High school and college life can be overwhelming with assignments, exams, and extracurricular activities. It’s easy to feel stressed and unfocused when there seems to be a lot happening all at the same time. One effective way to boost your productivity is by clearing clutter from your desk, room, and entire space. In this article, we will discuss the importance of working in a clean space and give you useful tips on how to get rid of stuff you don’t need anymore, making your study spot filled with focus and calmness.
The Clutter-Stress Connection
Before diving into the practical tips, let’s talk about the clutter-stress connection. Research has shown that a cluttered environment can contribute to increased stress levels. When you feel chaos in your physical space, you may also feel chaos mentally. As a student, a cluttered room may make it more challenging to focus on your studies and could impact your academic performance.
If unnecessary things surround you, you may unconsciously see that which could in turn lead to stress and lower productivity. A calm space equals a calm mind. By decluttering, you create a more organized and calming environment allowing your mind to focus better on the tasks at hand… AKA studying.
5 Ways to Get Rid of Things You Don’t Need
1. Start Small
Starting to declutter a space can be scary, especially if you’ve accumulated a lot of stuff over time. Start small by focusing on one area of your room or space at a time. Begin with a single shelf, one part of your closet, or your desk. Then after tackling that, move on to a new area and gradually work your way through your entire space.
2. The Three-Box Method
This decluttered technique requires 3 boxes, labeled “KEEP,” DONATE/SELL,” and “TRASH.” As you go through your stuff put each item into the right box and at the end of your decluttering session you’ll know what to put back in place, or to get rid of!
3. Ask Yourself Questions
When deciding whether to keep or get rid of something, ask yourself questions like:
- Have I used this in the last six months?
- Does it hold sentimental value?
- Can I easily replace it if needed?
These questions may help you make more objective choices about what to keep and what to let go of.
4. Make it Digital!
So much can be stored digitally now—if you have notes, documents, or sentimental papers you can scan them and save them on your computer or cloud storage (someplace where they won’t be accidentally deleted). You’ll get rid of piles of paper which may make it easy to access your information!
5. Set a Timer
Set a timer for 15 or 30 minutes each day. Decluttering can be overwhelming, setting a timer creates a designated time for you to clear things out. Breaking the task into smaller chunks is more manageable and achievable.
Getting Rid of Things You Don’t Need
1. Donation Stations
Set aside a designated box or bag in your room for items you plan to donate. When the box is full, take a trip to your local donation center to donate! It helps you clean out your room and it also helps those in need.
2. Recycle Responsibly
Not everything can be donated, and that’s okay! Many areas have local recycling programs for electronics, paper, and plastics to ensure they are being disposed of properly.
3. Embrace Minimalism
Incorporate minimalist ideas in your living spaces. This may help you to maintain a clutter-free environment and may save you money. Practice having open tables and organized shelves with minimal pieces on them. Sometimes less is more!
4. Rotate Decor Items
If you have a collection of decor items, consider rotating them occasionally. This way, you get to see and enjoy all your decorations without feeling overwhelmed with the whole collection being out at once!
How to Clear Space In Your Room
1. Create Storage Solutions
Sometimes it may not always be about how to get rid of things you don’t need in your room, but how you can better store things so everything looks put together. Invest in bins, baskets, or shelves to keep everything organized. Find storage solutions that work best for you and your space. If you’re in college, bed risers are great for creating extra space for storage under your bed.
2. Utilize Vertical Space
If you have a small room, think about how you can use your wall space to store necessary items. Wall-mounted shelves or organizers can be helpful to get clutter off your floor and may prevent your room from feeling cramped.
3. Create a Cleaning Routine
So, you’ve decluttered your space, now it’s time to make sure it stays organized and clutter-free! Creating a cleaning routine will give you a designated time to clean and organize your room each week. Even if a few items get put out of place or thrown across your floor, they won’t take over your room because you have a scheduled cleaning time!
Clearing clutter may be a powerful tool to help you reduce stress and better focus on studying. By using these tips on how to get rid of things you don’t need, you may create a more peaceful environment. So, roll up your sleeves and start decluttering!
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