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.
We all have sentimental items. Saying goodbye to those items can be difficult. A prolonged goodbye is not a bad thing. It may take more than one pass to be ready to let it go. Start with the least sentimental stuff and work your way towards the things that hold more memories.
A maybe box is a good option especially if you need some time to think about your decision to let go or not. While you’re deciding remove those maybe items from your every day living space.
Empty space does not equal available space. Allow yourself some breathing room and wiggle room. Spaces will function more efficiently if they are not over stuffed. Allow yourself empty space in closets, file cabinets, kitchen cupboards, dresser drawers, and book shelves. This will make organizing and maintaining those spaces much easier.
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