#decluttering home

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10 Creative Ways to Declutter Your Home

Whether it’s a yearly spring clean or a more frequent clear-out, decluttering your home helps freshen up your space and can relieve any stress that has been building up within you over the increasingly cluttered rooms of your home. Decluttering your home is no small feat, but by picking a few creative methods that work for you, you can conquer the mess building up around you. Removing items from…

[hillbillyoracle]

For those with home related New Years Resolutions:

I’ve been a disabled homemaker for 5 years now so I wanted to share the resources that have helped me take our home from complete chaos to reasonably functional and enjoyable.

If you’re not functioning...

If you’re constantly tripping over things and getting injured, eating food that makes you sick, dealing with pests in the home, and struggling to complete basic tasks like feeding, clothing, and bathing yourself, then you should start with...

KC Davis aka StruggleCare aka DomesticBlisters

TikTok

Book

Podcast

Website

I recommend KC Davis’s stuff with a big heaping dose of “keep what works and leave what doesn’t.” She’s one of the few people I’ve seen talking about compassionate care focused on maintaining a level of personal functioning rather than maintaining a home. Her stuff has been very helpful to me during some very challenging times. 

I think her some of her best work is probably her videos on the 5 step tidying process, the ones on setting up bedside hygiene and food kits, and the ones on dealing with DOOM (Didn’t Organize Only Moved) boxes. 

That being said she has a tendency to use neurotype as a shield for not reckoning with other dynamics in a situation (gendered, narcissism, etc) when asked for advice by viewers which can lead to this “all people with neurodivergence are good” vibe which I find off putting (especially as an autistic person). I mention it because her bleh stuff was all I was coming across and I missed out on her good stuff for a while. It’s worth picking through though. 

Her book is a little better on the whole. 

If you’re functioning but still very overwhelmed...

If you can complete your daily activities of living pretty regularly but you’re still losing papers you need, rebuying items you didn’t realize you had, or looking around your home at a mess that feels impossible to clean, then check out...

Dana K White aka A Slob Comes Clean

YouTube

Website

Podcast

Books

I love Dana K. White’s stuff. Honestly, I recommend her to every level on this list but I think she probably shines brightest in this category. 

Her 5 step decluttering process is pure fucking gold. It’s a decluttering process that doesn’t rely on feelings at all - really helpful for those with trauma or alexthymia generally. She has multiple videos explaining it and even more where you can watch her go step by step with someone over the course of an hour and make a huge dent in some very overwhelming mess. Its the process I’ve used to go through over 50 moving boxes to declutter so we could fit in this much smaller space we moved to in April. 

Her day to day cleaning advice is also excellent. Her concept of dishes math has really helped me make decisions about what chores to focus on when I’m low energy. Her 14 Days to Opening Your Front Door series is amazing if you’re having to host for a given occasion but your home is a wreck. 

If you’re not painfully overwhelmed by your stuff but there’s still a lot of friction in your home...

If your stuff doesn’t overwhelm you but your home still doesn’t feel that good to be in, you’re still not finding things when you need to or it’s taking you a long time to find them, you create homes for things but they look terrible or they never seem to stick, then you’d love...

Cassandra Aarssen aka Clutterbug

YouTube

Books

Website

Podcast

Clutterbug types were kind of a game changer for me. It’s what really opened my eyes to why the systems that worked for me did not work for my partner. She is a Bee - lots of small categories that are all very visible - and I am a ladybug - big bucket categories that aren’t visible. When I reorganized our space according to the compromise between our types, Butterfly - big categories and very visible - all of a sudden the systems just worked so much better. There were many fewer fights sparked by things not getting put away or not being able to find things. So I really recommend her videos on the different types and examples of each. 

Quick word of warning, she does have regular videos about diet and exercise that I personally find pretty triggering to my disordered eating habits so I’m not subscribed to her and just check her channels every now and then so it’s easier to skip over videos where that might be a topic she talks about. 

Cliff Tan aka Dear Modern

TikTok

YouTube

Website

Book

Cliff Tan’s work is the most recent of these resources that I’ve come across but holy shit I cannot recommend it enough. 

