5 Tips to Make Your Home Clutter Free and Save Money

I was in India this year for Diwali. It may sound rude but I was annoyed with the manner my mother was managing her home. I live a clutter-free life. I don’t buy things spontaneously. A lot of thought goes into buying even a set of wine glasses. I follow a simple policy – if I won’t use it frequently, I don’t buy it. This principle applies even to gold, which otherwise, is considered an investment. Things we buy and don’t use are a waste of money and space. The worst part is it creates a lot of negative effects that we fail to realize. Take this scenario – you like a sweater and it’s available at a throwaway price. Your instincts would force you to buy it. Great deal, new style, favorite color – you’d wear it repeatedly this winter. But you would not touch a couple of your old sweaters. They would pile-up at the back of your closet. Your closet would be full and you will complain about lack of space in your home. We fail to acknowledge that it was our mistake from the very beginning. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t buy things we like. My point is to make sure that we have space to keep those things and lead a systematic life.

So after a heated discussion with my mother, I did what daughters do when they visit their mothers – I rearranged her closet and made a list of things she must do to live a clutter-free life. Here are few of those suggestions –

1. Play the minimalism game to declutter

I suggested my mother pick one corner of her room and take out things she rarely uses. By rarely I mean never or once a year. Then donate, throw, or sell those things. I told her to do this exercise for a month. She started this declutter game with her dressing table. Out of 10 nail paints, she admitted, she uses only 4 shades. Rest are accumulated and are never used. It was the similar situation with a box full of hair bands, pins, and a stack of bindi packets. A week later she was proud to announce that her room is clutter-free and it takes less time to dust and to find clothes in her closet.

Start to declutter your home with minimalism game. Discard or donate 1 thing the first day, and increase the number of things as the number of days progress. 2 items on the 2nd day, 3 items on the 3rd day, and so on. You may find it difficult but it’s totally worth your time and effort.

2. Recycle and upcycle

It is painful to throw things that are in perfectly good condition. We are tempted to keep it. But tell yourself not to. It’s better to sell things online. Another great way is to exchange it. Many stores offer a discount on new clothes if you recycle old ones. Jeans, for example, are exchanged at many stores. Or you can simply organize a yard sale. This way we would make space and get money. Recycle what you can. In case an item is valuable, try to upcycle. It saves money. Like I told my mother to make placemats out of her old silk saree. Recycle and upcycle are great ways to save money while decluttering the house.

3. Focus on the essentials when buying

Buy what you absolutely need. This principle applies to everything – grocery, clothes, furniture. Don’t buy anything just because you feel you might need it one day. Or you want to keep it for an emergency. In my experience, such emergencies never happen. Plus we adapt when there is an urgent need. Pay close attention to what you shop. Make a list. Try to stick to it. Limit the quantities. By managing the number of items and their respective quantities, we can save money and have less clutter in our homes.

4. Evaluate your shopping choices

Most people don’t know why there is a mess in their homes. They think it’s a given to have overflowing closets and over-stacked storerooms. We don’t understand that it starts with our shopping method. Our choices are not streamlined. We are confused while shopping. Hence we take impulsive and wrong decisions. To declutter, it is essential to evaluate our shopping choices. Check what you buy and why you buy it. Use apps to check your monthly spending. Look closely at your spending habit and change it to minimize wastage.

5. Borrow and share things

There is no shame in borrowing. Don’t buy and stack things you rarely use. Borrow it from a friend or relative instead. Lend it to them as well. Have a mutual understanding within your social group and encourage this money-saving technique. Share toys within your children’s playgroup. Borrow books instead of buying. So share things.

Decluttering is not only about discarding things we rarely use, it’s about making the best use of every single penny. Clutter-free homes look beautiful and exuberate positive energy. What are your thoughts on minimalist living? Share your thoughts in comments below.