“The first step to getting what you want is to have the courage to get rid of what your don’t.”
~Zig Zigglar
Declutter — What is all the buzz about?
Chances are, if you read this blog, you have some interest in your interior environment, and you may be tuned into how your space impacts your energy. You may have heard about certain home organization techniques or applied some yourself. I am not here to claim to be an organization expert because I have my own struggles with certain areas of clutter. By no means am I a hoarder though because I understand very well how clutter and unkempt spaces lead to a lack in other areas of life. By no means am I a minimalist either, so if you are here to learn how to be, this might not be the blog for you.
For my first blog in the Declutter category, I want to offer some tips that have helped me and might help you to initiate change and start the purge of your storage spaces. You know, the spaces that you close away and don’t look in until you need something random. When we clear these spaces out, we make room for new energy to flow.
Here are the Hot Tips
1. Start with the problem areas. (Eat the frog!)
- I always find this to be a strange saying but it really makes sense. Once you tackle the biggest problem area, you gain momentum to move onto the rest.
- My personal problem area is paper. I have worked out my own method of combating this problem. First, by getting E-bills for as many items as possible. Next, I refuse paper flyers or anything when it is offered to me (I know it will only contribute to the problem). For everything that is left, I organize piles, filing strategically, and shred documents with personal information that is not filed. See images from my process below.
2. Be patient with the purge.
- As you start the process of decluttering, it might start to feel messy and overwhelming. This is normal. It will feel worse before it gets better so be patient and go easy on yourself with the process.
- Nostalgia and memories are bound to come up. Honor those memories and remember that you can always start a category to go through sentimental items another time or a later date.
3. Sort into KEEP, SELL, DONATE, & TRASH categories.
- This method might work for some people and also some areas of storage/clutter.
- A general rule of thumb: If you haven’t used and/or worn an item in 2 years or more, you should consider putting it in the SELL, DONATE, or TRASH categories.
4. Use auspicious numbers to Feng Shui to help motivate getting rid of items.
- Get rid of 1, 3, or 9 items for 27 days in a row. If you miss a day, start the ritual over.
5. Hang a Feng Shui crystal ball
- Hang or place a 30 to 50 mm Feng Shui crystal ball in problem areas of clutter and storage. This will shed light on the problem area and motivate the process of beginning to clear clutter.
6. Repurpose items
- This tip is not for everyone. In fact, if the idea of repurposing, creating another project, or it will linger as clutter longer come up at all, do not consider repurposing items.
- Some items that are easily repurposed are old t-shirts that can be used as dust rags or made into tote bags.
7. Host a clothing swap
- If you have clothing items that are in good condition and you do not want to go about the task of selling them, consider organizing a clothing swap between friends. This can be productive and fun for everyone involved.
8. Organize your life.
- Using whatever means necessary, get things organized. Whether this means a trip to the store to get bins and other organizing tools, or using what you have (i.e. sturdy boxes, etc), get items into a place.
- Once you have a place for items, maintain the organization.
9. Be grateful!
- We live in a society that promotes the accumulation of “things”. Purging is not always an easy process. In fact, it can be very emotional for many. Show items gratitude as you get rid of them. Not only will this help you go through the process, but it will help invite gratitude into all areas of your life.
