You probably already know what I’m talking about, otherwise the term is new to you. Either way, I’m sure you know the drill, because it’s all about tidying your closet. And the moment you should decide to take action is now. Why? Because I wish you to be happy, and I do so for myself as well. Do you believe that the clothes and items we so carefully stacked, that without wearing or using them, make us endlessly stressed? Marie Kondo, the author of the bestselling The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, is right: We have to get rid of excess and we all know that we, women, can be like hamsters, who keep putting things away “just in case”, unfortunately to our own disadvantage. Here is some advice for you about how to get started, and winter is the perfect season for it, because it gets dark outside fast, so you have time, of course you do, and the will as well, don’t you? I know how it is, you rather wouldn’t, but it has to be done. I am with you and I’m starting as well.
Image source: Pinterest
Start anew
This is the key to decluttering, you have to start fresh, which means that first you have to get rid of everything (yes, everything) that is not linked to an emotion and leaves you indifferent. There will be a lot, a vast amount, really, so give clothing and items away, throw them out, get rid of them one way or another; the important thing is that you no longer have it in your home and you can start living again.
Less is more
It’s obvious, we have too many things we don’t use and have no need for. Keep that in mind the next time you go shopping, remember space is limited, and only buy the things that excite you and make sense in your life. When you make room in your closet, you’ve made room in your head, which makes you feel freer and happier. Roll up your sleeves and get started!
Image source: Pinterest
Image source: Pinterest
Throw it out all at once
The most difficult thing is to pluck up the courage, it really is. Don’t look back, take and throw out or recycle without a guilty conscience. Get your things circling again. It’s a matter of energy, which someone else can use, because you don’t need it anymore. Tidy up in categories, not rooms, so for example take all the books, pile them up and make the selection, whether you do it in the living room, bedroom or bathroom. Stay focused on the here and now, because oftentimes we give up simply because we start thinking about our next step too early, resulting in a mistake.
Prepare yourself mentally
Picture it in your mind: First you’ll get rid of the lingerie, followed by shoes, dresses, books, all the things you have no use for, old pans, plates, baby things. Prepare yourself to say goodbye, because you need this to happen. When you step in front of a closet, pick a point to pile up all the clothes you don’t need: First the pile, then the selection. Follow your instinct: Yes to this, no to that, no hesitation, no thinking over. What do you still wear? Which are the items you haven’t worn in years? You don’t need the latter, it’s old news. If you grab a piece that doesn’t excite you anymore, it’s time to let it go its own way.
Image source: Pinterest
Image source: Pinterest
Makeup
A sore subject, I have a hundred lipsticks myself and I’m pretty sure I need all of them, even if I only use three, which is saying a lot. Why do I keep buying them? Probably, because they make me feel better and I feel happy at least for an hour…I know you feel the same. There are always wrong or unneccessary purchases and remember, makeup has a best before date, which I’m sure has long passed. Throw it out. When it’s time to travel and you’re packing your suitcase, everything will be faster, easier and more sensible, so trust me, you need to declutter now, because spring is around the corner and you will finally be able to breathe again. Even in your heart.
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4 thoughts on “Are you ready for decluttering?”
Very few people have closets and drawers that resemble those in catalogues. Trust me. I’ve been in a lot of houses and apartments and even after we’ve totally reorganized a space, it doesn’t look like an ad for The Container Store.
Do not think that once you’ve organized your space, that you are done. You’ll feel like a failure when you have to clean it up again in a month. Realize that while you have created a new, efficient, and logical system for processing and managing incoming and outgoing items, you are not done. There is no autopilot. You should expect regular upkeep, but just be glad that the new system is far more efficient than the old one.
Do not set aside an ENTIRE day to organize your WHOLE house. Very few people have the energy and/or focus to spend 8 hours organizing. You’ll likely become frustrated and less efficient as the day progresses. It’s much better to spend a few hours — 2 or 3 — on one project or space. This way you’ll feel motivated to do more, not be burned out by the process.
Organize First; Buy Second