Decluttering: Ahhh...breath :D
"Assign a responsible party. Unless you live alone, creating exit strategies needs to be a group effort. One person may be the main curator/gatherer and another can be in charge of removal, but it probably won’t be neatly divided. Trial and error will help you figure out what works (or doesn’t) in your household."
Reisenthel Market Basket, Flora - $47.95 "Always carry a basket. For a while I kept the habit of carrying a medium-size basket in and out of the house. It lived by my back door or sat in the front seat of my van. It got me thinking what I needed to take with me and what I needed to remove from my van. This would need to be modified if you don’t use a car, but the most important thing is establishing routines for removal."
"Create a schedule of purging. It’s natural in fall and spring to go through clothing and decide what no longer fits. Choose a day, bag things up and get the bags out of the house. So easy to type but so many steps — I know! Short term, it could be designating a day every week or two to run errands, including stops at the library, Goodwill or shops to make returns."
"Establish where the designated bags live between returns. Not all of us have roomy pantries, mudrooms or garages. We may need to keep our bags out in the open, which isn’t such a bad thing — because out of sight is often out of mind. Attractive bags or baskets are nice, but function needs to come before form. Get your system in place first, and cute it up as you go."
"Bathroom. The same rules apply for the bathroom as for the kitchen. Keep your counters clear of stuff. Use a vanity with drawers. Don’t even consider a pedestal sink or a vanity with doors if you tend to be a hoarder. Get the most convenient, easy-to-use storage with drawers. (The drawers can even be organized.)"
"Closed storage. Everyone likes the look of open shelving when everything is lined up just so, but the truth is, it’s not always practical to keep everything in perfect order. Closed storage can look just as great, when it’s well thought out. If you have lots of stuff, stay away from open shelving whenever you can, and conceal your stuff behind doors and drawers."
"Choose cleanliness above styling. It doesn’t matter if your home isn’t quite ready for a photo shoot; it’s still your special place. To help it feel like a haven, focus on keeping it clean and tidy over styling it with the latest buys. An ordered home always seems relaxing, and even a space filled with the most on-trend pieces won’t feel like a refuge if it’s cluttered and messy."
"Avoid clutter catchalls. A tray or basket on the coffee table or counter to hold clutter might seem like a smart idea — until it’s full and overflowing onto the surface around it. Remember that clutter attracts more clutter, so when a group of random little items (hair ties, loose change, buttons, pens) ends up in one spot, you’re far more likely to add other (larger) random items (stack of mail, shopping bag, pile of dry cleaning) to it. A better practice is to create a spot for each type of item — for instance, a jar for coins, a cup for pens, a hook for keys, a tray for mail, and a drawer organizer with little slots for small items like hair ties and stamps. It then becomes easy and satisfying to drop things into their individual containers."
" Keep your dining table set. A neatly set table has a clear purpose, and that makes cluttering it up less of a temptation. In the evening after dinner, clean off the table and set out some breakfast things — this not only helps encourage a clutter-free table, it makes for a smoother routine in the morning. After breakfast, take a moment to set out a few fresh placemats and cutlery for dinner, and your table will be a much less tempting spot to toss your stuff when you get home in the evening."
"Have a not-flat place for each thing you come home with. When you walk in the door, the natural impulse is to drop everything you’re carrying on the nearest available flat surface. The next time you arrive home, pause and pay attention to what you’re holding: shopping bags, a coat, a bundle of mail, perhaps keys and a phone? Decide where you will put each of these items from now on. Hooks are faster to use than hangers, so if you tend to dump your coat on a chair, choose a hook."
1. Think of what is your ideal life. (In other words, how do you want to live?) 2. Gather items from each category and group them together (for example, lay all of your clothes out on the floor). She suggests starting with clothes first, then books and then documents. 3. Ask yourself, do these things spark joy? (“Take and touch each item, one at a time with your hands and feel if it sparks joy in you or not,” she says.) 4. Sort all goods and put them in their proper location after determining the place where each item should be. Seems too easy, right? According to Kondo, what makes the method more difficult is the fact that many of us imbue our things with emotions. We hang on to items we don’t like because they were gifts; we allow books and papers to pile up in anticipation of reading them later; we refuse to let go of regrettable purchases because of the money we spent on them. “The purpose of the KonMari Method is to sharpen the sense of judgment of what items are important to oneself,” she says. This is where the difficult part comes in, and Kondo has a simple remedy. In the words of Queen Elsa in Frozen, “Let it go.” HOUZZ
"What if someone else might want them? Not sure if someone else will want the photos you’re purging? Ask and then pass them on right away, rather than storing them any longer. Keep in mind that the point of this exercise is to preserve the good stuff. It doesn’t serve anyone to pass along a mess. What if not all of my photos are of happy memories? If some pictures dredge up negative feelings, consider saving them only if it’s important to you to keep a true journal of your life in pictures, but definitely toss them if you’d rather flush the memories of certain people or events." HOUZZ
Jennifer Phelps: "What if someone else might want them? Not sure if someone else will want the photos you’re purging? Ask and then pass them on right away, rather than storing them any longer. Keep in mind that the point of this exercise is to preserve the good stuff. It doesn’t serve anyone to pass along a mess. What if not all of my photos are of happy memories? If some pictures dredge up negative feelings, consider saving them only if it’s important to you to keep a true journal of your life in pictures, but definitely toss them if you’d rather flush the memories of certain people or events."
