Leo Babauta's tips: how to get rid of trash in an apartment

A cluttered home is not only a constant search for the right things and a bad atmosphere, it is a projection of your inner world, of what is going on in your head. Here are some tips from Leo Babauta on how to start getting rid of the trash in your home and discover a new world without unnecessary things.

The longer a person lives in one place, the more he accumulates unnecessary things: cute souvenirs, boxes of equipment, old things that need to be thrown away for a long time, and other garbage that "may come in handy." The famous blogger Leo Babauta, who promotes minimalism as a lifestyle, also suffered from this bad habit - saving up mountains of rubbish at home, but he managed to get rid of it. Read his advice on how to "clean up" your home and why each person needs to do it.

One of my favorite habits, which I have acquired since I changed my life nine years ago, is maintaining order in the house without accumulating junk. Now I understand that I have always hated clutter, but I did not let myself think about it, because such thoughts were unpleasant.

The thought that I would have to clean up so many things just scared me, and I always found something to do or suddenly felt tired - in general, I procrastinated.

But then I decided to get rid of the rubbish anyway; gradually, one pile of things at a time, I started to clean the house, and it worked out. It was just a discovery, mostly because I had no idea that I could do it until I did. What is even more amazing and beautiful - along with the rubbish, irritation and devastation left my life.

That is, putting things in order in the house meant not just cleanliness, but also a peaceful life in the spirit of minimalism. Now I spend less time cleaning, keeping order and even finding the things I need. I spend less money on things and store less things. I hardly get attached to things.

Here is a small guide for anyone who wants to get rid of the trash in their home for a long time. Of course, this process will not be instant, and you can't even call it fast - it can take months before your house gets rid of the trash. But if you do it right, the process itself will be fun and fun, and ultimately it will lead you to inner freedom and empowerment.

1. Start small

The mountains of rubbish can be overwhelming, and so we put it off until it never comes. The best thing I can think of to do is to concentrate on one small point in the house and start there.

A good example is a kitchen unit, table, or shelf. Clear everything at the intended point, leave only what is really needed. Put the items back neatly and sort the rest. Something will have to be thrown away, something will have to be donated or sold. Sorting will only take you 10 minutes, and you can return items that are not useful to you later.

2. Disassemble in parts

So, you have freed a small part of the house from trash. Great, you will feel proud of yourself and enjoy the work done. But what about the rest of the house? It's still full of junk. Give this activity 10 minutes a day, or more if enthusiasm awakens.

If you have free time on weekends, you can do a large chunk of work and clean up a lot more than on weekdays. If you feel like it, you can even spend your entire weekend picking up the trash.

3. Use a simple method

Stack all the items from one part of the house, such as all the drawers on the desk, into one pile. Take one thing out of this heap and ask yourself, “Do I love her? Do I use it? If not, then feel free to throw it away. The main thing is not to postpone the decision until later.

If the answer is yes, find a specific place for her, her “home”. If you love something or really need it, it deserves to get its place, where you will return it every time you use it.

As soon as you decide on one thing, get the next one and repeat all over again. If you work fast and make decisions quickly, you can sort a bunch of things in 10 minutes (unless the heap is huge, of course).

4. Immediately put in the trunk

Items that are no longer needed should leave your home as soon as possible. To do this, put them in a bag and in the trunk of your car. On occasion, you throw them away or give to someone. If you don't have a car, put bags of unwanted items next to the door so you don't forget to throw them away.

5. Talk to family members (roommates)

If you live with other people, they will be surprised when you start getting rid of the junk. You should talk to them before starting. Explain why you are doing this, and have them also participate in making decisions about things.

No need to press or persuade, just try to talk, tell, maybe show this article. If they disagree, that's okay. Take away your personal trash, only your belongings, and show them the result. Perhaps, when they see all the benefits, they will agree to change.

6. Track Your Resistance

In the process of getting rid of the trash, you will most likely have internal resistance. Even if you are not using the item, when the time comes to get rid of it, there may be a strong reluctance to do so.

For example, it could be a photograph of a loved one, a gift from a family member, memorabilia from a wedding or travel, or something else. It's amazing how we associate objects with memories and love for other people.

In fact, there is no love in these useless things - it is within you. So getting rid of the trash, leaving only feelings inside is a useful practice.

7. Enjoy the process

If you start to think of getting rid of the trash as another boring homework, there will be no progress. You are more likely to make excuses for yourself to get rid of this unnecessary routine.

Instead, see getting rid of the trash as a process of liberation, a step towards inner completeness and clarity. Smile while sorting and throwing away unnecessary things, focus on your breathing, on your body, on your movements, on your feelings about the things that you are taking apart. This is a good practice, and I recommend that everyone do it.

These steps will not help you get rid of the junk in one weekend. But you can enjoy the process itself until you completely get rid of the trash and your home is transformed. You will love these changes as much as I love them.