How to Declutter your Space

If you ever held emotional ties to your belongings... even if you haven't used them since your early teens... don't worry, you are not alone. It can be hard to part from our possessions. However, we have to think about our items in relation to if they serve a purpose or if they cause a problem. My very wise aunt used to tell my mother "if I have not used it in the last 6 months, it gets the boot". If you live in the Northern sphere of America, where our climate gets way too cold, this might be an impossible rule to follow. However, if you used that excuse to why you need to hold on to your prom dress from 1984, you might need to reevaluate some things.

I learned how to separate emotional connection to my possessions early after moving out of my childhood home. This allowed me to move across the country a few times and avoid the additional cost of lugging my stuff everywhere with me. Here is the simple 3 question prompt I ask with every item under evaluation:

1. What purpose does it serve right now?

2. Is it easily replaceable if I miss it?

3. How much $ value does it hold?

Without failure, this always helps me decide on keep-or-toss.

There are five piles you have to build when decluttering:

• keep pile

• recycle pile

• unable to recycle, must be thrown out

• sell pile

• donate pile

Now, let us get to the fun part... DECLUTTERING!:

First step is to decide what room you will be attacking. I will use a bedroom as the example. I will start with the biggest offender of clutter, my closet. I will take out ALL of my clothes (by section) and lay it on my bed. Then piece by piece I will form my 5 piles. I will repeat this process until I hit all points of my room: closet, bed, side tables, ect... *This is also a good opportunity to restructure how you organize your space. You better than anyone knows if the system you have is working or not.*

Reorganizing your space is a great opportunity to invest in organizational tools for labeling and organizational systems such as these 3-tier sliding drawers, an external customizable closet wardrobe rack, or a label maker.

For items that I know I need to keep but do not have immediate need for, I will store with space friendly organizers like vacuum storage bags. I also try to avoid using cardboard boxes for storage because they usually do not last as long as I need and they also do not fully protect my stuff. I use these plastic storage bins because 1)they stack nice and neat, and 2)they protect all my stuff... forever...

Here are the FOUR solutions for items you have decided to part with:

DONATE:

There are so many places to donate your "still in good condition" stuff. We immediately think of places like Goodwill and The Salvation Army which are fine choices, but historically are not as ethical as we all come to think. There are tons of community outreach groups that might need donations, especially clothing, linen, and personal hygiene products. Some groups to keep in mind are

• women's' shelters

• domestic violence shelters

• general houseless shelters

• and animal shelters

  It is also a good opportunity to start a relationship with giving back to your community! Be aware that sometimes these groups do not have use for all of your stuff, so you might have to turn to a local thrift store. A repurposed item is still significantly better for the environment than it ending in a landfill.

RECYCLE:

I was recently introduced to textile recycling companies like Thousand Fell (not sponsored) who will accept certain clothes and send a free shipping label. In return they will give you store credits to their apparel store! They will even accept undergarments!

If you have a large quantity of textiles or recyclables, google search "(*specific type of recycled material*) recycle centers near me" and I guarantee there will be tons of resources around you. Unfortunately there are not any reliable tracking sites yet that collect that type of data.

Remember, if you have a niche recyclable item (such as electronics, or prescription eyewear), there are organizations that will gladly take them off your hands.

TRASH IT:

Unfortunately, there will be some stuff that are not eligible for donation, or recycle. The parameters are if they are a biohazard (stained with bodily fluids...), or stained with harmful chemicals. Use your better judgment on this and try to limit is as much as you can. Remember, it is NOT your fault that we have to throw some trash out, but the systems around us that limits what we are able to control.

SELL IT:

"One man's trash is another's treasure" as they say. If you are parting ways with big items like furniture or other items of that value, SELL IT!! Places like Facebook Marketplace and Offer up make it so easy to list your goods. A few points I learned overtime is 1) keep your title simple. It needs to be catchy, to the point, and describe your item clearly. 2-Be AS detailed as possible in your description. Talk about how long you have owned the item, how you used it, its condition and most importantly WHY you are selling it. Again, use your better judgement on what is worth selling online and how much you should be charging. The general rule I follow is to take around 20% off what I bought the item for and generally that does not fail me. However, be cautious on these sites because there are A LOT of scammers. If they ask for your phone number and address before you even start making a deal, report that account and block them immediately.

I hope what you read here today has helped give you a little guidance on how to start decluttering your home. Unfortunately, there is no magic fairy that will come and do it for you and it will take time and effort, but the feeling after you finish is priceless!

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