Sensible Clutter-Busting Ideas You Can Implement Right Away

Sensible Clutter-Busting Ideas You Can Implement Right Away

Do you find yourself picking things up from all over on your way to answer the doorbell? Are you forever looking for important papers, the first-aid kit, or the nail file? Is there a possibility a first-time visitor might have a problem distinguishing your bedroom from your storeroom?

If you answered “Yes” to all three questions, you have a problem. You’re human, but you’re probably descended from the animal family Sciuridae which are inveterate collectors: squirrels. But don’t worry, this is something that can be corrected, all you need is iron will. Here are sensible clutter-busting tips you can implement right away.

Tip 1 Resolve to Kick the Habit
Cluttering is a habit, and like any bad habit, it demands that the one who wants to be rid of it first acknowledge that he has a problem. Only from such an admission can a resolution to kick the habit emerge.

Tip 2 Break the Problem Down Into Manageable Parts
Taking on the entire house is a bit like Don Quixote taking on the windmills—you’re bound to fail. What you might do is to break the problem down by room, or by sections of a room, whatever works for you. If you can’t open a kitchen cabinet without fearing everything inside will tumble down, the kitchen cabinets might be a good place to start.

Tip 3 Resist the Urge to Right Away Conclude That What You Need is More Storage Space
Banish the thought. Treat it like you would the Ebola virus. Your problem is having too much of the wrong things. Period. Try to focus.

Tip 4 Before You Start, Resolve to Be Cold and Clinical
Take a swig if that’d help, but before you start, realize that many of the things dearest to you will have to go.

Tip 5 Sort. Start With the Easy Ones First
Sort your things into different groups: “Discard,” “Donate,” “Keep: Re-purpose / Re-use / Recycle.” At several points, you might need to refer back to Step 4. Take another swig if that would help.

Tip 6 Discard
Start discarding. Old newspapers. magazines, bills, junk mail, legit mail, and even books will have to go. One rule-of-thumb might be “If it’s paper, but it’s not the title to your house, discard it.” The kids’ playthings, art materials, schoolwork, and even prize-winning projects will have to go too. Broken down computer monitors, CPUs, keyboards, AVRs, UPSs, TV picture tubes, stereo sets, the golf set which has since then been replaced with a new one, old lawn mower, old tires – all these have to go, sorry.

Tip 7 Donate
These actually form part of “Discard,” but seem good enough for use by others. Set them aside to be donated. For the well-off, this might include tons of used clothes, an old car, enough kitchen utensils to srve the U.S. Army.

Tip 8 Keep
This group includes things which can be re-purposed, re-used, or recycled. For instance, you might have a wall removed to make way for metal wall grilles which would connect one room with another. You might want to keep the discount oil painting on canvas which used to grace that wall. Or, if the metal wall grilles replaced old ones, you might consider using the old metal wall grilles in some other part of your house.