
Be honest with yourself and your family. This is your home and what stays in it should be decided on by the people who live there. Display only the things you love (or that your family loves!). It doesn’t matter if it fits with the latest trend as long as it makes the people in your home happy. Remember, sometimes the most amazing decor is because of the story behind the items.
I also want to give you full permission to let go of anything in your home that brings you down, makes you feel guilty, reminds you of something negative, or you just don’t like. Even if something was a gift. As long as you showed appreciation to the gift giver for thinking of you, you are under no obligation to keep the thing until you’re 6 feet under.
Once you have curated only your favorite things for each space, you can start to give them a home and a place to belong. It can be helpful to use labels in the beginning because it might be hard for everyone to remember where things go. And knowing is half the battle, right?
As things settle into their new homes, your space will become cleaner, tidier, and neater. If something doesn’t make the cut, it’s time to let it go.
K: Keep clutter away
The final step in the QUICK declutter method is to make sure the clutter does not return to your home. There is nothing worse than decluttering your whole home only to find it feels clutter again a month later (trust me!). But, with this simple step you’ll avoid the backslide and maintain your clutter-free home.
I call these clutter-resistant routines and these have worked so well for my family that I know they will work for yours too.
The first clutter-resistant routine is the 15-minute clean up. Every evening right after dinner and before we get dessert, we spend 15 minutes or less straightening up our home together. We put away toys or craft supplies that are out, clean up the kitchen from dinner, put away any laundry that needs to be finished, and take anything else that’s out of place back to it’s home.
The second clutter-resistant routine is the drop zone. The idea is to have a box or basket on each floor or in the major areas of your home where you can easily put items you no longer want. Regularly go through your closet, bookshelf, utensil drawer, craft supplies, or anything else and ask yourself (or kids) if they still use or want these things. If the answer is no, pop it in the drop zone and take it all to the donation center when filled.
And finally, the third clutter-resistant routine is the 2-minute rule. If any task can be completed in 2 minutes or less, go ahead and do it instead of putting it off until later. This includes things like putting dishes in the dishwasher and sorting the mail. Over time these add up and start to become big chores in your head so take the few seconds to complete them when you’re in the moment.
By incorporating these super simple clutter-resistant routines everyday, your daily life will not change that much, but your home will remain clutter free and the big things in life will be so much easier.
And now I have a question for you. Which room are you going to use the QUICK Declutter Method on first? I’d love to hear about it and cheer you on!
Come on over to my free Wannabe Minimalist Facebook Group, introduce yourself, and share your thoughts. I’m so excited to hear from you and help encourage you on your journey toward less stuff, more happiness, and an awesome life you and your family deserve.
The group is totally free and you can find us by clicking on this link or by searching for Wannabe Minimalist on Facebook. I want to meet you there and hear about your journey. Learning from all of you is one of my favorite things so I hope to see you there.
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