The Positivity of Purging Stuff

Downsize.  Declutter.  Clean out the closet.  Get rid of things.  Give stuff away.

Do those words make you want to cling to your stuff?  And run far, far away with all of it?

When you sell/donate/give stuff to a friend, it is not to punish yourself for having too much stuff.  It's releasing the energy that is stuck in your life because you have too much stuff.  Clutter creates chaos. You can feel the energy shift when you clear out a space.  

The items that are clogging up space in your home--requiring your time, energy, and money to maintain--are just things.  Now, you might be thinking "How dare she!  To speak about my great-grandmother's China as just a thing!"  But, in reality, it is.  People, plants, and animals are living. Things are not.

Every single item in your home probably has a memory attached to it.  That's why things are "sentimental" because they make us think about a certain person or time in our life...they trigger memories (positive or negative).  If things don't evoke an emotional response, and you don't use them---get rid of them right now.  Those are the easy things to clear out!

Then move on to the things that you don't use, but they do evoke an emotional response.  Can you figure out a way to make them functional?  (Making a quilt out of old favorite t-shirts, for example)  
If not, then it can go.  You have my permission to sell/donate/give to a friend that item that you're pondering.  It's ok.  Dust collectors that aren't useful and beautiful need to leave our space to allow energy to move freely.

Start out slowly.  Try to fill one small bag to "re-home" and see how it makes you feel.  When you realize that you're still the same person without those things, then you'll gain some momentum to fill another bag...or 2...or 5.  You don't have to get rid of half the things in your home--just clean out the clutter that isn't needed.  You don't have to give up your absolute favorite pair of jeans.  But those 5 pairs that don't fit right?  Yes, those need to go.

You can do a one day "get rid of it all" kind of purge...or a slow and steady one where you devote 10-15 minutes a day clearing out your unused items.  A friend said she was doing "40 bags in 40 days" and I LOVED that idea!  It's always fun to have a challenging goal to meet.

If you feel overwhelmed by stuff--there are piles laying around, laundry doesn't get put away, bills are overlooked--like you can't ever get caught up...you can benefit from purging some stuff. 

Now is the time to do it.

Find the positive in purging stuff.  It's there...you'll see.

Why I Declutter Constantly

I know my family gets sick of me constantly asking "do you still use/want/need this?" 

But in a family of four, if you don't keep up with the 1 in, 1 out rule (getting rid of a similar item when a new one comes into the space), your nicely organized home can quickly snowball into an unruly amount of clutter!

And just because I'm a professional organizer does not mean that my house is always completely free of clutter.  It has a lot less than it might otherwise because I am constantly decluttering!

I'm not a big fan of cleaning.  I'd rather organize a medicine cabinet than sweep and mop the floor. Obviously cleaning is a necessity in life, so if our space is kept organized (for the most part), it makes it easier more bearable to clean.  I guess some people say "clean" when what they're really doing is decluttering.  

Unexpected call from a friend saying that she's stopping by in 10 minutes...do you clean--or declutter?  You know, the "run around and throw everything that's laying around into a box and shove it into your bedroom closet" kind of cleaning...not mopping the floors kind of cleaning.

If you can keep things in their place, then there is no need to run around like a chicken with your head cut off when someone mentions that they're going to swing by shortly.  Don't get me wrong--if you show up at my house unannounced, you will see things laying around (most likely Legos and dishes)--but unless someone in the house has been sick for a few days, there won't be piles of stuff, just scattered stuff.

So, how do you keep your home free of clutter?

To start, you have to get rid of stuff.  That's the reality of being clutter-free....and the part that most people don't want to hear, think about, or do.  But you need to.  

Moving stuff to another room ≠ decluttering.  

Decluttering means getting rid of unused items (even if you love them!), and organizing the remaining things in the space.  Daily items within arms reach, weekly items stored just farther away, and things used less than once a week (seasonal, etc) in deep storage (garage, basement, attic).

Once your home is free of clutter, it's just a matter of maintaining it.  

(Remember the 1 in, 1 out rule?)

But how do you get it decluttered in the first place?!

Start by assessing your skills: 

-Can you go through stuff on your own and clear out things that you no longer want, need, or use?

-Can you finish what you start and not leave a pile to finish later?

If so, (and you have a lot of stuff) try doing a month-long decluttering challenge, like this one.  

Or...are you overwhelmed and don't know where to start?  Have a history of not finishing a project?

If that's the case, you could benefit from hiring a professional organizer to help you tackle your clutter (wink, wink).

There is no shame in hiring a professional to help you declutter...you may think that you should be able to "do it yourself."  But if you haven't--and you can't--then hire someone to help!  If you're not a plumber and your sink sprung a leak, you'd call a plumber--right?  Well, if your stuff is in a state of chaos, and you haven't been able to get it under control...call someone who knows how to get it organized!

Once your space is decluttered and organized, it's a matter of keeping that way: 

Have a place where everything goes.  

Set up a system that works for your personality.

Acknowledge that you're human--praise yourself for hard work and try again for slip-ups.  

Reevaluate if things aren't working.

Declutter again if needed.

Keep going.

And remember, even professional organizers have to declutter their own homes...

Under the Sink

When we think of organizing, most people think IKEA storage systems that hold and contain our things...right?

When I help someone organize their stuff, I actually look at everything we can clear out first    (usually a lot!), and then organize what's remaining.  (Seems simple, but it's hard to let go of things!)

