You ever have the feeling like you’re surrounded by so much chaos and disorder, that it’s overwhelming and you don’t know where to start?
This list was inspired to eradicate that feeling. When I typically think of decluttering or organizing projects, they feel BIG and un-doable. So I broke down some common tasks into bite-sized chunks. (Because after all, the only way to eat an elephant is one bite at a time.)
IMPORTANT NOTE: After you read this list, I am going to ask you to get up off your chair and go do something. The only thing that will relieve chaos is to take some action!
1. Empty all the trash cans in your house. (Cheers! You just created space by eliminating something you don’t need. How easy was that?!)
2. Open the junk drawer (you know you have one, even if you don’t call it that) and pull out 5 things that can be tossed, given away, or relocated to somewhere more handy.
3. Walk into your bedroom, and pick 5 things that don’t need to be there. Move ’em out.
4. Open all the curtains in your house (and the windows, if weather allows). Get some light and fresh air up in there.
5. Sweep the kitchen floor, and shake out the rugs. Ahhh, much better for bare feet.
6. Go through one shelf in the pantry and toss things that are past their expiration date. If you find one that’s close, set it out so you’ll use it this week.
7. Wipe down and organize one shelf of the refrigerator.
8. Wash the mirror you use most often. You’re so pretty.
9. Clean the toilet. (You deserve an impeccable throne, you goddess, you.)
10. Straighten the pillows and blankets on the couch and chairs in the living room. (Imagine you are Martha Stewart while you do it.)
11. Find something pretty that’s tucked away, and put it in a more prominent location. (Maybe that framed picture you haven’t hung up yet?) You deserve to look at your favorite things, every single day.
12. Take all the utensils out of your kitchen and put them in a box. From now on, when you use one, wash it and put it away in its regular spot. After a week or two, give away the utensils that are left in the box, or move them to a place where they won’t be in your way for everyday cooking. (I do this at least once a year.)
13. Turn all your clothes hangers backwards. As you use items, turn them forwards again. At the end of the next season, ditch the ones you haven’t worn.
14. Use unroll.me to unsubscribe from newsletters you aren’t interested in anymore. (You can even unsubscribe from mine. I won’t be mad.) Then try to calculate how many clicks you saved yourself by unsubscribing from those emails in your “digital habitat”! (This is a bonus for the lazybones out there who don’t want to get up off your chair. YOU’RE WELCOME.)
15. Go for a walk around the block. When nothing else sounds appealing, move your body. When you get back, you can look at the place with fresh eyes and new ideas on where to start.
16. Go through your to-do list, and cross off at least three things. Without doing them. Why put off until tomorrow what you can straight up cancel?
If you liked this post, you’ll LOVE the new thing I’m announcing next week (and pssst, it’ll be free!)
Now, I want you to leave a comment below to tell me what you’re going to do RIGHT NOW to improve your habitat!
Then giddyup, let’s do this!
Photo above adapted from Liz West // cc
