Ok, Clutter bugs!! I have something very exciting to share!

You’ve all heard of, and maybe even own, a Roomba, but have you heard of a Room-box??

Just like the Roomba automatically vacuums the floor, the Room-box automatically declutters your home… kind of!

Here is how it works:

Pick a drawer or shelf you want to declutter. Put EVERYTHING from that shelf or drawer into a box, your Room-box! Use a box big enough to store the entire contents of the entire shelf or drawer. Give your shelf or drawer a quick wipe down so that it’s clean, BUT… don’t put anything back on the shelf or into the drawer… yet!

Anytime you actually use/need something, pull it out of the Room-box. When you’re done using it, find a home for it on the shelf or in the drawer.

Next, pick a timeline for when to get rid of the rest of the contents of your Room-box. Write the date on the box or on a label. I would recommend a date between 2-3 months away from when you first fill your Room-box, but shorter or longer deadlines can work depending on the type of stuff you’re decluttering. If you have a lot to declutter, I would advise sticking with a shorter timeline. You’ll get better results faster, which will keep you motivated and excited!

Once your deadline has arrived, pick up your Room-box and take it to a donation center! There is no need to go through it because you clearly didn’t use or need any of the items at any point during your entire timeline of keeping the box handy! That suggests that your Room-box is now filled with items that you no longer need, use, or find useful!

You don’t actually have to hold each item and make a decision about each item! You simply need to go through your life the way you normally live it and pull out only the things you actually use or need!

Doesn’t that sound refreshing?

There are 3 key actions that make this system particularly powerful!

1. Don’t pull anything out of the box until you are actually needing it or using it! (It can be tempting to pull out a few things right away because “you know you’re going to need it” – but RESIST!! Don’t even put a pencil back into your desk drawer if you don’t need it yet! Maybe, in three months, you’ll notice that you only use pens! Only put away what you use or need – bottom line!)
2. Don’t put anything else onto the shelf or into the drawer! (You now have this empty shelf staring at you! You may think to yourself how great a plant would look on that shelf. If there wasn’t a plant there before you filled your Room-box, resist the urge to put it there now. Give yourself time! The shelf didn’t get messy overnight, so use time as an asset for helping you decide how you truly want to use the space. Keep to the deadline. No need to rush!)
3. Don’t sort the box once your deadline is reached! (The best thing would be if the box itself can also go to the donation centre. That way, you don’t even need to peak at any of it again! How many times are you trapped just simply by seeing an item again and saying to yourself, “Oh, I loved this thing!” Well, don’t look! If you are moving the items from your Room-box to a different bag or box for donation, don’t actually look at things, at least don’t think, just move them over!)

Figure out what your Room-box will be and find a shelf or drawer, and start using it today! If you have some extra space that’s not in the way of the flow of the room, have a couple boxes on the go at once. Just not so many that you forget what is in what box. Pull out easily what you need when you actually need it, and keep only those items!

This method works particularly well in kitchens and bathrooms! These are the rooms that likely have the most clutter in terms of excess or unused/wishful thinking items.

Using your Room-box will allow you to make fewer decisions about all of your stuff AND get big results! It’s a win-win! How great is that?

Thanks for coming home!