De-Cluttering Your Home

Free Your Space and Free Yourself

Whether downsizing is imminent or a “some day” thing, one of the first steps to take is de-cluttering.

Like most of us, you probably hold on to clothes, furniture, and household items “just in case” you need them some day. In addition, you may have inherited other people’s treasures and/or the “temporary” storage of belongings that were left behind when the kids left.

Sorting and clearing clutter is a chore that’s avoided not only because of the time it takes, but the emotional upheaval involved.

Karen Kingston, author of “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui” gives her view on de-cluttering:

“People hold onto their clutter because they are afraid to let it go--afraid of the emotions they may experience...afraid they will make a mistake and later regret getting rid of something…Clutter clearing can bring up a lot of “stuff” to be faced and dealt with and intuitively everybody knows it.”

On the bright side, however, Kingston goes on to say:

“Letting go of clutter leaves you free to be you, which is the greatest gift you can ever give yourself.”

Pitch It, Keep It, Or Give It Away

Choose a day to begin de-cluttering. Mark it on your calendar. Schedule two to three hours for the job. Most experts agree that three hours of sorting and making decisions is about all one can handle - and still be willing to come back another day.

Pick a room. Have three boxes or containers - one marked “Give Away”; one marked “Pitch It”; and one marked “Keep It”.

In the “Pitch It” box, throw out anything that is broken or not worth fixing. Any bills, invoices or papers with personal information should be shredded or burned to prevent identity theft.

The “Keep It” box is for items that you intend to keep but can be packed away in preparation for the move.

Be strict with yourself. Before putting an item in the “Keep It” box ask yourself: “Have I used this item during the past year?” “If I knew someone else would use this item, could I give it away?”

Items in the “Give Away” box should be clean, in good shape, and in working condition. Ask yourself: “Is this item in good enough condition for someone to buy or use again?” If you wouldn’t buy it, then probably neither would anyone else.

Options For The “Give Away” Box

Give your family a “heads-up” that you are de-cluttering. There might be pieces that have little meaning or value to you but have sentimental value for them. A treasure for Bill’s daughter was the old, rather worn star that had always been at the top of their Christmas tree.

Hold a garage sale. It’s an easy way to dispose of your “Give Away” items and earn extra cash. If you don’t want to organize the garage sale on your own, ask a family member or friend for help in return for part of the proceeds.

If you don’t want the work of a garage sale, check with local consignment stores in your area. They pay you a percentage of any item sold on your behalf. You can also sell goods through websites such as craigslist or E-bay.

For your antiques and specialty items, contact a local antique dealer. Again, ask friends for a recommendation. The dealers may be willing to pick the item up from you, saving you the time and effort of delivering it yourself.

Family Photographs

If you are like me, you have photographs stored in shoe boxes and plastic bags. Sorting through them is a rainy day project.

Start by discarding duplicates, out of focus, and irrelevant photos. You can sort the rest by year and event or group them by family member. The photos you wish to keep can be scanned on to your computer. Divide family groupings amongst your family.

Storing photos on your computer saves space but the drawback is you don't view them often. A digital photo frame solves that problem. It’s similar to a running power point presentation only this time it’s a collection of your favorite photos.

Books

If you enjoy reading as I do, letting go of books can be difficult. I still have a complete set of Anne of Green Gable books, a birthday gift from my mother. My best suggestion is to hold onto the books you really love. The rest can be donated to your local library (you can borrow them again!), sold to a second hand book store or as part of your garage sale.

Is It All Too Much? Hire A Professional

If the idea of de-cluttering and sorting seems too much, consider hiring a professional organizer to do the job for you. Many are experienced with downsizing and are sensitive to the emotional impact of the process.