A home is a sanctuary; a respite from the demands of life. But if you're like me and my Amazon delivery habit, your house has become a little stuffed in since March. If you're at home anyway...
go put on some Netflix for inspiration (Hoarders, or House Edit, or Tidying Up) and get to work!
Easy Questions First
1) Do I love it? (i.e. Does it spark joy? Thank you, Marie Kondo)
2) Have I used it in a year?
3)If I donated it, would it bless someone else?
Grab Your Boxes and Bags
You should have multiple boxes and bags: 1) Recyclable, 2) Garbage, 3) Donate. I keep a Donate box in my guest room at all times for when decluttering inspiration strikes. I personally don't sell my stuff, because I think of the cost-benefit. How much time will it cost me per hour to sell something for $5? But if you're into haggling with strangers, by all means, sell away!
Adopt the LIFE IS SHORT perspective. Think about all the time, effort, and energy that goes into acquiring, cleaning, maintaining, and letting go of all the JUNK in our homes.
Here's the decluttering order of operations:
Books: My house is a rotating library of learning. Ten in, ten out. Read it, learn something, send it out.
Clothes: Pile them up on the bed, ALL of them. Take a moment to feel overwhelmed! Then ask, do I feel AMAZING, or meh? Life if too short for MEH. Don't settle.
Kitchen duplicates: Do you really need 3 sets of dishes, or that thing you got as a wedding gift from 7 years ago with an inch of dust? Simplify.
Decorations: Freshen up your four quarantined walls. Think, if I have to dust is, what's the point? Does this thing make me happy?
Toiletries & Meds: Check for expiration dates, funky smells, and duplicates that were never used. Recycle your old meds, don't pour them down the drain.
Old chemicals, paints, etc: Your town has a chemical recycling center. Google, people!
What else do you trip over, is visual clutter, or an underlying irritant in your home? Let it go. LIFE IS SHORT!
Bye, Felicia!
Curb Alert!
Slap a sign on it that says Free to a Good Home. I personally have picked up many a refurb project from the side of the road. You can also post on Facebook Marketplace.
For Charity's Sake
The Salvation Army is my favorite for pick ups, and Habitat for Humanity for drop offs. Send your wares to a new home to raise money for charity!
If you're in the Charlotte area check out these donation spots:
Want to really scrub your house clean??? You Tube: How Clean Is Your House.
