Ways to declutter

CLUTTER! Yuck!

Let’s face it, we’re all guilty of compiling, well, a lot of junk! Every. So often we all need to take a close look at the things we have and well, if I can be blunt, just deal with it.

A lot of people think they have to deal with it all in one block of time, however, that’s the wrong approach. If clutter has got the best of you, dedicate brief chunks of time to clearing out drawers, cupboards, or crawl spaces to help get yourself started.

Where to start?

• Grab a couple garbage bags, one for trash, the other for donation.
• Make a game plan as to how you want to tackle your mess. Some people like to make lists. Checking off items adds a sense of accomplishment. Or go room by room until each area is nice and tidy before moving on to the next
• Repeat every day for a week and surfaces you forgot about will begin to materialize as if by magic.
• When going through whatever pile, put on your Sorting Hat and ask yourself when you last wore that piece of clothing; used that decorative percolator; reread those notes from university on Ancient Greek and Roman medicine.
• Also, be sure to answer yourself honestly. And maybe don’t be asking all this out loud unless you’re sure that you’re alone.
• Carve out a small chunk of time for yourself, and GO!
• If you want to make a quick buck or two as compensation for your hard work, you could even sell some of your stuff. For example, online tools like Facebook Marketplace or Kijiji are great tools for hocking your wares.

The key is to just start. Take it day by day, room by room, and before you know it, you have a bunch of bags at the door ready to go to the garbage, donation or perhaps your local buy and sell group!