The Becoming Minimalist blog says it isn’t enough to declutter; for a lasting effect, you must “de-own” the things you don’t use. Why? Because only improving organization won’t encourage you to make tough decisions or decrease your desire for new things; often, it will just sort them into a place where they are temporarily out of sight. “Carry a trash bag from room-to-room,” the blog says. “See how big of a donation pile you can make. It doesn’t matter so much how you remove [these items], as long as you do.”
Tag: decluttering
Keep Only the Essentials When Decluttering
“A bag a day keeps the clutter away,” according to the Inspired Room blog. Author Melissa Michaels’ 12-month plan offers a systematic method of ridding your home of unwanted stuff. “Only keep what you actually use or need,” she says. “Be ruthless and focused on the end goal: a clutter-free home and the peace that will come with knowing where everything is.” Call ClothingDonations.org for a pickup every month, and your home can be clutter-free in no time.
Start Your Spring Cleaning Now
The calendar tells us that there are still almost two months to go before spring officially starts. And even if your area of the country is already experiencing periods of spring-like weather, the fact is that there really isn’t that much going on during the winter months.
Sports fans have big events to watch on TV, but there are no major holidays until Easter. Sure, you might choose to celebrate Valentine’s Day, Presidents’ Day or St. Patrick’s Day, but these holidays are unlikely to make a big dent in the social schedule.
Take advantage of that extra time by getting a jump-start on your spring cleaning.
The weather may still be treacherous, so instead of thinking about scrubbing and dusting, make your jump-start about decluttering. You can “clear a path” today so that your home is ready for a big scrubdown when the weather improves.
Start with your clothing. By this point in the winter, you know which items you and your family really use during the colder months, and which ones you don’t. Bag up those extra sweaters, fleeces and corduroys and contact ClothingDonations.org for a pickup.
Next, look at the junk you’ve accumulated. Are your closets overflowing with gadgets, tools and tchotchkes that you no longer want — or never did? Box ’em up and “transition” them out of your living quarters so they’ll be ready for the first garage sale of the spring.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, so you’ll make a neighbor’s day even as you relieve yourself of all that stuff. Just don’t try to do all of the decluttering at once, Money Crashers says; pick a closet or room and get it exactly how you want it before moving on to another space.
Once the path is clear, you’ll have the time and space for a quick home-improvement project! A new coat of paint, refreshed bathroom tile or new carpeting will help elevate your mood, and it’s a good idea to get those messy renovations done before you deep-clean.
By the time Easter, Memorial Day and the other big holidays arrive, your house will be spacious, clean and inviting again. And you’ll be able to kick back and enjoy the warmer weather with a renewed sense of accomplishment.
Streamline to Make Your Space Gracious
Want to feel better about your home? One of the best ways is to streamline your stuff, according to HGTV’s “5 New Year’s Resolutions for Your Home.” Without regular purging, it’s hard to find what you really want, the story says, and too much stuff can make your space look dirty and dated. “This year, resolve to go room-by-room periodically clearing anything that you don’t use, wear or love and donate it to charity.”
Keep Your Second New Year’s Resolution
According to Google data, “Get Healthy” is the No. 1 New Year’s resolution in the United States this season, with 62.7 million searches through the first of the year, a 13.8 percent increase over last year. “Get Organized” came in second, however, with 33.2 million searches; if that’s one of your goals, the information that ClothingDonations.org shares this month will help you cut the clutter while funding valuable veteran’s programs.