Feeling as though you need a larger house? Maybe the answer to your lack of space is adding on some square footage, but a much cheaper and less stressful option is to organize all the items you already have in your home. Too much of a mess can cause stress, so perhaps it’s time to take stock of your belongings and purge those items you don’t really need or use. Here are some strategies to determine how to declutter your Des Moines home.

Determine Your Strategy

You know your home best and therefore know which areas you need to target to begin operation declutter. Your best bet is to tackle one area at a time, so choose a room to start. You may want to start in the living room, as it’s generally the most used space, but whatever room seems to need the most help or give you the most grief is a good place to begin. Once you choose a space and start the process of going through everything, be sure to take breaks every so often to clear your head and allow for good decision making.

Sort

Once you’ve chosen the first area to declutter, create sections of the room to sort through your items. One section should be for items to trash, items to keep, items to donate, items to store away, and items to recycle/repurpose. Be careful not to fall into the storage or repurpose trap – it’s easy to say you’ll use it one day or that you need it for whatever reason, but you don’t want to create reasons to keep items that you haven’t used and probably won’t use. Only store items that you use biannually or annually such as holiday decorations, winter and summer clothes or items such as camping gear. Keep your goal in mind when sorting and assign items to their sections realistically. When sorting, ask yourself three questions: when was the last time I used this? How often will I use this? And do I need this? This will help when trying to figure out what to get rid of and what to keep.

Disposing of Clutter

Now that you know the items you’re willing to part with, you do have some choices as to what to do with them. The recyclables are easy, simply take them to a recycling center or put them on the curb for pick up. With that said, many electronics are also recyclable, and most can be turned into cash, so check online for businesses in your area for drop off locations. As for your donate items, one man's trash is another man's treasure, so either donate to charities in your area or offer them online for pick-up. If you’re hoping to sell some items to make up for lost revenue, host an online garage sale or do it the old fashioned way once you’ve decluttered the entire home.

Go Digital

Books, magazines, files, and photos can take up a lot of space in your home, so it may be a good idea to scan your files and photos and store them on your hard drive instead of on your shelves. Magazines, newspapers, and books can pile up after a while, leading to clutter. Most publications can be found online, so why take up the space when you don’t have to? Keep only your favorite books or ones you know you’ll reread and then invest in an online reading device, like a Kindle or Nook.

Sort by Room

Once you decide on which items to keep, assign those items a room to call home. For example, if you’re cleaning out the guest room and come across a closet full of board games which you’re going to keep, should you leave them in the guest room closet or will they get more use being stored in the family room? If the family room is your answer, find a space for them in there. You should have a dedicated space for all of the items you want to keep. Separate your keep items based on the rooms they belong in and find a space for them in that room when you’re ready to tackle the clutter in there. By doing this, you may reevaluate your need to keep it once you see the other items you have to choose from.

Decluttering your home may seem like a daunting task but the end result is well worth the challenge. Once your house is clean and clutter-free your mind will follow. Which room will you tackle first?