I was recently home on a Sunday afternoon, without my daughter, which is rarity. I decided to take advantage of the empty house by cleaning out my closets. Not the most exciting way to spend the day, but it was necessary. At the end of the day, I had filled 3 garbage bags with clothing and other items to donate which I happily deposited at a Salvation Army drop off.
I was so happy to droff off 3 bags of donated clothing.
I used to be a full-blown pack rack. As a child, I would hold onto scraps of paper, lone socks and random rocks that had sentimental value to me. Over the years, I have become much better at throwing out stuff that I don’t use, and I no longer attach so much emotion to objects. I try to only hold onto possessions that I use and love, and that serve me.
Despite my intentions to live clutter-free, I have a toddler and thus constantly accumulate things in my home like stuffed animals, various baby seats, and numerous battery operated toys that play annoying songs. My daughter also outgrows clothes in a few months, so her closet is a mess. As for my own closet, I have been pregnant, postpartum and then lost my baby weight, resulting in a wide variety of clothing in my closet. Even though I went through my clothing after giving birth and again when my daughter was one, there are maternity clothes hidden in the back of my closet. Further, in the midst of my hectic world, little piles of clutter seem to appear from nowhere in the corners of my closets and under furniture. I always know when the time has come to do a major cleaning out.
There are so many benefits of decluttering. Even if you are generally an organized person, it can be freeing to get rid of clothing and objects that you no longer use. These are some of the benefits that I enjoy when cleaning out my home:
1. When you take the time you go through your closest, you will find all sorts of long forgotten clothes. It is so much easier to keep track of what you have when you can see what you have. Further, when you have less stuff, it will easier to find what you do have since items aren’t hidden in the back of closets or under piles of clothing.
2. Decluttering lowers stress levels. Both visual disarray and the daunting task of cleaning a messy home can trigger stress. Maintaining a clean, organized home is calming.
3. Less stuff = more time! The less you have, the less you have to wash, worry about and organize.
4. Cleaning out creates more space in my house and in my life. I believe that we need to open up space in order for new experiences and gifts to come into our lives. This begins with decluttering the home.
5. Many people feel emotional attachment to objects. Getting rid of some of these things can feel freeing.
De-cluttering can be difficult. People often assign sentimental value to objects, which makes it hard to throw them out. Organizing does not come easy to many of us, myself included. Further, in our busy lives, cleaning out does not typically rank high on to-do lists.
It is so easy to drown in our clutter.
Personally, I find that its easiest for me if I just take a whole day and go through the house, cleaning out each room. I have trouble doing it piecemeal, but I know that different methods work for different people. When I am going through items, I make three piles: one to keep, one to donate and one to trash. I often offer up certain items to friends or family, who sometimes will use things that I don’t need anymore. Here are a few suggestions for how to de-clutter:
1. Set time aside to clean out. Whether you are setting aside 10 minutes a day or an entire weekend, schedule the time that you want to spend decluttering and stick to it.
2. Reach out for help. If you need help from another person to clean, ask for it. If you need emotional support and/or ideas, use books or the internet. My favorite book on this topic is “Throw out 50 Things”.
3. Be firm with yourself. One of my rules is that if I haven’t worn an article of clothing for a year, I donate it. Whatever your standards are for keeping or tossing what is in your closet — stick to it. This will make decluttering more effective.
4. Be kind to yourself. The decluttering process is not easy and be emotional. Take your time if that is what you need.
Once you cleaned out and organized , you can celebrate by smudging your home. This involves lighting a smudge stick (typically white sage), and blowing the smoke around your home. This practice cleans out the old energy and makes space for something new in your home and your life.
It is a wonderful feeling to be able to calmly relax in your home. There is also a beauty in being able to let go of things that no longer serve you and that are taking up space. When we are left with essential items that we truly love, we feel less distracted and more at peace. The same theory goes for our lives: less clutter means more freedom and more space for whatever is next on our individual journeys.
This is an excellent article! My mom was a saver and thought that everything would be re-purposed. When she sold her home, we had so much work to do between donating and trashing. I, on the other hand, believe that less is more. When I purchase a new pair of shoes, I look to get rid of a pair that I longer wear. I also like to sort through my clothing twice a year. There are always surprises in my wardrobe that I forgot I owned or bought the season prior.
Letting go of physical baggage is definitely freeing in the same sense that letting go of emotional baggage is. It can be tempting to hang on to items with the mindset of “this may be the year this comes in handy” but I have learned that if it is something that I do not use, it is usually something I can reacquire if I do someday develop a need for it. I love donating items that I do not use anymore, the thought of someone else actually using something that would otherwise be only taking up space at my home is one that motivates me to let go of the material goods that no longer serve me. Thank you for sharing your tips!
your welcome! De-cluttering is such a great thing to do but I know it can be tough for many of us. I agree that donating is or gifting items is a great way for them to be repurposed.
You are so right about all of this and I have been meaning to get some things out for a while now and that is probably affecting my creativity and work flow. THANKS for reminder! I think scheduling this is also a GOOD idea!
It is tough to get it done, but always great once you get started!
This is great- and I can relate! I had a house fire 5 years ago and lost everything…the blessing was that I came out unscathed..but it truly was gift. When you realize that you are “ok” without anything of those :”things”, you experience such freedom ! I realized that I had everything I needed- truly. Thanks for the great reminder 🙂
You’re welcome! i am so sorry to hear about what you experienced… but I agree that this mindset helps you feel free!