In order to reduce clutter, we need to get rid of more than we bring in. Think like a mathematician, the rate at which we bring things in needs to be less than the rate at which we remove things.
Tips on how to bring in less:
Tips on how to remove things:
The cool weather of fall is upon us. It’s time to reintroduce sweaters and corduroy pants into our wardrobe. A great way to decided if you’d like to keep the summer clothes you’re packing away is to describe them. Limit your description to one or two adjectives per item. For example, hold up a summer dress and say, ” You’re colorful and fun. I’ll keep you.” or “You’re drab and dated. You must go.”
Try it and let me know if it works for you.
If you invited me into your home could you find me a spoon? Of course, but what about a postage stamp, last year’s W2 form or tweezers? Are those things stored in a place that is easy to locate? Having a designated spot for things is the guiding principle of organization. So, treat every item as if it were a spoon and give it a designated storage spot.
Editing our possessions annually is a healthy organizing practice. This helps us prevent clutter build up. When editing our belongings there is one question we can ask ourselves to help us decide weather to keep or not keep something. That question is, “Would I buy it again if I didn’t already own it?”. If the answer is ‘no’ then let the item go.
Borrow instead of buy. The concept of borrowing doesn’t only apply to library books. I often borrow my sister’s sewing machine and my friend’s garden tools. This allows me use of these items without having to store, organize, or maintain them. This tip works best if it’s for something you use occasionally. If you use a small item more than four times a year it’s worth owning. A larger item requires more usage before being worthy of purchase.
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