I saw my first bunch of daffodils yesterday as I took a walk outside. They gave me a jolt of happiness and a spring in my step (pun intended!) The emergence of spring gives me renewed energy and motivation to think about projects I haven’t tackled during my winter hibernation (or procrastination depending on how you look at it!) My garage, for example, is currently begging for a little TLC. I may need more than a glimpse of some spring flowers to get me started. That’s when I bring out my four favorite decluttering mantras:
- If I don’t love it, need it, or use it, it doesn’t deserve a place in my home. This is my all-time favorite because nothing really gets by this (and if it does, I proceed right to the next three bullet points. Every time I’m on the fence about keeping something, I recite this. It keeps me honest, ruthless, and accountable to my mission to live with less.
- Just because something is useable doesn’t mean I need to keep it. This is an easy pitfall for even the diehard minimalist. I frequently use pens as the ultimate example when I’m giving a presentation. We all have too many pens (that most of us got for free anyway!) While they appear innocuous, they represent all the other items we hang onto because they are still in good working order. If we have multiples of the same item and keep them because they are still useable, you know what you have…clutter.
- If I keep everything then nothing is special. I recite this when I am going through memorabilia. Perhaps it’s your kids’ artwork from kindergarten or mementos from a trip. Keeping a few pieces is fine. Keeping every masterpiece your child created in preschool is not. (Your adult kids do not want them either, ask them!) Digitally preserving our memories has never been easier. Do you really need the map of Amsterdam and the ticket stubs of the boat cruise when you recorded half the trip on your phone? Snap some pics of your child’s artwork along with the mementos you brought back from your trip. (We discuss digital clutter in a separate newsletter). Pare your mementos down to one tub per person.
- I will declutter without guilt. When you give a gift do you intend for the recipient to keep it forever? I hope the answer is no. Why then do we struggle to let go of items that were gifted to us? How many times have I heard from a client that they can’t part with something because it will hurt the gift giver’s feelings? (Frequently) Gift giving should come with no strings attached but even if it doesn’t, we should not feel obligated to keep something we don’t ‘love, need, or use’.
If you feel you need a little (or a lot) more help with your spring decluttering do not hesitate to reach out. We are always here to help!
Janet
Other news! We made it to the elimination round of Best of The Main Line. If you voted for us previously, thank you! Could we please ask you to vote one more time? Voting ends on 3/17/23. We are in the running for ‘Best Professional Organizer’ and ‘Best Closet Organizer’ Please help us make it five years in a row!