Whether you are selling your house, moving into a smaller space or just trying to make better use of the space you have, you could probably stand to declutter your life. Why not take this opportunity to free yourself from clutter? Bid farewell to the “stuff” it’s only weighing you down. The truth is, many of us have very little free time and often feel pulled in too many directions. When you add piles of stuff to the mix it’s enough to overwhelm anyone.
I know you’ve been meaning to get organized but let’s face it: if for example you have an office filled with stuff, you can spend your time and money on organizing and get it all stored away, but at the end of the day you still have an office filled with stuff. And that clutter is zapping your energy, so let’s lighten your life get rid of it.
Where to begin? Get some boxes and label them: recycle, garbage, for donation and storage. What should go into these boxes? Well, for starters, things that you don’t use on a regular basis, clothes you haven’t worn in the past year and anything you’ve been “meaning to fix”. We often have emotional ties to items, and I’m not suggesting that these aren’t valid. They may not, however, contribute to your current emotional well-being, and if you are feeling overwhelmed your clutter might be contributing to that. So, if you have things you don’t use but can’t bear to part with, like that lamp from Aunt Betty or the t-shirt from college, you have a couple of options. You can put them in a box and label it “memories”. Store the box in a garage and revisit it in six months to a year. Maybe it’s fine to stay in the garage, or maybe you will want to get rid of some of those items when you realize that the attachment to the things is not as important or essential as the precious memories you carry with you always. Another option is to take photographs of the things that are important to you. Maybe you want to combine the images with a story about the memory attached to the item. With your new record of the image, you are free to get rid of the item itself.
Once you make the decision, take action to organize and declutter, clean as you go. This may sound obvious, but if you don’t make it a habit, you’ll find clutter creeping back into your life. Suddenly your house is a mess again, requiring way more energy to clean and declutter again. Train yourself to put things away after you take them out and file paperwork on a weekly, if not daily basis. It’s easy to slip into the habit of intending to put things away later, but be diligent. Schedule 20 minutes a day and/or a couple of hours on the weekend to tidy and organize. By doing it bit by bit on a regular basis, the clutter will be far less overwhelming and you will better maintain a declutter life. Setting rewards may help keep you motivated and besides, you deserve them. You’ve worked so hard to cut down the declutter in an effort to the necessary steps to make positive and emotionally healthy life changes. Take yourself to the movies, get a massage or manicure or schedule a couple of hours to get into that book you’ve been meaning to read (then pass it on!). By making a few simple changes you can declutter your home for good. You’ll be amazed at how much lighter your life will feel.
Organically Yours,
Ingrid