Do you have too much stuff? I can relate! For some reason we seem to end up with a lot of excess things that we just might be able to use “someday.” We get nice “hand me downs” from relatives who are downsizing, we plan a move to a new house and hang on to extra things because aren’t sure what we will need, or our children head off to college and suddenly we have more in our house than we really use regularly.
Life brings a series of changes that can leave us with more to manage than we need or want.
It is hard to know where to begin to declutter when you are faced with overflowing closets, garages and storage rooms. In fact, it can be downright scary! When opening a closet door puts you at risk for an avalanche, or you can seriously injure yourself on the way to opening the garage door, you know it is time to declutter.
There is something so freeing about the idea having LESS, but where do you begin?
- If you feel overwhelmed, set aside a block of time to get life back into order and balance.
- Focus on your most dreaded task first. Once you dive in, it won’t seem so bad.
- Look at things in your home objectively. Are they adding something of important value, or are they just one more thing to dust, store, or organize?
- Start by removing half of the items from a cupboard, shelf, or closet and step back to look. Be prepared to be amazed at how energized you’ll feel!
- Plan a donation to a local mission or thrift store. While you are de-cluttering, set up an area of your house to put items to donate. There are so many people less fortunate who are blessed by what we are willing to give away. Allow yourself to give generously—you’ll feel great and someone else will be even happier!
So what are you waiting for? Set aside some time this week to declutter!
©2009, Melissa Michaels
For more inspiration on creating a beautiful home, visit The Inspired Room
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