On the journey to living a better life with less, the first step is most important. You don’t reach the top of a ladder by jumping all the way up. The safer option is to climb one rung at a time.
The same goes for decluttering. Of course, you could hire a crew to clean up your home, throw all in a big bin, and celebrate success. And honestly, sometimes this is what needs to be done. The odds are high, though, that in a few weeks or months your home will be filled again.
We propose to start small and build the muscle fast. Clean up your kitchen counter every night, and enjoy the fresh look in the morning. Don’t let clothes lie around. Store them away immediately. Pick up your mail and sort through it now, directly trash the advertisements. Don’t pile papers.
There are many small routines you can build easily. Each takes only a few moments or minutes, and the positive impact on how you feel will be enormous. Quickly, you will feel confident enough to start tackling the larger tasks of decluttering.
“If you want to change the world, start off by making your bed.” (Admiral William H. McRaven, 2014)