An idea for today and this weekend is to delve into the spots in your home that contain hidden clutter. We are empty nesters, so there are multiple extra closets that have begun to accumulate stuff that just needs to be shoved out of the realm of everyday living. I am going for the jugular in those spots. If it's never used, why keep it? There are books, old sports equipment, clothes, etc. that need to be sorted and evaluated for whether they are worthy to take up space.
One excellent method is to take everything out, sort it, and only return those items that are useful or beautiful to you. (Why would I keep something beautiful to me tucked away in an unused closet??)
Let's get to it this weekend!
Friday, January 29, 2016
Thursday, January 28, 2016
Conflicting Messages
I was walking through the grocery store yesterday when I overheard a woman tell her friend about what she's been doing the past few snowed-in days. "I've been decluttering!" I wanted to run over, give her a hug, and ask her about her plan. I refrained to save my dignity.
I've read many books on decluttering by great authors such as Don Aslett, Lorie Morello, Francine Jay, and others. Most were the same theme,
"Little by little, you, too, can have a decluttered home."
However, I've recently acquire the bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
She advocates a very different philosophy of decluttering which threw me for many weeks as I've thought about it. She says you should totally declutter all at once, over maybe a period of 6 months, rather than a little here and there. She says to make a commitment to totally go through everything in a short period of time, keeping only those items that are useful or give you joy. Her reasoning is practical: people who get their spaces decluttered will love it so much, seeing it simplified with plenty of space and order, they will not again regress into a cluttered lifestyle.
I guess the question is, do we have the time to devote to a massive decluttering effort this year? If so, do you need help and support to do it? I have enjoyed her book, and will continue thinking on her philosophy versus mine, which has been a little each day. Mine worked for me, but friends who have trouble keeping down the mess, her method might be a better way.
I will try to encourage you along the way in your efforts by giving ideas whether you're going for the massive cleanup or just a little at a time. Some will be repeats of years past, but I so believe in keeping "stuff" manageable, I think it's worth sharing thoughts on this topic throughout the year.
On that note, I am still going to be mentioning one area per day you can attack for decluttering. Having dug through the recesses of a spare closet, I found several dresses for special occasions that I won't wear anymore or never looked good in in the first place. They are going into my Goodwill bin.
I've read many books on decluttering by great authors such as Don Aslett, Lorie Morello, Francine Jay, and others. Most were the same theme,
"Little by little, you, too, can have a decluttered home."
However, I've recently acquire the bestseller, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo.
She advocates a very different philosophy of decluttering which threw me for many weeks as I've thought about it. She says you should totally declutter all at once, over maybe a period of 6 months, rather than a little here and there. She says to make a commitment to totally go through everything in a short period of time, keeping only those items that are useful or give you joy. Her reasoning is practical: people who get their spaces decluttered will love it so much, seeing it simplified with plenty of space and order, they will not again regress into a cluttered lifestyle.
I guess the question is, do we have the time to devote to a massive decluttering effort this year? If so, do you need help and support to do it? I have enjoyed her book, and will continue thinking on her philosophy versus mine, which has been a little each day. Mine worked for me, but friends who have trouble keeping down the mess, her method might be a better way.
I will try to encourage you along the way in your efforts by giving ideas whether you're going for the massive cleanup or just a little at a time. Some will be repeats of years past, but I so believe in keeping "stuff" manageable, I think it's worth sharing thoughts on this topic throughout the year.
On that note, I am still going to be mentioning one area per day you can attack for decluttering. Having dug through the recesses of a spare closet, I found several dresses for special occasions that I won't wear anymore or never looked good in in the first place. They are going into my Goodwill bin.
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