Help Mom Be More Minimalist

Moms — everyone has one. And this Sunday is the day many among us will celebrate them. You might do that by taking her out to brunch, giving her a day off, flowers, cards or a call.

There’s another option that can help you show you care, however, in combination with one or more of those classic options or separately throughout the year: Help Mom be more minimalist.

No two moms are alike, of course; some are packrats with closets full of clothes and big collections of tchotchkes and gewgaws; some are spartan neat-freaks. Wherever yours fits on that spectrum, she needs help managing and organizing her #stuff.

We at The Organizing Blog were fortunate to have moms who kept everything #neat and #tidy, never allowing unwanted or unused #junk to pile up. But there was nothing they liked more than a little help with their household tasks.

If your mom is getting older, it’s more urgent for you to help her #downsize. There may be many things that are easy to let go, says Aging Outreach Services, but handle sentimental items with care.

If a move to a smaller space is imminent, make an action plan to eliminate everything but the essentials, room by room. Recruit family members and friends to make a day out of a decluttering effort. And most importantly, be patient.

Repeat the process as often as as necessary to get Mom to a refreshed, #decluttered place. It might even be something you can bond over — especially if you have a #garage sale that helps fund a dinner out or a spa day.

Remember, you can schedule as many free #donation #pickups as you want at ClothingDonations.org to get any extra clothing or unused household goods out of Mom’s sight as quickly as possible.

Helping #Mom #declutter is a Mother’s Day gift that keeps on giving. Not only will she appreciate having a cleaner, more organized space, but both of you will cherish the time you spend together.

Get Mom an Organizer for Her Favorite Things

While it won’t necessarily reduce the amount of stuff your Mom has on hand, a good organizer may be just what she needs to keep the household #clutter in check. There are organizing products for every area of the home, By George Organizing says, so if she has a lot of appointments, she might need a new day planner. If she has lots of shoes, jewelry, purses or clothing, there are organizers that can streamline storage. There are bathroom organizers, car organizers and kitchen organizers. And if not everything fits in the newly organized spaces, contact ClothingDonations.org for a pickup.

Help Mom Tackle the Chore of Decluttering

Maybe your mother is like most of us — beset with stuff she doesn’t need and doesn’t know how to let go of. The best way to thank her on Mother’s Day could be to help her tackle the chore of #decluttering! Tune in to Tidying Up With Marie Kondo and make a day of it. Go room by room, editing a few excess items out of each, or concentrate on just one problem area. Then get that excess junk out of Mom’s sight with a ClothingDonations.org donation pickup. Not only will she appreciate the newfound space you helped her clear out, but she’ll also cherish the quality time you spent together.

Give an Experience Instead of More Stuff

Instead of giving Mom a bread maker, Keurig coffee machine or yet another gadget that clutters up the countertops, says The Fun Sized Life, buy her a lesson instead. Perhaps she’d like to try out a yoga session, go to a wine tasting or take a pasta-making class. To give the gift of relaxation, get her a day of pampering that includes a massage and a mani/pedi or facial. On a budget? Make her a card or a photo album and spend some quality time with her. Unless she asks for something specific, you can keep your mother’s #clutter to a minimum and still show you care.

Give Mom Gifts That Don’t Create Clutter

Mother’s Day gifts don’t need to take up a lot of space to be appreciated. Try giving a basket full of her favorite gourmet foodstuffs, a box of fresh fruit or a case of wine, says Abundant Life With Less; such gifts will remind her that you care again and again as they disappear. Another idea? Give a digital course or subscription — it will take no space at all and perhaps expand Mom’s mind. You can also give a gift card toward a stay at an AirBnb or a photo-filing service such as Dropbox, the blog says; either will enrich her life without adding to the clutter.