There’s a load of declutter experts out there with clever rules we’re all meant to follow.

But you know what?

Most of these experts – Marie Kondo included – never, ever had a huge clutter problem, so to be honest, they really don’t get it.

They don’t know for themselves, how truly miserable clutter makes us. Or how hard it is, emotionally and practically, to let stuff go.

And their clever rules can help some people but too often fail lots of us in real life.

So what declutter rules should we follow? Well, having actually been there and got the t-shirt, these are the simple rules I stick to.

10 Simple Declutter Rules

These 10 declutter rules – learned the hard way – are what took me from the very depths of despair about crazy clutter to a simpler, happier home I can enjoy clutter free.

I have cleared thousands of things from my home by sticking to them. And actually made cash and cut waste whilst I was at it!! Hurrah!

So do give them a go this year. And let me know how you get on. I love to hear your stories.

For more help check out my free step-by-step declutter guide and join me on Facebook for daily declutter motivation.

Don’t Do This …

1. Put if off : waiting till we’re “ready” turns decluttering into a big complicated project rather than a simple doable daily habit.
2. Try & blitz it : you can shift 10 bags of clutter in a day but you can’t shift 200. This stuff has taken a lifetime to accumulate, it will not be gone in a week. Be patient.
3. Yank stuff out : yanking everything out Marie Kondo style creates a huge unholy mess that leaves most of us feeling even more like a complete failure. Don’t do it.
4. Start with clothes : our own clothes aren’t actually what tips us over the edge daily. It’s our kitchen surfaces, living room floors and hallways. Followed by kids rooms, partner’s hobbies and scary paper clutter. So focus your big effort on these.
5. Try to be brutal : most of us aren’t ready to make instant on the spot decisions about everything we own. There’s big complicated emotions bound up in all our stuff, so decluttering is a journey of discovery about what truly matters in our lives. In a month or 6 we will happily pass on stuff we couldn’t possibly be parted from on day one.

Do This …

1. Start today :  set a timer for 15 minutes and find a few quick things to chuck out. Get them out of your home. It’s an instant no mess win that motivates you to do more.  
2. Do a little everyday : letting go of just 10 things everyday will clear over 3,500 in a year!!! And very quickly decluttering will become an easy daily habit you can win at as easily as cleaning your teeth.
3. Keep to a time box : your timer is your secret weapon. It keeps you focused, stops you from yanking stuff out into a huge pile of mess and makes every day a success. Do 5-10 minutes daily plus half hour bursts.
4. Do easy stuff first : start with anything you are ready to let go so you get into the flow of feeling good about passing stuff on. Don’t worry about other things. You will be ready to be radical later on in your journey.
5. Focus on one small area : every day focus on one small area and ignore the rest. This protects us from feeling overwhelmed.

If you stick to these rules – steady as it goes – you truly can shift huge volumes of clutter easily without getting overwhelmed.

It’s worth it I promise. I am so much happier without a home full of stuff we never use.

It feels like we have space to live again.

For more support decluttering do follow Facebook and check out these extra tips :

• 10 Ways To Keep Clutter Out
• Top Declutter Motivation Tips
• Just 10 Things : The Daily Declutter
• 3 Must Ask Declutter Questions

And please do let me know I how you get on. I love to hear your stories and challenges.

Original image source : Maria Eklind