Because my parents didn’t originally intend on my partner using the room she wound up using, there’s simply not space to keep some of the furniture and items in there anywhere else. Meaning she just kind of has to keep a fair bit of junk in there. But after watching (read: binging) the Dear Modern YouTube channel and seeing him completely change spaces by moving furniture around, I redid my partners room over the course of about 2 hours and it’s a completely different room. Way more comfortable and she’s already mentioned she’s getting much better sleep. 

So I really really recommend his stuff. Sometimes what you really need isn’t new stuff but just rearranging what you already have. 

If you’re pretty content with your home but want to streamline the process of caring for it...

If your home is pretty functional but regular tidying, deep cleaning, and maintenance tasks specifically keep falling through the cracks, then you might like...

FlyLady System

Website

The Secret Slob - YouTube

Diane in Denmark - YouTube

There are lots of systems out there for house keeping but I’ve yet to try or see one that seems to do better than FlyLady for me. Since with my illness my energy varies wildly, I don’t necessarily do things when her system recommends but I do them according to the priority her system ascribes to them as I’m able. 

FlyLady is a notoriously convoluted website so I really recommend learning from a secondhand source. The Secret Slob and Diane in Denmark are my favorites. 

Maintenance Lists

This Old House

There a lots of maintenance lists out there and honestly finding one and doing what you can is better than nothing. I personally like the ones from This Old House because they’re broken up into annual, seasonal, monthly, and some weekly tasks - which are essentially priority categories, similar to FlyLady. I’ve linked the winter one here but there are many others to pick through depending on what you want to work on. 

Bonus: Paper Clutter

My System

Link

This is what I’ve arrived at after years of experimentation. It’s an amalgam of a few different ideas from different systems in one place. I keep mind on my fridge but put yours where ever you’re dumping paper anyways. If you’re in a room or live in a car/backpack - I have ideas on how to organize it for those in this post too. 

Sunday Basket

YouTube Video

The Minimal Mom’s Video

She’s in Her Apron Video

Need something a little more robust? The Sunday Basket is probably be best version of a paper (and other stuff) system I’ve seen. Got something that needs dealt with? Chuck it in the Sunday Basket. The creator also has videos on long term paper storage ideas if that’s something you need as well. But her videos usually run an hour long so I recommend starting with either the Minimal Mom’s video or She’s in Her Apron’s video. 

Bonus: Digital Clutter

PARA System/Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

YouTube Channel

Website

Book

Essential Video

The branding on this system can be very productivity tech wonk which is off putting to me but when I finally started hearing what was at the core of it and applying it - my digital life was changed. I’ve linked my absolute favorite video he’s done here. Ignore the bit about it being the last in the series, most of us are already using some note app and if you like it you can always go back and watch the rest. But just applying what’s in that video to your digital systems will make things easier to find. 

Hope this helps someone out there! 

[everydayautism]

Clothing Sorting Guide (how to clean/purge your closet)

subtitle: as a person with autism, ADHD, or similar executive function struggles.

For my first guide, in the spirit of spring cleaning, I’d like to offer a streamlined way to sort clothes into 2 piles for purging: keep it or toss it. 

I have struggled with knowing which clothes I want and which I want to get rid of. This leads to a big pileup of clothes that I don’t want or need anymore, but I have trouble parsing which ones are keepable and which aren’t if I don’t have a clear thinking process in it. These questions help me get my head in the game. 

If you're in a similar predicament with a closet overflowing w/ clothes that you don't actually wear, give this a try, and let me know if it helped you.

Here’s how it works: 

Make sure you dedicate enough time to this exercise, because it might be hard to start again once you take a break.

There will be 2 piles of clothes. One will be keep, and one toss. (You can also just leave your ‘keep’ clothes hanging up, if you want to. Will probably save a lot of mess, but won’t be so visually clear/divisive). 

Based on the prompts below, you’ll sort the clothes into the 2 piles. Of course, it’s always ok to re-sort clothes or realize ‘you know what, maybe I do want to keep this’ regardless of the guide. This is just a simple “get you started” type of deal.

