The Dreaded 'D' Word - Decluttering! ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌
Decluttering Your Home

Do you remember when you purchased your home and you thought you could never fill up all that extra space? ​If you are like most of us, it didn't take long to overload your closets and fill the nooks and crannies of your basement with items you may...or may not...ever need again.

First, decide what your overall goal is. Have the kids moved on and you're looking to downsize to a smaller, more manageable home? Are the kids returning from college soon and you need to clear space for the stuff they'll bring home? Are you looking for a long-term solution to a clutter problem?

I have one word for you -- categorize! Categorizing your belongings is an effective first step toward lasting results, regardless of your goals.
 
  • Determine which categories you need to tackle. Housewares, small appliances, shoes, clothing, winter coats, CDs, books?! Whatever you need to work on, create a separate 'staging area' for that category. 
  • Choose a category to start with and without overthinking it, just grab items from that category and put them in the staging area. Check every room for items in this category. With all of them in one spot, it makes it easier to decide what to keep.
  • Now you can truly see what you own. Several copies of the same book or LP? Harvest gold and avocado-colored Tupperware with long-lost lids? Dozens of kitchen towels? Let them go!
  • With regard to clothing, it's easiest to work with subcategories --sweaters, jeans, winter coats, shoes, etc. Do you have 20 pairs of jeans, but you only wear 5 of them? Several pairs of shoes that are oh-so-comfortable, but have lost their luster? Does that designer suit fit -- will you ever actually wear it, or are you working from home in sweats like so many of us? Are you holding onto items for so long that they went out of style and came back in style again?!  

You may feel overwhelmed just thinking about decluttering. But when you start small and focus on one category at a time, you will find decluttering achievable and rewarding! Perhaps you could designate one category per week to clean out, or approach categories seasonally as you would put them away. Whatever approach you take, before you know it you'll have a good handle on what you need to keep and what you can gladly part with. There are many ways to donate your items to local charities.

Happy organizing! 

March 26, 2021