If you've been reading my posts, you have probably gained some insight on decluttering. While decluttering is extremely important, there is something else you should do in order to expedite this process. What's the best way to reduce the amount of items you need to declutter? Don't bring them into your home in the first place.

That is easier said than done, especially if you live with others who like to bring in new items frequently. That's why I'm here to help you out. Keep reading for 6 simple steps to reduce incoming clutter. These tasks should all take under 10 minutes, so let's get to work!

1. Remove Packaging from Food, Personal Care Items, Etc.

After arriving home from grocery shopping, I used to simply toss the packages into the cabinets without a second thought. My cabinets were overstuffed, and items were getting crushed. If my kids asked for a Fiber One bar, I had to take at least 2 or 3 boxes of snacks out of the cabinet just to reach the one item they wanted. This habit wasn't serving myself or my family. I could barely find what I wanted, the cabinet was a mess, everything was crushed, and food often got shoved to the back of the cabinet until it expired. I knew there had to be a better way to store food in my cabinets.

I searched Pinterest for pictures of kitchen organization and found the greatest tip - remove the packaging! Who would have thought that this one simple step could help to reduce so much clutter?! So, I bought some cheap bins from The Container Store (see image below), removed the packaging from my snack items, and I have been doing it ever since then. This one act has really reduced the amount of clutter in my home and made it so much easier to find what I am looking for. You don't have to take everything out of all the packaging and place it into fancy containers that need to be washed when emptied. I simply take protein bars, granola bars, and other individually packaged snacks out of their boxes while still leaving them in their wrappers. Then, I place the snacks into the appropriate bin, and that's it! It has truly been a game-changer for us. I also labeled the bins, using my Cricut.

2. Immediately Donate Unwanted Gifts

Your mom/grandma/sister cleans out her closet and asks you to take some stuff she doesn't want anymore. You receive a birthday gift that just isn't your style. Your child receives duplicate birthday gifts or doesn't like what the lady next door got him. There are so many ways in which unwanted gifts arrive at our home, and the guilt often keeps them there. If you're struggling with letting go of these items, try thinking of someone else who would appreciate this same item that's causing you stress. Imagine the time and space you will regain by not having to clean, store, and maintain these items. Give the unwanted gifts away, and don't give them a second thought. The act of giving is wonderful, but you don't have to keep the item to be appreciative. Appreciate the thoughtfulness of the giver, and let them go to someone who will truly love them.

For more insight on why you hold onto clutter, check out "8 Reasons you Hold Onto Clutter".

3. Request Electronic Statements Instead of Paper Ones

Chances are you probably have online accounts for most, if not all, of your bills and financial assets. if you feel comfortable remembering to pay your bills and look over bank statements each month, unsubscribing from paper statements is such a great way to reduce incoming mail.

4. Unsubscribe from Subscription Boxes

If you want new clothing or makeup products, I find the cheapest and more minimalist action is to purchase the exact items you want. When you receive boxes of sample products, you may or may not like them. When you don't like them, you may hate to throw them away because it feels wasteful and you spent money on it. I think the best option is to simply let the subscription boxes go and purchase exactly what you want. Even if you're very good about getting rid of unused items, it's still extra work for you. Make your life easier, and buy as needed.

5. Discard Junk Mail Immediately

Embarrassing moment Number 542: I used to have a huge pile of mail sitting on my desk. It included tons of junk mail, catalogs, bills, bank statements, and coupons. There was no rhyme or reason to it. Everything was thrown together, and I had to sift through this huge pile every time I needed to access something important. (Face palm.) 80% of it probably should have been thrown away or shredded immediately, but I didn't want to bother to spend 1 or 2 minutes each day going through the mail. This was not a good choice. 0 out of 10 - I do not recommend this course of action. Choosing to combine all of these items made it much more difficult to find the papers I actually needed, and it was a huge eyesore that got in the way while I was trying to work. One day, I decided to go through the mail as soon as I got it. I shredded and discarded items I didn't need or want. I paid any bills and filed the items I needed. I was able to get rid of about 9/10 of the papers, and I knew exactly where the important items were. No more digging through or adding to paper piles!

If you need extra help on paper clutter, check out my 6 Steps to Simplifying Paper.

6. In with the New, Out with the Old

I'm sure you've probably heard the old saying, "Out with the old - In with the new." I like to say it in reverse order ("In with the new - Out with the old"). When something new comes into your home, something old should go out of your home. If you purchase something, it often should replace something else. Whether you are replacing a pilled sweater, broken dish, or expired medication - the old item needs to go. IF you are purchasing an additional blouse or décor piece that doesn't replace something else, make sure you have a specific place to put the new item and that you aren't keeping more items that you can successfully manage.

I really hope these tips help you keep clutter from coming into your home. Please comment and let me know how you keep incoming clutter at bay. Thanks so much for reading. I'll see ya next time!