When we think of decluttering we think we need to get rid of everything, which conflicts with those who live on a low income. Why? Because when living on a low income you buy in bulk and tend to save/stock up on things which in turn creates clutter!
I have a ton of kids clothing that people like to drop off for me to go through, now any normal minimalist person would say “Heck NO!”
Why? Because they follow the zero clutter rule and those who have money would be able to simply buy what they needed as their kids grow.
Those of us on a low income LOVE to receive second hand clothing, because kids grow so fast!
Finding the proper storage however will help keep your clutter to the minimum, which is one of the 5 tips below.
How to declutter on a low income?
Luckily there are some tips and tricks that can help you declutter your home and still live a low income lifestyle. If you hate decluttering or have never really done so then check out these 10 creative ways to declutter your home from Becoming Minimalist, just to get an idea then come back and check out these 10 ways to declutter on a low income.
5 Simple Ways To Declutter Your Home On A Low Income
1) Downsize on things that cost you money
For this I am talking about our ‘wants‘ not our ‘needs‘, if we have items that we don’t really need and are taking up space and money those are the things you will want out first.
For example, I had 2 fish tanks, one massive tank and a smaller tank. The smaller tank was in use but no one in my household really cared for the fish, I always ended up feeding them and cleaning the tank, not the kids! So I sold both tanks and the fish, which gave me way more space (mainly from the large tank) and I was saving money from not having to run the smaller tank.
2) Invest in proper storage
Having the right storage in place will help keep your home looking clutter free and you get to stock up on items. Most minimalists will say to only have one of everything, but on a low income that simply isn’t realistic (we can’t only have one pen)!
You can find some great storage ideas for your items on Pinterest if you need some inspiration.
3) Don’t Compare Yourself
Everyone is different, so what might be important to stock up on or save for one person won’t be the same for another!
Go easy on yourself and really decide what you can and cannot go without.
4) Take it Slow
I cannot say how many times I have tried cleaning out my home only to get overwhelmed. I would bounce from one area/room to the next and then feel like I got nothing accomplished!
The best thing to do is focus on one area at a time, then move on to the next.
I would give yourself a month to clean out your entire home, each day make one thing a priority.
5) Will You Need To Buy It Again?
This is probably the most important question you will want to ask yourself when it comes to decluttering on a low income.
So as you are going through your items, ask yourself “am I going to need this in the next year?” If yes then add it to storage, if no then toss it.
Always organize your remaining items, I like to wait until I am finished before I start organizing or again I get side tracked and end up not finishing my task.