Choose to do one area at a time. Finish that area, before moving. Display / keep the things you love, are sentimental or are useful. Sometimes it makes it easier if you are "gifting" your unwanted things to a cause or person you like. See if anyone you know has a young person starting out. Don't dump on them, but see if that person needs anything. They may like your 1970s (old stuff) style things- really....It may take several different stops to distribute your unwanted things. I have a very nice upscale thrift shop that benefits breast cancer patients locally. They get my really nice things, that I am keeping only because they cost too much to dump.
If you're talking about the everyday "stuff" that seems to accumulate on every surface in my house, I use decorative baskets and boxes everywhere. But if as I need to do, you need a major purge just take it one drawer, one shelf, one area at a time. I like lists. For me, it's satisfying to cross the items off.
Purge, purge, purge and get rid of the extra things TODAY. You can only keep extra things if they are packed away, labeled and dated. If there are things you are constantly putting away, decide if they are worth your labor. That does not include children, but may include pets—it’s your decision. And what you do pick up, try to put into something with a lid.
My most frustrating pickup is around my husband’s sink. He picks up one item and leaves it on his counter, over and over. He is not a slob in other areas, but definitely where he shaves and brushes his teeth. I have shelves and trays for the things he uses every day. But it’s me who puts them back. I really need to make peace with this issue. What’s your most frustrating area, Betty Muir? I’ll have an answer for you. ☺️
Hi Jewell..thanks for the good tips! My frustration is making time to deal with two major areas..papers and clothes..In the past I’ve rushed into the habit of sweeping stuff off tabletops into boxes marked “SORT”. Now I have to go through a pile of these boxes! I found a shortlist of what to keep/discard that looks very helpful.
Clothes? I’ve donated so much and have much more I‘ve have a hard time parting with..I love to mix and match and have some great ensembles..Old is new! It’s almost like art.. Wish I could sell them..If not, at least take pictures before I donate..I have realized I mustn’t buy more storage boxes, instead, as you say, purge and condense..I am somewhat encouraged to have four empty storage boxes now! Maybe I can use them to sort papers!
4 boxes .... donate, gift, recycle and trash when sorting into these, remove the donate, recycle and trash each day from the house.... nothing goes back in. Gift box, mail it, drop it off or call friend to come get it
Clean each counter as you clean it off, as they are usually very dusty.
Please read "The Joy of Tidying Up", by Marie Kondo. It is a short, very easy to read book. She gives a very different aspect to how you think about your stuff. She covers everything from clothes to papers to sentimental items. I am extremely organized and do not have clutter. I don't even have a junk drawer. After reading her book, I got rid of 29 trash bags of cothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. --I still have to go through my papers, but she really helped me look at my things in a very different way. The whole book only took me about 4 hours to read. She is amazing and I highly reccommend this book as a first step. I used to have my out of season item stored in plastic bins in the garage. After reading her book, I no longer have anything stored in the bins. Everything is inside in my closet. Out of the 29 bags I got rid of, I have missed absolutely nothing and now I don't have the twic a year chore of getting out the current season of stuff and packing away the out of season. This has been wonderful. She has a second book which goes into more detail on how to fold and store items, but the first book will give you all you need to get the job done.
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I use baskets and containers to help sort things, they are easy to stash in a closet if company comes over
Choose to do one area at a time. Finish that area, before moving. Display / keep the things you love, are sentimental or are useful. Sometimes it makes it easier if you are "gifting" your unwanted things to a cause or person you like. See if anyone you know has a young person starting out. Don't dump on them, but see if that person needs anything. They may like your 1970s (old stuff) style things- really....It may take several different stops to distribute your unwanted things. I have a very nice upscale thrift shop that benefits breast cancer patients locally. They get my really nice things, that I am keeping only because they cost too much to dump.
https://www.becomingminimalist.com/creative-ways-to-declutter/
If you're talking about the everyday "stuff" that seems to accumulate on every surface in my house, I use decorative baskets and boxes everywhere. But if as I need to do, you need a major purge just take it one drawer, one shelf, one area at a time. I like lists. For me, it's satisfying to cross the items off.
I found this post extremely helpful for decluttering tips https://www.hometalk.com/diy/the-decluttering-method-that-will-change-your-life-12456715
Good luck!
The Decluttering Method That Will Change Your Life
Purge, purge, purge and get rid of the extra things TODAY. You can only keep extra things if they are packed away, labeled and dated. If there are things you are constantly putting away, decide if they are worth your labor. That does not include children, but may include pets—it’s your decision. And what you do pick up, try to put into something with a lid.
My most frustrating pickup is around my husband’s sink. He picks up one item and leaves it on his counter, over and over. He is not a slob in other areas, but definitely where he shaves and brushes his teeth. I have shelves and trays for the things he uses every day. But it’s me who puts them back. I really need to make peace with this issue. What’s your most frustrating area, Betty Muir? I’ll have an answer for you. ☺️
Hi Jewell..thanks for the good tips! My frustration is making time to deal with two major areas..papers and clothes..In the past I’ve rushed into the habit of sweeping stuff off tabletops into boxes marked “SORT”. Now I have to go through a pile of these boxes! I found a shortlist of what to keep/discard that looks very helpful.
Clothes? I’ve donated so much and have much more I‘ve have a hard time parting with..I love to mix and match and have some great ensembles..Old is new! It’s almost like art.. Wish I could sell them..If not, at least take pictures before I donate..I have realized I mustn’t buy more storage boxes, instead, as you say, purge and condense..I am somewhat encouraged to have four empty storage boxes now! Maybe I can use them to sort papers!
Best tip as a professional organizer.... let something go before you bring something new into your house....
old adage... everything in its place, and a place for everything.
read this on what clutter means in your life..... https://fengshuiforreallife.com/Detailed/252.html I make all new clients read this to motivate them
4 boxes .... donate, gift, recycle and trash when sorting into these, remove the donate, recycle and trash each day from the house.... nothing goes back in. Gift box, mail it, drop it off or call friend to come get it
Clean each counter as you clean it off, as they are usually very dusty.
I like the 4 boxes concept..will try that. Thanks!
Please read "The Joy of Tidying Up", by Marie Kondo. It is a short, very easy to read book. She gives a very different aspect to how you think about your stuff. She covers everything from clothes to papers to sentimental items. I am extremely organized and do not have clutter. I don't even have a junk drawer. After reading her book, I got rid of 29 trash bags of cothing, shoes, jewelry, etc. --I still have to go through my papers, but she really helped me look at my things in a very different way. The whole book only took me about 4 hours to read. She is amazing and I highly reccommend this book as a first step. I used to have my out of season item stored in plastic bins in the garage. After reading her book, I no longer have anything stored in the bins. Everything is inside in my closet. Out of the 29 bags I got rid of, I have missed absolutely nothing and now I don't have the twic a year chore of getting out the current season of stuff and packing away the out of season. This has been wonderful. She has a second book which goes into more detail on how to fold and store items, but the first book will give you all you need to get the job done.