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Make Like Marie Kondo and Declutter Your Apartment. Here’s How

Coping with persistent clutter in your apartment can get exhausting, but ousting those extra items isn’t always easy. An entire Netflix phenomenon has been built upon that very truth. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to declutter (see: said Netflix phenomenon). Follow these tips to get rid of unnecessary stuff in your home.

1. Target specific superfluous items. There are some things it should be easy to part with because you haven’t actually needed them in a decade or longer. These include most DVDs and CDs, paper documents that are now available digitally, wall calendars and takeout menus—basically just about anything paper is out. Recycle and donate these unneeded items.

2. Try the 12-12-12 challenge or the four-box method. For everything else, set up a system that makes it easy to sort out the extras. The 12-12-12 challenge encourages you to find 12 items to trash, 12 to donate, and 12 to return to their proper spot in your home. The four-box challenge takes a slightly different approach. You start with four boxes, each with a specific purpose: chuck, donate, keep, or relocate. Organize as many of your items into these boxes as you can.

3. Take it room by room. If you’re having a hard time figuring out where to begin, focus on a single room at a time. Start by tackling your closet or sorting out the expired and unnecessary groceries lingering in your kitchen cabinets.

4. Commit five minutes every day. You don’t necessarily need to commit an entire weekend to organize your home. Instead, take five minutes every day to do one small task, like tracking down all the paper lists in your home and tossing them in the recycling bin.

9 Things No One Needs Anymore and Should Declutter [Apartment Therapy]
10 Creative Ways to Declutter Your Home [Becoming Minimalist]
How to Declutter Your Home, Room by Room [The Spruce]