Friday, January 16, 2015

Donna Smallin: Five Armchair Decluttering Tips

You don’t even have to get up from your chair.

Illustration by ©Zoรซ More O’Ferrall/Illustration Ltd., from Clear the Clutter, Find Happiness
You want to declutter your home. I know you do. I also know that the hardest part is getting started. So I’ve come up with five things you can do to declutter, organize, and simplify your life — without even getting out of your seat. No excuses, now . . . get to it!

  1. Be a daydream believer. Picture yourself in a home that’s clean and uncluttered. Close your eyes and mentally walk through your home, room by room. What does it look like? What do you love most? How does it make you feel? Before you start every decluttering session, return to that vision and hold it in your mind.
  2. Declare your freedom. Make this day the day you declare your freedom from clutter by deciding to surround yourself with ONLY the things that are meaningful to you today. Let go of the rest. If you don’t love it or use it, lose it. 
  3. Phone a friend. Who do you know who is always saying she needs to get organized? Call that friend or family member. Float the idea of decluttering together — one week at your house and the next week at her house, and so forth — or set weekly goals and hold each other accountable. Or commit to helping each other work on bigger projects like cleaning the basement or garage. No luck finding an accountability partner? No excuse. Join my organizing support group on Facebook. 
  4. Decide to share your abundance. Someone, somewhere, could really use the stuff that’s just taking up valuable space in your home. Donating it all to one charity is the quickest and easiest way to get clutter out of your house. Go to www.donationtown.org and find a charity in your area that will pick up donations. Bonus: your donations may be tax-deductible; check with your tax advisor. 
  5. Make a promise to your future self. Ask yourself, What is one thing I have been avoiding that, if I did it, would make me happier or make my life easier? Take a deep breath. Stand up and get started on that task, even if it’s only to schedule time to do it. Your future self will thank you. 

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