Keeping the clutter at bay in your home can be quite the challenge. In the consumerist culture of America, collecting stuff is easy, and with the holidays coming up there will probably be another wave of things coming in that you’ll need to find a place for.

But if you want to try and keep the clutter around the house to a minimum, here are a few tips for helping to stay on top of it.

Get Rid of What You Don’t Need

This sounds obvious, but getting rid of what you don’t need can actually be pretty hard. The key is to define “don’t need.” If you define “don’t need” as the things that you don’t use everyday, then you’ll come up against a pretty long list.

Try defining “don’t need” as items you haven’t used in the last year. There may be exceptions, such as memorabilia or old family photos. But clothes that you haven’t worn in a year, or maybe those excess coffee mugs that no one’s used in a long time? You could probably stand to get rid of them . 

Buy Organizers

Sometimes, the clutter may be taking over your home because you don’t have the means to organize it. The key is to gather things in one area. Tools, for example. Tool boxes or drawers can keep tools organized in one place .

It may seem counterintuitive to buy more stuff while you’re decluttering, but investing in drawers, organizers, and other designated space to store your knicknacks may be just the cleanup fix you need.

As a general rule, though, it’s helpful to go through your stuff before you buy organizers. That way, you’ll not only be decluttering and organizing at the same time, but you’ll also end up buying less organization tools.

Make It a Habit

The best way to lead a clutter-free lifestyle is to make decluttering a habit . Decluttering your space on a regular basis is what makes you good at decluttering. Practice makes perfect.

One tip for making decluttering a habit is to leave a sort of “trash bin” to collect old or unused things. The idea is that just as homes have a spot for trash—the trash can—now you’ll have a spot to dump your stuff to get rid of. When it’s full, it’s time to make the Goodwill run.

Decluttering can be challenging, mentally, emotionally, and even physically. But all little practice and you can be on your way to making it a lifestyle!

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