Jennifer Phelps: "What if I don’t like seeing pictures of myself? Sorting photos of ourselves is a touchy business. The good news is that the person who has the photos has the power to present history in a complimentary light – your best light. However, if you intend to pass these photos on to your kids, please see the last sentence in the previous paragraph. If you absolutely cannot be objective, just keep the ones you like."
Jennifer Phelps: "The emotional rule of thumb. Practical rules apply in photo organizing, but the fact is that this is an inherently subjective process. I tell my clients to go with their gut when choosing which photos to keep. If that blurry photo best captures the feel of the event, then that’s the one to keep. Choose a funky little snapshot that brings you right back to that day over a gallery-quality image that stirs no emotion whatsoever. Choose the one or two shots that make you feel the ocean breeze and smell the coconut oil, and confidently toss the ones that don’t blow your hair back. And even if you know your mother would be embarrassed by a certain picture of her, if it captures a facet of her personality that you love, then keep it."
--Jennifer Phelps "The practical rule of thumb. Dispose of photos that are duplicates, blurry, of people or events you don’t remember, and multiples of the same group (people, pets, palm trees, whatever …) in slightly different poses. In fact, you really need to keep only a few images that best document your experience of any given event. While the practical approach may feel cold until you get in the groove, you’ll feel rewarded when you start uncovering long-lost gems. Sort by these categories: keep, toss, give away, and digitize (so you know you’ll never lose your favorites)."
"December: Holiday items and decor. With so much going on around the holidays, it’s wise not to expect too much of yourself when it comes to clutter-clearing. That said, with all of the new gifts coming in, it does make sense to do some paring back to preserve balance in the house. Give away holiday ornaments and decor that you did not use this year, or that you no longer love Toss broken ornaments and strands of lights that no longer work Exchange or give away gifts you received but know you will never use, and do not like — don’t keep things out of guilt. The one exception to this rule may be hand-knit sweaters. The knitter will never forgive you; that’s just how it is. Habit to cultivate: Tell friends and family who ask (in advance of the holidays) that you and your family would prefer gifts that are experiential or edible. Most people honestly want to give you something you will like, and are happy for the guidance." HOUZZ
"November: Hobbies and crafts. Get ready for holiday crafting and gift wrapping by clearing out your stash and organizing supplies this month. Clean out gift-wrapping supplies, tossing empty tape dispensers, out-of-ink pens and shreds of gift wrap and ribbon Downsize your craft stash by donating spare fabric scraps, yarn, scrapbooking paper and other materials — many organizations (schools, retirement centers and the like) are happy to accept donations of craft supplies, and there are even some craft-specific donation centers, like Scrap in San Francisco Keep works in progress together in bags, bins or boxes Habit to cultivate: Take the time to put away your craft supplies neatly when you are done working. A messy stash makes it more likely you will buy something you already have simply because you couldn’t find it!" HOUZZ
"October: Dining room and entertaining supplies. With the big holidays coming up over the next few months, October is a good time to get ahead of the curve and sort out your entertaining arsenal. Get rid of worn-out and stained tablecloths, placemats and napkins Count your dinnerware and serving pieces and consider whether you have enough, too much or too little for the amount you entertain Get rid of decor, table linens and serving pieces that you don’t like or that no longer fit your lifestyle Habit to cultivate: Just like creating a wardrobe with lots of pieces that work together, think of creating an entertaining wardrobe that you can mix and match, rather than having lots of distinct sets of dishes." HOUZZ
"September: Mudroom, entrances and junk drawers. Embrace the back-to-school spirit (whether or not you have kids) by getting the busiest zones of your house clutter-free this month. Put away stray items in entrances that belong elsewhere Add extra hooks or shelves if you need them to help corral items Sort through junk drawers, baskets, trays and any other spots that accumulate random junk Invest in drawer organizers or a wall-mounted organizer to keep small items neat Habit to cultivate: Do an end-of-day tidy-up of the entryway, putting shoes, coats and random items back where they belong." HOUZZ
"August: Photos. Photos seem to be one of the most problematic items for many people to keep organized. Use the lazy days of August to sort through old photos and make books or prints from new ones. Choose a few favorite photos from this year and have them framed Edit digital photos and back up using a cloud service as well as an external drive Make a photo album or book from recent photos Sort through any bins of loose photos and put them in acid-free photo boxes or simple albums Habit to cultivate: Take a few extra moments to tag favorite digital photos each time you upload. Then when it’s time to print or make an album, you can go straight to your favorites." HOUZZ
