Periodically, you need to rid yourself of things that are taking up you time and space to make room for more of what you like and want.
There’s a frequently quoted suggestion that if you haven’t used something for two years, maybe it isn’t essential in your life.
If you have books you’ll never read again, give them to someone who will. If you have a deviled egg plate that hasn’t been used since the year your Aunt Phoebe gave it to you, it’s out of there. Periodically, go through every closet, drawer, cabinet, room and storage area to get rid of the things that are just taking up space in your home and your life.
Every item receives the decision to keep or get rid of. Consider these questions as you judge each item:
- When was the last time you used it?
- Do you believe you’ll use it again?
- Is there a sentimental reason to keep it?
You have four options for the things that you’re not going to keep.
- Give it to someone who needs it or will appreciate it
- Sell it in a garage sale or on Ebay
- Donate it to a charity and receive a tax deduction
- Discard it to the trash
Start with your closet. If you haven’t worn something in five years, get rid of it. Then, go through the things again and if you haven’t worn it in two years, ask yourself the real probability that you’ll wear it again.
Another way to do it is to move it from your active closet to another closet. If a year goes by in the other closet, the next time you go through this exercise, those clothes are on their way out.
If the items taking up space are financial records and receipts, the solution may be to scan them and store them in the cloud. Evernote is free to upload 60MB a month which should be more than enough for most. If you love to keep anything and everything, for as little as $10 a month, you can get 1000 GB at Dropbox, to get the additional space you need. It will certainly be cheaper than the mini-storage building!
What other spring cleaning tips do you use to declutter?
