Baby Steps to DeCluttering

Tip #47: Baby Steps to DeCluttering.  (confession: this is a post that I originally posted in September 2010, but as I was messing around with my blogs [I have another blog that I would LOVE you to check out at www.FailuresNeverFinal.com] and I realized that there was a way to see which posts had been viewed the most.  This is my #1 blog post viewed.  It relates to my mission on putting out 100 days of organizing tips, and therefore - I'm repeating.)

As I grow older and our home and my family seems to have stuff that just multiplies on its own, I have a new appreciation for simple and for minimalistic living. You can appreciate, I'm sure, that living in a single family home with my mother, my husband, and our six children, there is lots of "things". These things are in every room of my house and it seems like I will never have it all where I want it. This brings me to address that topic of feeling overwhelmed, specifically feeling overwhelmed by 'stuff'.

When decluttering, it is important to resist the urge to "get it all done now". Many people feel that they need to see significant results in order to find an activity worthwhile. That isn't the case. If you work on decluttering in baby steps, it will still happen, and you will not burn out before accomplishing all that you had hoped to do. Seriously, just take about 15 minutes and just declutter one shelf. When that shelf is cleared off and tidy, celebrate!! Then you can set off to do another shelf, perhaps waiting until the next day. Homes with a lot of clutter can seem so overwhelming, and it is easier just to continue to put it off. Instead of throwing in the towel, just break the project down into steps.

The next step would be to clear it all off! Yep, get everything out of that drawer all at once, or all of the contents off of the shelf, as it may be. It feels so nice to get it empty. . . so, transfer all the contents of the drawer or all of the items off the shelf and put them in a bin or a box or even just on the floor. Just make sure that you get it cleared out and then clean it up. Get the corners cleaned out and all. Finally, go through the contents that came off the shelf or out of the drawer and sort it out – only putting back what you really want to keep. Only really be picky. Only keep your treasures. As questions as you go through things – do I love this, do I need this, could someone else appreciate having it more than me, does it serve a purpose? The trick is to make very quick decisions. Having a garbage bag and a donation bag right there so you can just move, move, move. So pick up your first item and think: throw away, give away, or keep. If it is a keeper, the only thing left to consider is whether or not the current location is the best home for it. Whatever you do, don't put things back into the pile, just force yourself to make a quick decision.

Continue to do this daily and you will see results. You ARE making improvements and you are taking steps to improve the quality of life in your home. The very smallest tasks can yield some very big results – especially with your attitude and sense of accomplishment. So, put that chin up and resolve to 'just get this one thing done' and then when that is done . . . . just do the next thing. :-)

There are 54 days remaining in the year 2011. Are you making progress and do you plan on ending the year feeling accomplished? It is never too late!