Traditionally the new year is a time of reflection and goal setting. Unless you are like me. If you follow any of the enneagram profiling; I am a 3 and we like to achieve. So, I set a lot of goals, in fact, one year my goal was to set fewer goals. Anywho…whether you set a goal or not this year, having more time and less stress is always valuable. But how do we work that into our new year plans?
You probably need to move.
Just kidding. But for reals. You can reduce your stuff by decluttering like you are moving.
When I was brainstorming the start of my professional organizing business, I contemplated using the moving process as motivation. The idea would be to rent a Pod and pack up each room like you were moving. The time spent packing would be used to evaluate each item; keep, donate, or discard. Then with a clean slate envision the space and only move back in what is needed. I still think this is great in theory, but not many people want to take on the monumental task or time of moving if they are not actually moving. And talk about stress. Probably just mentioning the word elevated all your stress levels. Sorry about that, you can relax now.
We can however tackle decluttering like we are moving. I’ve helped a few people move in my time and regardless of who it is or where they are going, they always seem to have lots of stuff they are now willing to throw away or donate. So why was this taking up our time and space in the house they were living in?
“The truth is most of us don’t have an organization problem; we have an own-too-much-stuff-problem.” – Zoë Kim
How will decluttering help us live more fully and with less stress, you ask? Well, I will tell you. One of my favorite side effects of living with less and creating systems for being organized is less stuff equals less stuff to clean and manage. Makes sense, right? But there are also a few other benefits that just add to the whole beautiful process.
- It makes keeping track of things easier. You don’t have to spend as much time/frustration looking for lost items
- There is not as much visual clutter, so your mind doesn’t have to work as hard to process things. This bene is a bit more sciencey and I am not a scientific person, but it is for real. I promise!
- Having a well-ordered home helps us move in the world more freely and with more confidence. Again, there is science to back this up and that is not my thing. But I know this to be true.
“Once we give up being attached to the physical possessions, we find the time and freedom to follow bigger dreams.” – Joshua Becker.
Set your intentions for this process. What is your why? Do you want to make sure you aren’t leaving this burden for someone else to take care of? Are you just ready to live with less stuff? Are you actually moving or planning to move to a smaller space? This set is an important step. Knowing your why will help you move through the messy middle. It is also a good idea to think about how you would like to use and live in each space. It is a play area? A working area? A place to hang out? Knowing how you ideally want to use the space helps you decide what will stay and what can go.
Be brutal. Remember we are pretending to move. So really consider each item and whether you want/need it in your “new” space. Remember it is not so much what you are getting rid of but what you are gaining by creating a clutter free space. Instead of filling our space with distraction we are curating a home filled with only the things that we love.
“As I am both lazy and forgetful, I can’t take proper care of too many things. That’s why I want to cherish properly the things I love.” — Marie Kondo
Know that you don’t have to tackle it all in one day. If the thought of spending hours or maybe days decluttering is just too overwhelming commit to 20 to 30 minutes a day. Make it manageable and doable. In times of doubt remember your why. If you are a visual person, take a minute to picture your house completely decluttered. You can always set the hard stuff aside and deal with it at a different time.
Since we are on the subject of hard stuff, know that working through your accumulated stuff will be hard. Both physically and emotionally. Allow yourself the room and the grace to feel all the feels. This is where setting the hard stuff aside and working through it later maybe be handy. Create a box for the items that you are just not sure about. Don’t let the emotions derail your intentions. Also know that I plan on posting some helpful hints on dealing with the sentimental items in the next couple of months.
Now, that we know why we are doing it and have a plan of attack. Grab a bag for garbage, a box or two for donations, a bin for items that need to go to someone else or be dealt with (broken or missing pieces), and don’t forget a special box for sentimental (or hard to place) items. Go room by room starting in the easier spaces. I recommend this order, but make it your own:
- Living room and Family room
- Bedrooms – not including the closets
- Now the closets
- Bathrooms and laundry room to include the linen closet
- Kitchen and dining area
- Storage areas – toy room, craft space
- Garage
Once each room is complete, celebrate it. I like to take before and after photos. Not just for social media content, but to document the success of it. Pictures also help the decluttering process. Looking at a room through a picture will often show you clutter that you don’t see by just living in the space. This gets sciencey again, so you just have to trust me on this one. Give it a go and let me know what you think. But really brag about your accomplishment. Relish the new feeling of space and creativity. Sit in your newly “moved” space and enjoy your view.