Clutter accumulates little by little. It creeps up on us while we are dealing with life, and then all of the sudden we look around and see that piles, heaps and stacks have sprouted up all over our space.
We want to deal with it, but don’t know how to start. Is it possible to organize even if we have very little time?
The good news is “yes”, getting organized is something that can be done bit by bit. Consistent movement in one direction – even if it is small – yields huge results in a period of weeks. Once you make even a little progress, you will find yourself motivated to keep going. What seems tough at first gets easier and easier.
Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Simply stated, to clear clutter you have to start getting rid of stuff. There are a few categories of belongings which are common “clutter offenders”: items we tend to keep beyond their useful life, which in turn litter and cramp our space. By tackling these items – even if it is just a little at a time – you can free up space and correspondingly free up your life. So grab some bags and get ready to walk around your space and start collecting items to get rid of. It doesn’t matter where you start, just hold yourself accountable to do something every day. Lastly, clear an area in the back of your car (and in your schedule) for donations.
CLUTTER OFFENDERS & HOW TO SHED THEM
Find out what's happening in Darienwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Give Away:
Toys:Children grow quickly, toys break, and party favors accumulate. Take a serious look at the toy stash. Do you still use them? Do the kids love them? If not, move them along.
Books:
Books are the ultimate reusable. Unless you absolutely loved it and want to read it again, pass it along to someone else. In actuality, we rarely re-read a book.
Clothing & Shoes:
If you don’t love the way you look/feel in an article of clothing pass it on. If you love it, but it doesn’t quite fit now, its okay to hold onto it while you pursue a weight goal… but make sure you love it! Don’t keep clothing out of guilt (e.g. “But my Mom gave me this…”) because you won’t wear it if you hate it.
Mugs/Sports Bottles:
Most homes have too many of these. Donate them.
Anything you consider ugly:
It is amazing how many items we keep because we “should”, even though we really don’t like them. If you haven’t displayed or used an item for years, you probably don’t like it. Give it away.
Shred:
Old paperwork with sensitive material:
Paperwork piles up like nothing else. You must relentlessly purge it. Shredding should happen at least once a week for any paper with your social security number, account numbers, or personal information. Name and address aren’t necessary, but it doesn’t hurt. Get a small trash can/bin where you can hold “to shred” until you get around to it. Shredding can be a great chore for children.
Trash/Recycle/Safely Dispose:
- Cords & chargers for which you cannot identify a corresponding electronic
- Broken items
- Magazines
- Used up supplies (pencils w/o erasers, dried up markers, notebooks with broken spiral binders)
- Keys which you can’t identify
- Extra copies of old invitations or announcements.
- Freezer items you can’t identify
- Expired food, medications
Again, the key here is to grab a bag and do something every day. Open a drawer, look inside a toy bin, consider items on a shelf, leaf through a stack of paper… and if you encounter a question, contact The Seana Method and we’ll help you. If you want free tips, follow us on Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest.
The time to clear clutter is now – you can do this!
