We brought in the experts.
Experts in their industry who reveal the best advice we have ever heard on the decluttering issue.
Now is your chance to get, and stay, organised.
Let’s look at All Sorted and Cloud 9’s best tips, tricks and strategies on what to do with all that stuff!
It’s not new, and it’s not rocket science, but somehow, letting go of “stuff” is an issue for most of us. Accumulating “stuff” over the years, irrespective of whether it has sentimental value or not, seems to be the bugbear for most of us mere senior mortals.
And, we have it on good authority that scaling down/decluttering/clearing up is therapeutically good for the soul. The end result will give you more freedom and happiness and less stress.
So what are we waiting for?
- Commit to decluttering before you start. Visualise how you want the space to look and function and decide on a time to get it done.
- Be kind to yourself – prevent overwhelm – Work only on one shelf, one drawer at a time. One is inclined to haul out everything out of a cupboard and then is faced with energy fading away before one has even started! Eat the elephant one bite at a time.
- Keep what makes you happy and what you use regularly. When I downscaled, I sat in my garden and wrote down what I loved in each room, doing that made me realise that I had forgotten things, that I thought were very important to me, making it easier to let go.
- Confront your stuff – categorise like with like and you’ll notice how much stuff you have of one kind.
- Use the 4 Box or bag method and immediately decide what needs to happen with an item. Trash, donate, sell, or give-away.
- Linger a while, if you can’t make decisions about certain items. Put it aside and think it through, keep it in a box out of sight for about 30 days and get rid of it when you are ready. Even though I love the saying, “When in doubt throw it out!”
A place for everything, and everything in its place
- Putting something away is so much easier when you know where it belongs. Think about the best spot to put something and ensure that you put it away in the same spot every time.
- It should be easy and logical for you and anyone else using this space. You will soon get into the habit and do it without thinking!
- Organise in a way that is natural to you so that it will be easy for you to find things and put them away again.
- Prevent “hotspots”, places where you put things “just for now” as this is the beginning of a clutter haven. Complete tasks by putting away the stuff you used, before starting a new activity, e.g. wash up dishes and tidy after dinner before going to bed.
- Ensure that everything you own has a home and everyone knows where to put stuff.
- Stop the clutter cycle, follow the one in one out rule especially if you love your retail therapy.
Quality over quantity
- It’s better to have fewer items – all of which you need, love and use; than a home filled with things that have no meaning.
- Remember that your things, photographs, treasures and collections are meant to bring joy to your life. If you cannot see the items, how can they bring you joy?
File, don’t pile and don’t print
- Keep all your paperwork in one spot and then set aside time on a regular basis to sort and file. Make sure you have a filing system that works for you, that’s simple and easy. Open post with a recycling bin handy.
- Think twice before you print unnecessary documents. Try and get as many bills as you can sent to you electronically to avoid more paper pile up.
AND FINALLY
- Set aside time twice a year – change of season is a good time – to try on all your clothes. If a garment doesn’t fit, you haven’t worn it, it’s damaged or you just don’t like it anymore, let it go.
- Encourage family and friends to give you gifts that don’t add to clutter, such as cooking lessons, spa treatments, babysitting – the list is endless.
If all of the above is just too much,
don’t take on the task alone
and consider bringing in a specialist.
https://youve-earned-it.co.za/site/decluttering-at-cloud-9-organised/
https://youve-earned-it.co.za/site/all-sorted-now/