Simple steps to de-cluttering your home

Simple steps to de-cluttering your home

1. OBJECTIVE - Clarify your objective

-     Getting ready to move

-     Converting the storage space for a new purpose (ie. guest room, baby room, office)

-     More peaceful space; reduce the stress – “Mess = stress”

-     Downsizing

-     Improve efficiency in your space

-     Start fresh in a new space (post-renovation, new home or office)

-     Want to live life differently, improved quality of life

-     Freedom from feeling burdened by your stuff

-     Find my things when I need them

2. PURGE - Remove items from their context then critically review each item asking yourself:

-     Do I love it?

-     Do I use it?

-     Does it fit?

-     Do I have space to keep it?

-     Is it broken?

-     Did I even know I had it?

-     Do I have an immediate use for it?

-     Am I keeping it out of guilt or obligation? Is it a gift from someone that I’ve never even used?

-     Do I have duplicates of this item?

-     Is it important to me?

-     Has it expired? (ie. food, medication, safety equipment)

-     Is it valuable?

-     Is it a treasure?

-     Does this item have a real function that cannot be performed any other way? 

-     Would I buy this item at this moment if I didn’t already own it?

-     Do you know what it is?

-     If I didn’t have this item, what would I do? 

-     Can I live without it?

3. SORT into categories

-            Keep

-            Maybe

-            Donate

-            Sell

-            Gift to someone I know

-            Return item to the person who lent it to me or to the store where I bought it

-            Garbage – garbage/recycling/paper/etc

-            Action items – create a task list

o          To be fixed

o          To be painted, repurposed

o          Order a new part

4. ACTION all of the above
1. Keep

-     Sort into like categories (all table linens together, all electronics items together).

-     revisit your decisions once you see all ‘like’ items together. Perhaps you have unnecessary multiples of items.

-    Containerize and label (where appropriate)

-    Move immediately to it’s final resting place

2. Maybe – Once all of your keep items have been moved into place, revisit your decisions in the ‘maybe’ pile.

                                               i.     Do you have space to keep these items after-all?

                                             ii.     Put maybe items into a box, mark the date and put it away.  Whatever stays in the box after 6months or 1 year probably won’t be missed

3. Donate - Drop off donate items
4. Sell - Post sale items online
5. Gift/Return

-                Schedule time with friends/family to give/return items to them

-                Return the item to the store for refund

6. Garbage

-                Remove garbage/recycling (onsite disposal / dump)

-                take items for proper disposal (metal, batteries, recycling)

7. Action – take the actions on the task list (ie. order replacement part, fix the broken items, paint the old dresser, etc)

Written by Heather Fulcher - Professional Organizer for Hire - Vancouver, Canada - 604-618-4829 heatherfulcher@gmail.com