I've been on a journey ever since our last move-a journey of decluttering. You see we had stuff, Actually, not stuff, STUFF! It filled our attic and our garage and our basement. And after we moved and the bedrooms and kitchen and TV room and all our "living space" had been unpacked it turned out we still had STUFF. We packed it up and paid someone to move it, and yet as a year in our new home approached we hadn't needed or even really looked at the STUFF. Some of it was still in boxes. So some of our stuff had to go. It wasn't easy and it's still a work in progress, but
Now, some of the stuff was easy-we didn't want it or need it and we were able to donate or recycle it easily. When that process was over we still had boxes and bags and piles of stuff and this is where the hard thoughts came into play.
- I spent a lot of money on this! I started telling myself that the money was spent and gone and holding onto the item wouldn't make the purchase "worth it." If I truly no longer needed or wanted, something then it was okay to let go. I have also become more conscious of what I buy.
- It was a gift, I have to keep it! This is such a common thought, but I do take the time to remind myself that a gift, once given, is mine. If it is not useful, I already have one, I don't like it or many other reasons, keeping it just contributes to the clutter. It is ok to let it go.
- This is a lot of work! Ok, I agree with you on this one, but the thought of having an easier-to-clean house, having a playroom for my little kids or a hang-out space for my bigger kids keeps me going. And I asked for (and received) help! Some of it was from friends and family, and some of it was the help of a professional organizer and decluttering expert. And it wasn't always the heavy lifting, sometimes it was watching my kids so that my husband and I could be fully engaged in the process without distractions.
Also, speaking out loud about decluttering has given me the chance to help others. I use both our local Freecycle and buy-nothing Facebook groups and love answering a request that someone has. And as I pile up clothes my kids have outgrown or toys no longer played with, a quick picture and post on those groups helps out another family.
So what are my tips to make this as painless as possible?
- Gather help-in whatever form you need. Babysitter? Accountability partner? Cheerleader? Just figure out what you need and ask for it.
- Be well rested and well fed before you start a session. Hard work plus too little sleep or a hungry belly will lead to frustration and frustration will lead you to quit.
- Schedule your sessions in blocks. This is not a one day project, but rather multiple days or weeks or months. The key is to be consistent and find the period of time that works best for you. After trial and error, I've found that 2.5 hours is perfect for me. I schedule those 2.5-hour blocks and tackle one area at a time.
- Speaking of where to start, pick one area or room! If you finish before your block, great, then pick a new area but working on multiple areas at once will just leave you frustrated.
- Have your supplies. I use boxes for donations, black trash bags for trash, white trash bags for clothes and soft donations, and baskets for items that need to be put in a different room. Have lots of supplies! I bring multiple boxes and baskets and rolls of trash bags for each session.
Above all, have a little fun with yourself. Laugh as you pull out a super trendy outfit from a few years ago you wouldn't dare wear today. Remember when your kids played with a toy endlessly before they outgrew it? If you're working with your kids (daunting, I know) show them little mementos of the person you were before you had them. That last one has actually happened as my oldest found photos of me singing and playing the violin-two things she had no idea I used to do!
And when it's all said and done, remember the great feeling of accomplishment and put some steps in place to keep the "stuff" under control!
Check out this article from my Macaroni Kid colleague who gives tips for keeping tidy in 5 minutes a day! It also featires a free printable decluttering checklist!
