BY RITA WILKINS
THE DOWNSIZING DESIGNER
Spring is just around the corner. Our thoughts turn to being outside again, new beginnings, and a fresh start.
Our thoughts might also turn into the age-old custom of spring cleaning, giving your home a fresh, lighter, less cluttered look.
Have you ever asked yourself why you take time to clean, organize, and tidy up the same old stuff? Why you buy more pretty organizing bins and baskets for the same old stuff?
It’s like one vicious circle.
- Organizing the same belongings over and over again.
- It takes time from your daily life, from doing things you would rather be doing.
- It creates more work and it’s redundant.
This year, why not rethink spring cleaning… and instead, do a spring cleanout.
What if you got rid of some of the things that you keep reorganizing each year?
- Things you never use or forgot you even have.
- Things you have multiples of.
- Things you don’t want, need or use anymore.
What if you pared down your possessions to:
- Only things you love.
- Only things you want, need, or will use.
Check out our recent blog: How to Let Go of Sentimental Stuff
What if this year, instead of organizing your stuff, you minimize your belongings?
Rather than just rearranging, cleaning, and organizing the same stuff year after year, let this be the year you intentionally choose to declutter and live with less.
Room by Room, Week by Week Decluttering Method
By far, this is one of the best decluttering methods I’ve ever used and continue to use because it works! It works because it is slow and steady, and because it is intentional. You see small weekly wins that ultimately become big wins.
Face it! Decluttering is an emotional experience and it’s also physically exhausting.
When you pull everything out of a closet and you realize just how much you never use, you forgot you even had, and you are reminded of how much money you’ve wasted overtime.
It’s emotional, it’s overwhelming, and it’s exhausting.
But think of it this way
- When you own less, you will have more time, money, energy, and freedom…
- To do more things you want to do
- To be with your loved ones more
- To not have to organize the same stuff each year.
How does the Room by Room, Week by Week decluttering method work?
- List all of the rooms in your home that need decluttering.
- Prioritize the room or rooms you want to work on first, second, etc.
- What is the goal you want to accomplish in that room? What is your motivation for wanting to declutter this room? What do you want to “feel like” when you are done? (calm, organized, efficient)
- Pick one area of that room that you want to start. (i.e., closet, dresser, bookcase) Then set a time to complete your goal (2-3 hours).
- Remove all items from that area (clothes from the closet) and ask yourself these questions:
- Do you use it? Or wear it?
- Does it fit or look good on you?
If not, place it in the donate pile. Item by item, place items in three separate piles, “donate, discard, or keep”.
6. Remove all items in the donate or discard pile. Put them in your car immediately to either be donated or discarded. And don’t create piles in your garage.
7. Schedule next week’s session and put it on your calendar. Pick the room and the area that you want to work on. Set the goal that you want to accomplish within 2–3-hour period. Set the timer to complete.
8. Move on to the next room.
The Room by Room, Week by Week method of decluttering will help you start to see progress each week. You will experience small wins that will motivate you to keep moving so that you can complete your decluttering project.
When you use this decluttering method, spring cleaning will take on a whole new meaning.
Big challenges reap big rewards.
What you will start to experience overtime is life-changing:
- Your attitude towards stuff changes.
- You’ll be less inclined to buy more.
- You’ll become more intentional about what you want and need versus what you don’t want and need.
- You’ll develop a decluttering muscle that makes it easier to let go of your unneeded possessions.
- You will begin to experience the value of owning less so you can live more.
Do you need help decluttering or downsizing? Check out my 6-week Decluttering Challenge. Click here to sign-up.
We offer a full range of downsizing and decluttering services. If you wish to discuss, I do offer a 30-minute complimentary call. Click here to sign-up.
