Since the debut of Tidying Up with Marie Kondo on Netflix, the show’s namesake star Marie Kondo has become a worldwide phenomenon. This is no less true in Australia, and there are now nine certified specialists in the “KonMari Method,” three of which are practising in Brisbane. 

But in truth, you don’t need to be an expert in the KonMari Method to discover the truth behind Marie Kondo’s message—that tidying up, and keeping the focus on things that matter to you, will spark joy in your life. It’s a wonderful philosophy that you can adapt for yourself during your monthly or yearly de-cluttering routine. Before going headlong into the Netflix series or signing up for a master class, here are a few clever ways that you can jump-start your de-cluttering and bring the joy back into your home. 

Figure out why you’re accumulating clutter, then see what you can do to address the root of the problem

Few people begin de-cluttering in their home by asking why there’s a lot of clutter in the first place. But this isn’t a step you should skip. Try to see what’s causing the pileup of certain items in your home. Are you so busy that you don’t pay attention to any excesses in your purchasing habits? Or are you always too tired after work to clean up every day, thus leaving your rubbish and clutter to be dealt with at the last minute?  Asking yourself these questions could help you curb any wasteful or excessive habits. In addition, they may lead you to ask for some long-overdue help in de-cluttering.

Move large volumes of rubbish out of your house by hiring professional skip bin services

Speaking of additional help, it may be time to hire a skip bin or other professional service to clear out outstanding piles of rubbish. Simply ask for a referral or search online to find skip bins prices Brisbane residents can afford. Once you have a contractor, they’ll surely help you remove large, obtrusive amounts of rubbish from your home and reduce a lot of your clutter-related anxieties.

Sort the clutter with labelled boxes

Many Australians swear by what’s called the “Four-Box Method” of sorting clutter. It involves using one box that’s labelled “trash,” one that’s labelled “keep,” one that’s labelled “give away,” and one that’s labelled “relocate.” You can, of course, add your own spin to this method, such as setting aside additional boxes labelled “to mend or repair” and “to return to original owner.” What matters is that you’ve easily organised your clutter based on what you do and don’t need. This also allows you to take immediate action for each pile once everything is sorted out.

Try a room-by-room, space-by-space approach. For another way to compartmentalise your de-cluttering, you can do it one room and one space at a time. For example, if you start with your home’s kitchen, you can allocate a couple of hours to the pantry. Take all items out, toss the expired items, and then replace everything in a better order. From the pantry, you can employ the same thing to the refrigerator. Once you are done with the kitchen, you can move on to your bathroom, your study, your living room, and so on. Instead of being overwhelmed at the sheer amount of cleaning work that needs to be done at once, you’ll be a little more relaxed. You’ll learn the value of doings things step by step.

Commit to de-cluttering purposefully, at a rate that’s doable for you

In the end, bring your de-cluttering routine back to your core reason for doing so. You may be tidying up because you’re expecting a new baby, because you’re moving homes, or simply because you want to entertain a few more guests in the coming year. Whatever your reasons are, let them guide you to scale up or scale down your de-cluttering, or to prioritise certain rooms or spaces over others. Better yet, set the precedent for more regular de-cluttering habits to commence—for example, setting aside a certain day in the week for de-cluttering, or assigning items a “shelf life” before you give them away. The habits themselves need not be too complicated. They just need to be easy to sustain over long periods. 

Oftentimes, de-cluttering is just a matter of changing your outlook, tapping into the resources available to you, and finishing the work in small increments. Hopefully, these five tips will make the task of cleaning up much simpler, more productive, and a joy to carry out!

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