PositivelyNellie

What to do with all the Junk?

Wow, do I have a lot of junk! How did I accumulate all of this stuff? I thought when we moved a few years ago I donated and trashed at least half of what we owned. And now…here I sit again needing to go through closets, cabinets and storage sheds to do the same thing all over again. How did I let it get to this point?

I guess the first realization I had too much stuff was when the rod fell down in my closet. Yes, I had too many clothes weighing down the rod and it came crashing to the ground. My dog and I were leisurely sitting on the bed and the loud noise sounded like a sonic BOOM! I looked over toward my closet and was quite embarrassed when I noticed what had happened. At that point I realized just how over-abundant my life was getting!

Yes, I admit I hang on to things too long. I can always think of excuses to keep my stuff.

1.) I might be able to wear it again one day.

2.) It might be valuable in the future.

3.) It’s too overwhelming to sort through.

4.) It has memories.

These are just a few excuses and there are lots more where those came from. The fact is we really don’t need to hang on to things that aren’t necessary. These things begin to take over our lives and then before you know it, it’s too overwhelming to face. Have you seen the TV show Hoarders? OMG! Someone get me a broom and shovel! I am nowhere close to that stage…..yet…..and I pray that I do not get to that point. But at the rate I’m going, it could happen if I don’t take control of my life. HELP!!!

The Bible says in Proverbs 11:28:

A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump; a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

Ouch! Those Bible verses always seem to be addressed directly at me! Well, I don’t know about you, but I need to take control of this situation before I lose more than just a clothes rod.

Did you know that:

· According to the national association of professional organizers we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items.

· It costs an average of $10/square foot to store items in your home.

· According to cleaning professionals, getting rid of excess clutter would eliminate 40% of the housework in an average home.

So I am starting on my new adventure once more to de-clutter my life. Here’s some ways to help you de-clutter your home.

Work in Sections

A good approach is to break down a room into sections, or zones if you will. This makes cleaning less overwhelming. Decide what is important and what is not being used. Did you know we wear 20 percent of our clothes 80 percent of the time? So think about what you haven’t used and put it in a donate pile to give to charity. You can use this same method in any room.

Work with a system when tackling clutter

The best method for going through clutter is to sort into piles and put in big plastic tubs if necessary. Sort items by Keep, Trash, and Donate/Recycle. Keep only what you know will be used again and trash anything that is broken or hasn’t been used in a long time. Things you haven’t used but is still in decent shape should be donated to charity.

Note to Self: Make sure you’re not just rearranging things. The idea is to DE-CLUTTER!

Work in short intervals

If you are pressed for time like I am, you can set a clock for one hour and focus on working quickly and getting as much done as you can in that one hour. Cleaning shouldn’t take all day and this is a way to get it done then move on so you can enjoy the rest of your day. If you want to know more about tackling a few items at a time, check out this website: http://www.flylady.net/d/getting-started/31-beginner-babysteps/.

Work through mail and paper as soon as you get it

I like the comparison that paper is like rabbits. Leave it alone for a while and it multiplies behind your back! Many experts say to sort mail as soon as you bring it into the house. Stand next to the trash can and toss the ads you don’t need. Have a particular place for bills so they will be grouped together when you get ready to pay them. I usually stack mine by due dates. With online banking, I have also started entering bills in the online bank site as soon as I get them. You don’t have to pay them right then…you can put a due date in the future. That way you don’t have to remember to pay it later. Get it scheduled to pay, file the bill away, and be done with it. Don’t forget to shred papers with any important personal information on it.

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Well, I have some empty plastic tubs just waiting to be used, so I’m ready to tackle section 1 – my closet. I am going to make a point to pull out items I don’t use anymore and donate to charity. I’m also going to try and establish a system for the layout of my closet. I’m motivated now and ready to get in the ‘zone’.

READY, SET, ZONE AWAY!