And when you're done, consider donating your clothes to your local Goodwill or homeless shelter. You can de-clutter and make a good change in the world simultaneously.

Here we go!

---

Have you worn it in the last year? > If no, TOSS IT.

Do you feel ugly in this article of clothing? > If yes, TOSS IT. 

Do you feel uncomfortable in this article of clothing due to sensory reasons? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Did you buy this, but never wear it? Does it still have the tag on it? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Do you associate this piece of clothing will bad memories, and thus aren't getting any use out of it? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Do you only still own this because it's associated with good memories, but you don't wear it/like it? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Does this item fit you? > If no, TOSS IT.

Does it have large stains, visible holes, or other damage? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Has your personal style changed? If it has, does this item still fit into your style? > If no, TOSS IT.

---

Those are our tosses; how do we know if we really want to keep it?

Once you've ran through these options in your mind, consider those pieces who have not yet met the 'toss it' criteria. These may be definitive items that you're set on keeping, or they may be a gray area, where you're not sure if you want them gone or not.

Tips for determining if you really want to keep them, or are just delaying the inevitable:

1. try them on. Are you comfortable? Do you feel confident wearing this? Does it fit you properly, with no excessive cutting or squeezing? Do you feel the need to suck your stomach in while wearing this?

2. look back on times you wore this item. What did you pair it with? Were you confident wearing this, or did you feel insecure for one reason or another? How did you feel wearing this?

3. ignore the sunken cost fallacy. If this an expensive item, don't consider its monetary value in the elimination process--if you haven't worn it, chances are you won't again. Resell it, if you want to earn some money back from an expensive purchase. Otherwise, donate it.

4. consider the opportunities you will have to wear this item. Is it a daring shirt perfect for a party? Is it formalwear? If you can think of times it would be appropriate to wear, perfect. If you can't, reevaluate keeping it. (for example, if you previously worked as a clown but don't anymore, don't keep your clown suit for shits and giggles).

I hope this helps, and feel free to submit asks or comments to this blog for other autism accommodation tips that anyone can make happen in their daily life.

[design-ideas]

Tips for Creating a Stylish and Functional Home

Creating a stylish and functional home can be a daunting task, but with the right tips and guidance, it can be a fun and rewarding experience. As an interior designer, I have learned a few key tips for creating a home that is both beautiful and practical. Here are my top tips for creating a stylish and functional home:

Start with a plan: Before you start decorating, take the time to plan out your space. Consider the function of each room, the overall aesthetic you want to achieve, and the items you need to include. Having a clear plan will help you make decisions and avoid unnecessary purchases.

Invest in timeless pieces: While it can be tempting to follow the latest trends, investing in timeless pieces will save you money in the long run. Choose classic styles and neutral colors that will stand the test of time and can be easily incorporated into any decorating scheme.

Don't be afraid to mix and match: Mixing and matching different styles and textures can add interest and depth to a space. Don't be afraid to combine different pieces, as long as they share a common color or theme.

Declutter: A cluttered space can feel overwhelming and make a room feel smaller. Take the time to edit and declutter your space to create a more open and inviting atmosphere.

Personalize your space: Don't be afraid to add personal touches to your home. Incorporating items that have personal meaning or sentimental value can make a space feel more like home.

By following these tips, you can create a stylish and functional home that reflects your personal style and tastes. Whether you're starting from scratch or simply looking to update your space, these tips can help you create a home that you love.

[honey-and-fig]

I was anti minimalism until I had the need to start regularly bleach sanitizing my house

[rainyfestivalsweets]

9/15/24

I hate that I am wasting fall hiking time being sick and feeling like shit. I had a rough night and a very long slow get going this morning. So long and slow that I don't know that I am going yet.

I had a rough night, despite cold meds and sleep aids. And a lidocaine patch and CBD muscle rub put on my hurting spots.

I tossed and turned and coughed and sweated so much I had to change my nightshirt. Despite getting up many times thru the night to change my gear and go to the bathroom, I bled all over my sheets.

