Anything you collect and hold onto will take up space in your home, giving you less room to enjoy. Books, outdated clothes, card collections, even cookware can leave your room cluttered if you don't get rid of them.

Marie Kondo became a renowned organizing consultant thanks to her simple yet practical tips. After writing four books and starring in her own Netflix series, the principles of the Japanese tidying expert always boils down to whether an item still sparks joy. Taking inspiration from her wisdom, here are simple ways to make your home into a stress-free environment:

S T A R T I N G O R G A N I Z I N G A N D D E C L U T T E R I N G N O W

A busy schedule is a good excuse to delay the decluttering process. Unfortunately, you will not be able to finish the project if you don't start at all. Designate a day where you don’t have any plans but to go through the clutter in your home and discard items that you don't need. Have the discipline to finish the task in one day, whether the task is working on a corner in your room or to getting the whole closet done so that you can revel an organized space once completed.

H A V E T H E G O A L I N M I N D

A cluttered space will add to your stress and subtract from your usable area. Therefore, it helps to imagine how spacious and appealing your home will be if it has been tidied up thoroughly. Once your goal is set and you put in the action to start, you can start living and enjoying your space peacefully.

S T E P-B Y-S T E P D E C L U T T E R I N G

Don't force to accomplish organizing in one day if it seems overwhelming. Rather, you can parlay the project into different steps to track your progress. Here's how Marie Kondo will commence the staggered approach.

First, tidy up a category of things instead of one room at a time. If you decide to sort out clothes first, go through every room in your apartment and pull out the items that you haven't worn in a long time or don't fit anymore. You can even break down the category further by focusing on shoes first, then hats, and then shirts. Make a list of these subcategories, and check them off once you are done. You'll be surprised by the number of unnecessary items that you have discarded by following this method.

Second, determine the value that each item brings to you. Sentimental value may be attached to some (if not all) of the items, but you must be honest if the value is real. You have to discard the item if it has outlived its purpose, or it doesn't make you smile anymore. While keeping items that bring you important memories are nice, fawning sentimentality on everything makes your apartment look more like a thrift shop.

Third, decide to part way with the clutter for good. Don't place them inside a closet or rent a storage unit that you can still return to. Instead, let go of them totally and sort them into categories, such as trash, items for donation, things for recycling, and materials to sell at pawnshops or second-hand stores.

K E E P I N G Y O U R S P A C E T I D Y

Now that the clutter is gone, you can't go back to your old ways and collect new items again. With more living space to enjoy and fewer items left behind, maintain the tidiness of your space by creating a sustainable organizing routine. For example, folding your clothes and placing them upright into drawers to save space. Also, designate a home for all of your possessions, and put them back in their rightful place after every use.

Keep the surfaces clean and free of accumulating items. Maintaining breathing space between your items eliminates the cluttered feel and looks more pleasing to the eyes.

F I N D A H E L P I N G H A N D

You can seek the assistance of professional organizers if the task is more than what you can handle. Our systematic work of identifying pain points and in-home consultation has left clients satisfied with sustainable results. Because you deserve to live a better life, one way to guarantee that reality is by contacting dependable organizers right now who can help you achieve your home goals.

If you’re looking for a decluttering service to help take care of your apartment, Rescue My Space is your best option. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help.