Decluttering Indian Homes: Tips for a Calm & Organized Space

The first step to decluttering your Indian home is to find joy in the process. Once you start getting a kick out of your decluttering efforts, it slowly turns into a rewarding habit.

With many Indians moving from their native areas to bigger cities and buying 2bhk, 3bhk or bigger apartments, the need to stay minimalistic is essential. Our homes can quickly feel cramped because of the excessive items we accumulate. This habitual accumulation leads to clutter and chaos, which is not healthy for our peace of mind.

To maintain the sanctity and spaciousness of our Indian homes, we need to develop a habit of decluttering. Imagine your home as a beautiful garden! To keep it flourishing, you need to regularly weed out the unnecessary plants. Similarly, by removing excess items, you create a serene, tidy, and spacious environment.

For example, consider the joy of walking into a well-organized living room where every item has its place, and nothing feels overwhelming. Or, think about the satisfaction of a clutter-free kitchen where you can easily find everything you need. These small victories contribute to a happier and more peaceful home life.

Decluttering can transform your living space into a sanctuary, making your home a place of joy and tranquility. By embracing the habit of decluttering, you ensure that your home remains intact, happier, tidier, and spacious, bringing a sense of calm and contentment to your everyday life.

Habit of decluttering means that whenever it’s about ADDING ITEMS to your home, you must do whatever it takes to keep your home minimalistic.

To first step to developing a minimalistic attitude is to BELIEVE in a simple life. To go for quality and NOT quantity of items!

To make de-cluttering a habit, you must NOT be overwhelmed or feel distressed about OWNING LESS!

The less you OWN, the better!

Decluttering your home means decluttering your life, and that’s indeed a big reward.

Is decluttered life a boon?

Yes! It absolutely is. Having fewer possessions feels lighter, more inspiring, and incredibly satisfying. Decluttering is a self-revealing process.

For instance, imagine living in a bustling urban area like Hyderabad, Mumbai or Bengaluru. Space is limited, and the fast-paced lifestyle can easily lead to accumulating unnecessary items. By decluttering, you not only create more physical space but also bring a sense of order and tranquility to your home. This can make coming back to your apartment after a long day feel like a retreat, providing a peaceful and organized environment where you can truly relax and recharge.

Decluttering in an urban Indian context helps you focus on what truly matters, making your life more manageable and your home a haven of simplicity and calm.

1. Lesser Stuff to Clean
   • Cleaning becomes easier.
   • With fewer household items, the task of cleaning reduces significantly.
   • For example, with just a couple of essential tables and chairs. With fewer items cluttering the floor, sweeping and mopping become so much easier and quicker.
   • Plus, your home appears more spacious and airier, giving a sense of luxury.
2. Less Stuff to Organize
   • Finding household things becomes simpler.
   • With fewer possessions, everything has its place, and nothing gets lost.
   • Think about the times you rediscovered something you bought months ago. With a minimalistic approach, such surprises become rare as you have a better grasp of what you own.
   • A well-organized home means less stress and more time to enjoy life.
3. You Get More Calm
   • Too many things at home can feel overwhelming.
   • A decluttered home provides a peaceful, relaxing environment.
   • Imagine how serene and comforting it is to live in a spacious living room with just the right amount of furniture. It’s inviting, calming, and makes you feel at ease!
   • You will simply love a home that’s not overcrowded, making it a true sanctuary.
4. Your Bank Account Gets Happier
   • By consciously taking a decision not to accumulate things at home, impulse buying is kept in check.
   • With controlled spending, you save more money.
   • Instead of splurging on unnecessary items, your bank balance grows, fostering a habit of saving.
   • Watching your savings account build up brings immense joy and financial security.
5. Lesser Debt with Credit Cards Kept Under Check
   • Avoiding unnecessary purchases helps you steer clear of credit card debt.
   • You have funds available for emergencies and special occasions.
   • Imagine having the financial freedom to take spontaneous trips and vacations. The joy and relaxation of recharging yourself are incomparable.
6. Your Savings Can Be Put to Better Investments
   • With money saved, you gain financial freedom along with a clean and clutter-free home.
   • This prudent management of finances leads to long-term happiness and security.
   • With these savings you can do so much more like starting a business, buying property, or enjoying a comfortable retirement. The ultimate joy comes from financial stability and the freedom it brings.

By embracing a minimalist lifestyle, you not only enhance the beauty and functionality of your home but also cultivate a sense of peace and financial well-being.

How to begin decluttering your home creatively

1. Take one step at a time
   • Take one step at a time, and spend just about 5 minutes each day thinking about decluttering
2. Give away items you don’t need twice a month
   • You could put a number around how many items you want to give away
   • It could begin with 2 items, and gradually go up as you get more and more comfortable
   • Each time you give away the item, also think about the day you bought it, and how you could avoided buying the item and what went wrong!
3. Think donation, and fill a bagful of stuff with it to donate generously
   • Get a bag, and undertake a fast-filling exercise of what all items you can actually live without having donated for a good cause
   • You feel relaxed due to decluttering, and also find a satisfaction for ‘making a difference’ to someone who will USE your donated items

2. • Pick clothes you don’t like, and DONATE THEM
     • Identify items or clothes you don’t like
     • The rule is simple 🡪 you will never feel like wearing clothes you don’t like even if they are COSTLY . Not to think that you will wear them SOMEDAY. That SOMEDAY never comes
     • Get rid of clothes you don’t like
     • It will be very emancipating after you have DONATED THESE CLOTHES
   • Have a list of things you want to de-clutter
     • Create a decluttering checklist. It helps! 
   • Adopt a 5-5 approach every THREE months for household items
     • The rule is simple: 5 items to throw away, 5 to donate
   • Do a roleplay to enter your own home as a CRITIQUE and identify unnecessary items
     • Become a stranger to your own home. Pretend you are entering your own home for the first time, and look at everything around with a FRESH PAIR OF EYES!
     • Critique everything in your own home 🡪 CRITICISE THINGS YOU DON’T LIKE, YOU DON’T NEED 🡪 Make a plan to get rid of them
   • Taking picture of “BEFORE” and “AFTER” a mock-decluttering exercise
     • Choose different rooms of your home each week
     • Do a mock exercise of how your room will look if you were to get rid of some items
     • Rearrange things, and see them WITH and WITHOUT those items
     • Click a BEFORE & AFTER PICTURE of your own home, and figure out how you would like your home to look!
     • This calls for greater commitment, but the exercise of CLICKING PICS to take a decision about items in your home is truly very revealing and exhilarating
       

       

3. Ask help of family and friends to make suggestions for things they feel are useless
   • Have an open mind to it
   • Get your friends to suggest a few BIG ITEMS they feel should be thrown away!
   • Take it with a pinch of salt, sleep over it, and TAKE ACTION 🡪 Find reasons for the items you feel CAN be thrown away 
4. Use 4-classification technique
   • Use the 4-classification technique of classifying each and every item under your roof
   • Items that you can: 1. THROW, 2. GIVE, 3. KEEP, 4. RE-ARRANGE in your home
   • Don’t skip any item even if you feel its super important for your home
   • Sometimes it is an eye-opening experience just to see how many items we OWN, and get the right motivation to get rid of some of them. Especially, getting rid of items that are less USED or don’t have a utility for anyone anymore!

The freedom you get with decluttering is refreshing and rejuvenating besides helping you lead and balanced and relaxed life!

“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.”

–  Joshua Becker

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