One area we can really simplify is under the sink.

Take a peek under yours right now and see what's in there!

I'm passionate about helping people simplify the items in their home, but I'm also just as passionate about healing the Earth (and our bodies!).  It needs some healing.  We've damaged her greatly.

I have recently discovered some amazing microfiber cloths that can be used to clean your home with just water.  That's right.  No more "this can for dusting" and "this spray bottle for windows" and "that spray bottle for the bathroom"...and I'm excited to be able to share them with you!

If you've never gotten your hands on this microfiber cloth before, please, please do yourself a favor and try one out!  You will not regret that decision, I promise you!  (Especially if you're trying to simplify the things in your home...and live a more eco-friendly life too!)

If you'd like to check out the products for yourself, please click here.  

Some other ways to simplify under the sink:

-Only use baking soda, vinegar, & essential oils as your household cleaners

-Eliminate anything with chemical (additives) in it

-Use washable/reusable things for cleaning to eliminate waste from papertowels, etc

-Open windows to freshen air instead of spraying "air fresheners"

-Take your shoes off at the door to keep dirt & dust from entering your home in the first place :)

What does it look like under your sink right now?  How do you feel about that?

A World Made of Plastic

Usually when you think of organizing, you think of buying giant, plastic storage bins...right?

Well our planet has way too much plastic (in my opinion), and we can all make better choices to change that...starting right now.

Sure, there are times where it seems almost impossible to avoid a plastic-laden...anything, really.  But if you become aware of the plastic world we live in--really just observe it--soon, you'll see the times when you can really make a difference.

At the grocery store checkout, coffee shops, gas stations, restaurants, schools, work, on the go...just look at how much plastic comes into your life.  (It would be fun to collect it all for a week, or a month to really grasp how much it is!)

After observing for a while, try to make some small changes one at a time (bring your own reusable bags, to-go mugs for coffee, pack your lunch and take it to work, etc)...and then over time, slowly incorporate more ways to say no to plastic in your life. 

So now let's talk about plastic things in relation to organizing your stuff:

Your stuff that is used more than once a year, but less than once/week or month (seasonal items, etc) might need to be in a plastic bin/tub thing...but that should be it!  Because things you don't use should not be stored, right?  RIGHT?!  Good.

For toys or areas that need some type of small storage options, try baskets or cloth bins...they look nicer and aren't plastic!  (If you absolutely need a plastic storage type container, grab one from the thrift store.  It's cheaper, you're re-using one, and you're not creating a demand to make more!)

Food storage is another area where there can be a ton of plastic in your life!  

(I would like to actually weigh it someday to see if it really is a ton.)

Instead of baggies for sandwiches, opt for cloth bags or small containers (I know, I know, most of them are plastic!  But at least if you're re-using the plastic containers, you're not throwing away a plastic baggie every time you eat a sandwich!).

Bring along your own (reusable please!) water bottle when you're out and about...no need to buy water in a plastic bottle, you can skip the drink at a restaurant (and straw!), and it's good for your body anyway :)

Bring your reusable shopping bags to the store...and if you happen to forget them, ask for a box, or at least a paper bag (great for lining under the kitchen sink, homemade wrapping paper, fire starter, etc!)....and you'll avoid the never-ending, bulging grocery bag that's filled with 1001 other grocery bags hidden somewhere (will you really ever use all of them?!).

By no means is this an exhaustive list of ways to avoid plastic in your life (I mean, I didn't even touch on all of those plastic toys!), but hopefully it will give you a starting point for decreasing the amount of plastic you use.  

And if you already limit your plastic--keep up the great work!  ...and if you do a "no waste" home--can you move in with us?!

What's your favorite "used to be plastic but now it's not" thing?

Returning from a trip...

You know the feeling--vacation is over, there is dirty laundry piled up, suitcases spread about the house...and heaven forbid if you didn't clean the house before you left!

This is clutter's favorite time in your life to accumulate!

It starts with the suitcases (full or empty).
Then the dirty laundry piles.
And the clean clothes that weren't worn on the trip.
Kids' stuff,
Monday morning prep paraphernalia,
Dishes,
Paperwork, etc.

You know how it goes--and before you know it--your decluttered home is piled with stuff again!

To keep your home free of clutter and organized: make a plan.

If you're a list-maker like me, make a list of what you want/need to get done the first day home.
And the 2nd, and the 3rd, until you're back in your regular routine and everything is in its place.

It may take the same number of days as how long you were gone...but don't give up!
Don't give in to the "I'll do it later" mentality!!

We just got back from a weekend trip to Durango.
AKA: 6 hour drive each way with 2 kids--it looks like the snack aisle of Natural Grocers exploded in our van.

My list for this morning looks like this:
-laundry
-grocery list
-get groceries
-cash checks
-email/call (list of work people)

Implied on that list is:
-put suitcases & kid stuff away
-make supper
-take a shower (sometimes I actually write this on my list so I do it!)

...and sadly, what is not included is cleaning out the van.  That is my area of weakness...it literally gets dirty again while I'm cleaning it out!  (We don't have a driveway, so there are usually crumpled leaves, etc on my shoes and they're guaranteed to get inside while I'm vacuuming the inside.)

If you can give yourself an extra day off when returning from a trip, just to get things put away--do it!  You'll feel so much better if you're not wading through piles of stuff for a week.

(And this is when you break the "one load of laundry" rule and do it until it's done!)