Decluttering During the Pandemic

Cluttered Room
Photo by Humairah L. on Unsplash

Aside from the disruptions the coronavirus has caused, it has given people a lot of free time since many of us are finding ourselves quarantining or just working from home.

Whether that’s a good thing or not is debatable because for many, idle time means an onslaught of unpleasant things, such as anxiety about the future.

Additionally, some are finding that being ‘cooped up’ in the house is causing unexpected issues with relationships, not just husbands and wives, but whole families. Simply put, having so much free time may not be the best thing for a lot of people.

Sadly, there isn’t anything anyone can do about the many available hours the pandemic has granted our planet and the results that this pandemic has perpetuated upon our social lifestyles is something that is going to be researched for many years to come. 

So, what can we do about it? Staying positive is the number one priority and by utilizing a positive attitude, we can find ways to take advantage of this free time to our benefit. This situation can be analogous to our “Thinking Out of the Box” techniques which would definitely apply here whether you are in a state of depression or not. But there are other methods of keeping busy and can even be added to your short-term bucket list of accomplishments.

If this year has taught us anything, it’s how unpredictable life can be and how meaningless material things are. If you believe that, consider getting rid of all nonessential items in your home and Marie-Kondo-ing your way out of materialism.

Not sure where to start? Don’t fret because we have got you; here are all the essential tips on decluttering your home during the pandemic.

Don’t Think of it as “Getting Rid of Stuff”

Decluttering doesn’t have to be a nerve-racking process that reduces you into a sweating mess for fear of losing items you love. If you step into it thinking that you have to extricate things you once loved from your life, you will be anxious throughout the process and not enjoy the outcome.

You are supposed to feel light and free after going on a decluttering rampage, and if that’s not how you think, then perhaps you don’t have your mind in the right place. To truly benefit from eliminating all the unnecessary items in your house, you should focus on making the right choices instead of the part where you get rid of things. 

For instance, pick up an item and ask yourself, “Will it make me happy?” “Will its absence affect me?”

Another way to go about making the right decision could be asking yourself if you love the item in question. For example, you look at a present you got a few years ago and you can’t decide whether you want to keep it or toss it. To arrive at a conclusion, ask yourself, do I like it? The first answer you hear your mind say will tell you what you need to do.

Give Away Items You Have Many of

There is an endless list of material things that we excessively buy even though we don’t need them, such as shoes or bags or watches, etc. Some people can be passionate watch collectors, while others can be obsessed with buying Air Jordans. In other words, everyone has one particular good that they are guilty of over-buying.

All those products that you have a bunch of, you should give away some of the models. Tossing out prototypes of the same item might be hard for you, but it will be a relatively easier decision because you’ll instantly know which ones you want to keep and which ones you want to throw out.

To get over the initial nerves of getting rid of something you so lovingly bought, think of the process as freeing yourself from unnecessary possessions. This way, you will have a different direction to think in and who knows, it just might work?

Have an Ordered Disorder

Decluttering doesn’t always have to mean you should throw away stuff. You can categorize items and stow them out in an organized way without much hassle.

  • To do that, all you need to do is label the things you wish to sort. Make two piles; keep it and toss it.
  • After you have the two piles ready, begin organizing the items you have categorized as ‘keep it.’
  • Put them in separate boxes based on their urgency of use. Keep the things you will not be needing anytime soon in one container and put it in the garage or any other storage place. For all the remaining items, use organizers to keep them sorted and in reach at all times. 

Focus on Rooms That are the Most Crammed Up 

Storage rooms, garages and attics are often the most stuffed rooms in a home because most homeowners dump all the ‘not-in-use’ items without any system in place.

Use your available time to sort out the messiest rooms. Don’t just cram things from all over the house in your garage or attic; instead, work out a system. Label all the boxes, keep them in neat piles and categorize them in whichever way you like. You can use colors or the utilization of things to organize the stacks of storage containers.

Decide What You Want to Do

Just because you don’t want to use something doesn’t mean no one else can. Many times, things we find useless serve others for many years. So, instead of throwing away items you don’t want to use any longer, donate them or sell them to make a profit.

The internet is bursting with buyers looking for stuff at reasonable prices. Avail the opportunity and put up your belongings for sale on social media or websites to earn a little. And if you are feeling generous, consider donating the thing you have decided to get rid of.

To donate stuff, try the local goodwill center or Salvation Army donation center. If those are closed, then look up online sites to give away your things. Online portals such as Facebook Marketplace and the Nextdoor app allow sellers to list items they wish to put up on the market for interested parties to see and contact. 

And thanks to the e-payment system, you don’t even have to worry about receiving payment. Set up a PayPal account or register with Venmo to receive or make payments without fear of fraud.

Take a Breather and Declutter Your Life

Your overthinking or constant worrying isn’t going to change the fact that the world is in the middle of a pandemic. So why exhaust yourself emotionally and mentally over something that’s so completely beyond your control? Instead of getting worked up about the unprecedented circumstances, do something productive. Getting rid of unnecessary possessions is one way of doing it.