"July: Yard, shed, garage and tools. Being outdoors in midsummer makes this a good time to get outdoor tools and equipment in order. Get rid of broken tools and those you no longer need Sort through gardening supplies Toss worn-out outdoor furnishings and decor If you’ve been collecting items to sell, hold a yard sale this month. At the end of the day, take unsold items to a charity donation center Habit to cultivate: Keep everything in your garage or shed on shelving, not on the floor. This helps prevent accumulating a pileup of junk and keeps your gear cleaner." HOUZZ
"June: Family room, playroom, media, art and schoolwork. The end of the school year is a good time to review collected artwork and school papers, and choose a small number of special pieces to save in a portfolio or document box. Edit schoolwork and art from the past year Gather a bag of DVDs, books and CDs to give away or sell Sort through toys and games; get rid of those your family no longer enjoys, as well as anything missing key pieces Habit to cultivate: At the beginning of each school year, pick up a simple art portfolio. When your child brings work home, enjoy all of it for a while, but choose only a few special pieces to put in the portfolio." HOUZZ
"May: Laundry room, linen closet, cleaning supplies. Cleaning routines are much easier and more pleasant when the supplies you need are neat and orderly. Sheets, towels and other household linens do not last forever — go through them this month and make some space. Recycle worn-out and stained towels, washcloths, sheets and tea towels at a textile recycling center — search for one near you through the Council for Textile Recycling If your child has graduated a bed size, donate the old bedding to charity Clean under sinks and in any cupboards where cleaning supplies are stored. Get rid of empty containers and products you tried but did not like Habit to cultivate: Don’t downgrade old towels and sheets to “guest” status. Only keep linens you would personally want to use — get rid of the rest. Your guests deserve better!" HOUZZ
"April: Bath and beauty products and medicine cabinets. Give your daily routine a spring cleaning by sorting through all of those bottles and jars hiding in medicine cabinets, on counters and in drawers. Toss expired makeup and skin-care items, as well as anything you do not use or like Clean drawers and shelves before returning items Store heat- and moisture-sensitive items (medications and some skin-care products) away from the bathroom Habit to cultivate: Keep a list of your favorite bath and beauty products and order them online rather than shopping in person. This helps avoid overshopping and impulse purchases." HOUZZ
"March: Clothes and accessories. The seasonal transition is a good time to sort through clothing. Sort through winter clothes before storing, and pare back spring and summer clothes as you begin to wear them. Donate or sell clothes, shoes and accessories in good condition Have winter clothes laundered or dry-cleaned before storing until next year Try on all clothes for the upcoming season and give away or sell any items that do not make you feel good Habit to cultivate: As soon as you wear something and notice it doesn’t fit, has a hole or doesn’t flatter you, toss it in a bag in your closet. When the bag is full, donate it." HOUZZ
"February: Home office — digital documents and papers. Get a jump-start on tax time by getting your files (paper and digital) in order. Sort through random stacks of paper; file, shred or recycle everything Streamline your files, shredding any documents you no longer need Use one calendar to keep track of all events Switch to paperless bills and statements if possible Clean out computer files and back up everything, using cloud-based storage and an external drive Habit to cultivate: Sort your mail at the door, tossing junk immediately into a recycling bin." HOUZZ
"January: Kitchen and pantry. Give yourself a fresh start for the new year with a clean kitchen, decluttered cabinets and a healthy pantry and fridge. Toss worn dish towels or cut them up to make rags Sell or give away specialty small appliances and tools you seldom or never use Recycle or toss freebie cups and Tupperware containers without lids Toss expired food and spices Take stock of cookware and dishes; give away or sell pieces you do not need Habit to cultivate: Clean out the pantry and fridge each week before shopping."
"If you’re feeling inspired and motivated by the new year, take advantage of that energy and spend a few weekends clearing clutter throughout the house. Making noticeable headway will help motivate you to keep up the decluttering effort in the coming months. Try to get the other members of your household onboard — but if they are not interested, don’t try to force it. Hopefully they will see the positive changes happening around the house and change their tune! Habit to cultivate: Keep an empty reusable bin in a closet, and use it to corral items you plan to give away."
http://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/59127182/list/10-reasons-to-go-clutter-free
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