So you’re looking to declutter but you don’t know where to start? That’s okay, welcome to the rest of the population. Here’s a guide to help you get started on decluttering your home… FAST!

The FAST method of decluttering was developed by Peter Walsh. His idea was simple, he wanted a system that would be a quick purge for clutter as well as getting as much of the surface clutter out of the way as much as possible. Here’s a simple enumeration of the method:

F: Fix a time

The first thing you need to do is set time aside to do the actual cleaning up. If you live with other people, this step is all the more important as you need all hands on deck for decluttering. When you work with more people, you’ll probably finish decluttering a lot faster, but if you’re decluttering by yourself, you might need to dedicate an hour for a whole week to get things done.

Once you know who you’ll work with for decluttering (by yourself or with another person or two), you’re ready for your next step.

A: Anything not used for 12 months

The first rule of decluttering is to keep in mind that any item not used in the past 12 months does not need to be kept. You can probably think of a few items that don’t fit into this rule, but generally, most items that you haven’t used in the past year don’t need to be in your home. 

With that in mind, ask yourself three questions as you move along the items in your home:

1. 1. Do I use this regularly?
2. 2. If not, when was the last time I did use it?
3. 3. Is it worth the space it takes up in my home just for the chance that someday I might use it again?

If your kitchen is crammed with seldom used appliances or Tupperware, your closets filled with ill-fitting clothes, or your garage packed with forgotten hobbies and miscellaneous items, then it’s time to let go of certain items and clear some space.

S: Someone else’s stuff

This is important to note so say it with me: your home is not a storage facility for someone else’s clutter. If you’ve borrowed things and are not using it, give it back. If you have children and they’re keeping their items in their childhood bedrooms or the garage, it’s time to call them up to tell them it’s going to be disposed of soon.

T: Trash

This step is easy and straightforward. Think of the trash bins and recycling bins as your friends. Look through your home and take anything out of date, broken, stained, or ruined. This stuff is trash and taking up valuable space in your home. 

If you have family heirlooms entrusted to you and they don’t hold any sentimental value to you, perhaps it’s time to let go of these things as well. Once you’ve gathered all the stuff you want out of your home, send a text to your children or other relatives saying their stuff is heading to the garage sale if they don’t plan to get their stuff.

And just like that, you know about the FAST method. Good luck decluttering!