Are you procrastinating and making excuses for holding onto stuff? Are you clinging to material possessions for no good reason? Things that are merely taking up valuable space aren’t worth holding onto. Decide to decide, and let go of these things. You’ll feel lighter and brighter.
Do you have a plan for getting rid of stuff? If you did, would you get rid of more stuff? I have found that having a plan for getting rid of stuff helps me keep control of all the things I bring into my space. I call this plan an exit strategy, and it helps me stay organized. It can help you too. An exit strategy is the steps taken to remove material possessions from our spaces that are no longer needed, used, appreciated, or cherished. The end result of an exit strategy is that a particular item is gone from our space, and we no longer need to do something with it or think about it.
Example #1 – exit strategy for any type of invitation
Receive invitation. RSVP to invitation. Put details of invitation on calendar. Recycle paper invitation or delete email invitation.
Example #2 – exit strategy for any type of toy
Acquire toy. Play with toy. If toy breaks or pieces go missing, fix or replace pieces within 3 months or get rid of it. Donate or sell toy within 1-3 years if it’s no longer being used. A wonderful place to donate small toys is Cradles to Crayons in Brighton, MA.
Example #3 – exit strategy for any type of coupon
Receive coupons. Immediately recycle any coupons you know you won’t use. Store the rest of the coupons in a specific location until they can be used. Two storage options for coupons are in a basket on the refrigerator, or in a zip lock bag in your purse. Sort through coupons on the first of every month and recycle all the outdated ones.
Example #4 – exit strategy for any type of electronic device
Acquire electronic device. Use electronic device. If electronic device breaks or pieces go missing, fix or replace pieces within 3 months or get rid of it. Donate, sell, or recycle electronic device within 1-3 years if it’s no longer being used. (Want ideas on what to do with the box that the electronic device came in?) A great place to recycle electronics is Indie Cycle, and a place to sell electronics is Decluttr.
Example #5 – exit strategy for any type of kitchen gadget
Acquire kitchen gadget. Use kitchen gadget. If kitchen gadget breaks or pieces go missing, fix or replace pieces within 3 months or get rid of it. Donate, sell, or recycle kitchen gadget within 1-3 years if it’s no longer being used. (Want ideas on how to organize a kitchen junk drawer?)
An exit strategy helps us stay organized and in control of what comes into our space. Planning ahead is key to being successful. One way to plan ahead is to establish your exit strategies with a list of donation options attached.
© March 2017 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All Rights Reserved
A great way to prevent clutter is to stop it from coming in the door in the first place. Put a trash can, recycle bin, and shred container in the garage, and use them to clean out the clutter from the car, your purse, your work bag, and school backpacks. Also use them to toss or shred as much mail as possible before bringing it into the house.
It’s hard to get rid of stuff. I know. Holding onto stuff is much easier. I know. Gift bags and tissue paper that I’ve received, I’m holding onto because I intend to reuse them. The same applies to the vases from flowers I’ve received. Shopping bags and take out containers have multiplied in my cupboard. Boxes from recent purchases take up valuable space in my closet. Coupons and receipts fill a pocket in my purse. Face creams, lotions, and scrubs that have been rejected, sit in my bathroom cabinet. I’m not even going to mention greeting cards, instruction manuals, catalogues, adapters, or outdated phones and other devices.
Can you relate? Do you have similar items or even bigger items? Unfortunately, stuff accumulates unless we get rid of it. We have to make a conscious effort to remove stuff from our homes, otherwise piles grow and clutter happens. One successful way I’ve found to combat the piles and clutter is to remove more than you bring in, at least one day a week. If you can do two days a week, that’s even better.
You may be asking yourself, what does that look like? Let me share with you how I removed more than I brought in for a day. Here is a list of items that I brought into my house one day last week:
Here is a list of stuff I got rid of that same day:
I brought in a total of 11 items and got rid of a total of 16 items. I must admit, I had the urge to clean out the donations and recycling that had been collecting in my garage, and that’s what made this a successful “get rid of stuff” day. The key is to have at least one “get rid of stuff” day a week. Be consistent. That is what will help combat the piles and clutter.
Another successful way to prevent accumulation is to not bring anything in. Have at least one day a week where nothing comes in. I’m not saying leave things in the garage for a day or hid them for a day. I’m saying make a conscious effort to make no purchases and allow nothing new to enter your home for a day. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?
©November 2016 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer All Rights Reserved
Before stocking the pantry with items for your Thanksgiving feast, organize it. Clear off one shelf at a time. Check expiration dates. Remove all expired items. Donate anything you won’t use before the expiration date to the local food bank. Group like items together and put back in the pantry with the closest expiration dates in front.
Follow Me