Hands on skill:
You are going to declutter your room. You may have done this at the beginning of this course, it is good to do it again. Decluttering is a constant thing otherwise things will accumulate quickly.
Here are some simple steps to declutter your room:
- Clear a working area probably in the middle, where you can sort things. Gather a bag for trash, boxes for donate and return to other areas of the home.
- Work in a clock pattern around your room start at 12 and move around the room in a clockwise pattern.
- Do one drawer or shelf at a time.
- Pull everything out of the drawer or shelf and set it in your working area. Sort the items into the appropriate places—trash, give away, or return to the drawer or shelf.
- When deciding where each item should go you need to make an instant decision. Think about when was the last time you used this? If you haven’t used it for six months or more you probably won’t. Exceptions to seasonal items.
- Continue to work on your entire room until you return back to the 12 o’clock mark.
If this is the first time that you have decluttered your room, it will probably take a few hours. Work in sections if it seems to overwhelm you. Take a break and do something else in between. The more that you do this, it will normally only take an hour or so to upkeep your room.
One thing that I notice that will get overlooked when cleaning out a room is a brush full of hair. Make sure that you regularly clean out your brushes and wash them with soapy water.
When setting up your dresser, think what items you absolutely need to leave out and put the rest away.
The same is true for your desks and nightstands. You can only read one book at a time, you don’t paint your nails each day, or you don’t listen to ALL of those CDs at one time. Put away every item that is not used daily. Keep it simple.
When you stand back and notice your room, take note which areas look cluttered. Go back and redo those areas. You want a simple, not chaotic look. Leave out only the items that are used regularly and put the rest away. A clean room will give you a sense of accomplishment and peace, knowing that you have done a good job. Keep up on it.