I am awake now, barely. Finished a Monster, did a nebulizer, got cold meds in me, plus my normal supplements, made some tea, my bedsheets are in the wash, & I started puttering around my office.

Every time I buy something, my office has to somehow absorb it. All my books, teas, coffee, sports supplements, any kind of vitamin thing. It all has to go somewhere. So I am working on that. I want it to be functional and less cluttering. Everything needs a home. This is a very maximalist room, bookshelves on 2 whole sides of the room. My desk, the extra desk, and a dresser that serves as my coffee bar. Literally every space is covered with stuff.

I am focusing on making sure the stuff I need to use and find is reachable. I need to be able to grab a coffee/tea or some vitamins/supplements, very quickly.

My weak points are doom piles everywhere. Mail. Piles and piles and piles. Things I meant to deal with probably 6 months ago. Or 5 years ago.

Send all the positive vibes please as I try to focus on bringing some peace back to this space.

I realized I was making the same mistake I made yesterday by not wearing shoes. So, I am going to fix that first. Coffee, tea. Maybe watch an office decluttering video.

Everything hurts and I just uggghhhh.

But if Schmidty can lose weight and keep ot off, so can I.

Maybe I should also grab a shower, that might feel real nice.

[bootyful-seventeen]

i am too mentally exhausted to even deal with this shit anymore with my mom and grandma and low key wish i'd go comatose for a few years to be left alone tbh

[ismyteadoneyet]

[dreamypeachybabe]

my boyfriend and I will be moving out of our apartment in about a year. since I know that we both struggle feeling time I've started going through everything and trying to declutter.

so far I have decluttered our living room and bathroom and all of my clothes. (my winter ones i wasn't as strict with since it's summer where I am and I don't know yet what I do and don't wear fully)

[mccoyquialisms]

If I ever needed proof that my environment has a profound effect on my mood, it would be the fact that I’m staying in my old empty apartment for a night and I feel more relaxed than I have in weeks.

[asteraceaye]

I haven't had a bed for three nights now and my desk which was really my only goal for fixing up my room is still not built

[tidymalism]

Wrangling a collection of Kinder egg toys? Paper clips seem to be multiplying overnight? Barrettes out of control in the bathroom? There are loads of ways to rein in all the little stuff that tends to quickly turn into clutter.

➡️ Subscribe to my free monthly newsletter, the Minimal Monthlies. Get all the latest blog posts from Tidymalism plus curated bonus content delivered straight to your inbox. Woot. 🤓

[ititledit]

Five boxes went to the charity shop today, and we are going to the tip tomorrow with broken items - both recycling and landfill.

I am not a hoarder, but I definitely have more of everything than I need. And I am determined to keep getting rid of it.

Decluttering is a battle with guilt.

- Guilt about the items I have been given - someone saw it and thought of me, someone expressed their love to me through it.

- Guilt about "wasted" money - things I paid for and have never used.

- Guilt about the items that have to go to landfill - unrecyclable, broken beyond repair, nothing that another person would want. It is actual rubbish.

Both the wasted money and gifted items can have the guilt alleviated a little by my donating them to charity. But the things that have to go to landfill leave me with a sense of shame and frustration and I have to shut out those thoughts to keep going. Because if I don't take them to landfill, then someone else will just have to do it when I die.

[noodleblade]

haven't felt motivated to do anything creative this past week but a reminder to myself and anyone else that begins to feel bad about that: ITS FINE. THIS IS OKAY AND NORMAL. FOCUS ON OTHER THINGS AND DONT STRESS ABOUT THE CREATIVE BLOCKS. GO OUTSIDE, READ A BOOK, LISTEN TO MUSIC AND DONT FORCE CREATIVITY TO HAPPEN. ITLL COMEBACK.

[petula-xx]

My recent house decluttering and resource re-evaluation has also included the pantry. Today I found a useful purpose for some remnant, small quantity ingredients.

A cup each of oats and soft, brown sugar went into biscuits.

A cup of 00 pasta flour finally got turned into some pasta.

Dinners, snacks, zero food waste, zero $ waste and a tidier pantry. Winner!