‘Tis the season for making room for more stuff. It’s that time of year where the home improvement stores have bins and boxes front and center to meet the consumer demands of the post-Christmas de-clutter frenzy. We are certainly in this mode in our home and the struggle is real. Whether you are taking the operational lead at your house or you are the designated bin buyer or box hauler, here are a few tips that will help not just today but a year from now. What you do with some of the stuff today will impact whether or not you find yourself rummaging through the same stuff next year.
- Sort before you shop. Rather than go and blindly purchase bins not knowing how many and what size, go ahead and sort the items you want to keep stored or the items you are organizing in a room, attic or garage. Buying bins first leads to overspending, guessing on the sizes you really need and procrastinating the task ahead. Sort first, see what you need, make a list and buy only what you need. When you get back home, you will be done in no time.
- Keep. Give. Sell. Toss. These 4 simple words will help you find a place for every item in the area you are cleaning out or organizing to land. Be disciplined to make sure everything goes in one of these stacks or piles. If you think you MIGHT use something or you are TRYING to come up with a use for it, it’s probably best to say goodbye! Get in the habit of using these simple sorting words throughout the year and you will have less stuff to deal with next time.
- It’s OK to throw away. Many products today are made to be more disposable than those in years gone by. You have probably discovered that buying a new one is often a better route than repair. Fill the trash bags, throw things away and add to your sense of accomplishment. You should only hang on to those things that truly make you smile. Yes, throwing things away adds to the waste already in the environment, but this exercise keeps you from buying things you do not really need in the days to come.
These tips apply no matter how much stuff or storage space you have and will help you de-clutter your home and de-clutter your life. Just get started…
LinetteGreat suggestions! I really appreciate the “sort before you buy” suggestion!