I can’t tell you how many days in which my To Do has included the words “declutter,” “clear off the coffee table,” or “go through the mail on the hearth.” And by all accounts, I’m generally an organized person. I’m sure you are too. But some days things just pile up, and decluttering is often easier said than done if you don’t have a specific strategy before you begin. So here are some strategies and tips to help you on your way to reclaiming your space:

See the Room

Don’t look at your cluttered rooms for the messes that they are. The more you see the mess, the longer the mess will stay. Think instead about how fresh and welcoming the room will be once you have it cleaned. Visualize the goal before your start, and work towards it. ???

Communicate

Let’s have a talk about your housemate … to your housemate. Let’s sit them down. Whether they’re your significant other, a family member, or just a roommate, let’s all have a talk together about the mess they’re making in the house.

I can understand that this might be easier said than done, but if they don’t understand how important a clutter-free house is to you, then it will never be that important to them.

Shelve It

A common mistake when people are deciding to declutter and sort their things is that they will go out and purchase boxes, bins, shelves, or anything else they think they’ll need or want for the process. The problem is they do this with the amount of stuff they currently have in mind, which often leads to buying too many storage items and your living space then becoming even more cluttered.

So shelve the shelves, so to speak, for now. Once you have sifted through everything else and tossed or donated the unimportant items, then buy any shelving or storage items you need.

One Day, and One Room, at a Time

If your house or living space is only a little cluttered, you might be able to start and finish on the same day. But if you have a large or especially messy space, you might want to schedule out a day and do it all at once but that’s not a good idea. You will quickly become physically and mentally exhausted.

So do yourself a favor and take it one room at a time. Relish in each decluttered area and take pride when you finish each task. The final result will be that much more rewarding.

Set A Higher Standard

The key to success is to become accustomed to a higher standard of cleanliness. Once you succeed in decluttering your space, you have to maintain. Otherwise, you will become discouraged when the space becomes cluttered again a few weeks down the line.

This isn’t so much a tip or trick. This really comes down to just staying vigilant, which you can better do thanks to everything you learned above!