This diary is for anyone who wants to clear the clutter in their home. I might do another diary about other kinds of clutter, like emotional clutter. These are some things that I have found helpful. Thought it can be a difficult process, clutter-clearing can feel cathartic, and can give one a sense of control when life can feel out of control. It can also provide a sense of accomplishment which one can use as a stool to step up to greater accomplishments.
- Determine the area you are to be addressing.Some people feel better taking on a small portion of their home, something that they are not overwhelmed by and that they can accomplish with relative ease. In the home of someone who hoards, this can be just one pile, while others might feel comfortable focusing on the whole garage.
- Choose a specific starting point.Look at your area, and decide how it is that you want to proceed. Are you working from left to right? Are you looking at an area and selecting like items and addressing them first? Sometimes it's easiest to do something like going from left to right and working systematically, so as not to get overwhelmed even by a small area. Choose one box or pile, then another. Do not abandon a box or collection of items for another collection.
- Ask yourself questions about each item or group of items. Have you used it within the last year or two? Does it have a specific function that it serves? Does it elicit a strong emotional response? How realistic/likely is it that you will use it in the near future? Don't forget that spending a lot of money on something is not a good enough reason in and of itself to keep the thing around. It doesn't justify the purchase, it just ends up eating more of you up, but this time rather than money, it's your space.
- Separate items into keep/donate/sell/trash containers.If you plan to sell any items, ask yourself "what information do I have that this item is of value?", "what is it worth to me to take the time and energy to post it for sale?", "Will I realistically post this item for sale in the very near future?".
- Ask yourself if items are being displayed/cared for properly. What good are figurines doing if they're packed away in a box? Can you put your dried wedding bouquet in a vase in your house and show it off? How many other ways can you think of you to use things that mean something to you that you want to keep? Mix it up a bit!
- Reorganize your "keeps". Put like items together in storage bins, big plastic tubs, not boxes, if you can afford to. Plastic tubs are more durable, easier to stack, easy to label, and more resistant to bugs and inclement weather. Put tax stuff in one tub, memorabilia in another. Label well.
- Review. Do you have enough space for everything you chose to keep? Does it feel cramped in your living space? Are there items that you never see, things that you buy more than one of because you "lose" the other in your stuff? Evaluate whether you have pared it down enough or not, or if you need to make changes-get a storage space? Seriously consider whether you want to pay to house your things.
There are so many beautiful things in this world, but you don't have to own all of them. They can be appreciated from afar. Oddly enough, when you have less stuff you can feel as though you have more. You know what it is that you do have, and have easier access to it.
I think I have to go to sleep now, but I'd love to hear anyone else's thoughts about clutter. I will check back a little later.