Help! Where Did All This STUFF Come From?!

Unless you’re in the rarified air with people who are almost obsessively neat and clutter free, then you exist somewhere between the "lived-in look" comfortable abode and the college life of slobbiness.

 We clean out of necessity; we throw away and declutter when our stuff is taking over our living space. It can be overwhelming to get started. But declutter we must, unless we are auditioning for Hoarders. My friend Jan calls it decraptitizing.

 Put decrapitizing on your personal calendar. All this stuff wasn’t accumulated on a weekend, so don’t expect  a couple of Saturday afternoons to get it all sorted out.  If you don’t have big chunks of time, then give it 20 minutes of your time on a regular basis. For example, when I tackle the stack of paper that I’ve discreetly hidden in a basket beneath my desk, I set my phone timer for 20 minutes. I laser beam on getting rid of as much paper as I can during that time. Paper either must be filed, put in a to-do folder with a date on it, or thrown away. When the 20 minutes are up, I’m done, and I leave the remaining paper to tackle on another day (or another 20 minutes later on that same day).

 

I call these 20 minutes a Power Sweep. I apply the time factor to cleaning the bathroom, folding clothes, or any other task around the house that can be done in a short period of time – if we just focus. Let me tell you- multi-tasking is highly overrated and can distract you from doing one thing well and finishing it. How many times have you strolled into your bedroom, exhausted after a long day, only to discover that a few hours earlier you dropped a dryer full of warm towels on your bed, thinking you could quickly fold them and put them away – and then the phone rang, a kid needed your attention, or you stepped away – and you forgot they were there?  20 Minute power sweeps can help. You focus on completing that ONE THING, and you have a very high probability of completing that task. Of course, you can adjust the time-there's no magic to 20 minutes; set a time that works best for you.

 

I learned how to do 20 minute power sweeps while working at GM headquarters. It was an excellent way to keep your desk or workspace clutter free. Time Management 101...and I discovered that it could be applied to my personal life to more effectively manage my time as a working mom.

 

Now, on to truly one of my all-time favorite things; making lists. Be sure to check in next time!!

Letting Go and Moving Ahead

You'll never guess in a million years what this blog post is about today. It's about letting go of STUFF. You know, clothes, furniture, paper, old appliances, etc. With as much activity as Americans generate on eBay, Craigslist, et al, I can safely assume that a lot of you are in the same boat as I am. What to do with STUFF that has outlived its usefulness in your life?

 I'm in DECLUTTERING MODE again. But, this isn't my first rodeo; in the past 25 years, I've upsized, downsized, upsized again, and then drastically downsized when I moved to Florida several years ago. Now, I fight an ongoing battle to avoid clutter and to make sure that everything has a place to be. The new rule if that I desire a new sauté skillet, the old one has to be battered enough to be thrown out, because my small kitchen does not have room for two. On the rare occasions that I buy shoes nowadays ( I have final succumbed to a Florida lifestyle of flip flops and sandals virtually year-round), the new rule is that a pair (or two) have to go to either a charity, resale shop, or the trash heap. This new rule really cuts down on impulsive buying!

If you're being overwhelmed by your stuff or perhaps you're getting ready to move or merge, here's a short list that I've developed over the years that can get you started

How To Systematically Get Rid Of Stuff You No Longer Need

#1. Make a list, then place stuff in broad categories.
#2. Determine if each item is Trash (T), Giveaway (G), or Saleable (S).
#3. Collect all the T's and throw them out. If it's a large item, call your local municipality for their policy on picking up large items at the curb.
#4. Collect all the G's, wash/clean. Original owners manuals, recipe booklets, original boxes, etc. are a plus. Take them to your local charities that resell items to generate income and jobs. I use (in no particular order of preference) Salvation Army, Goodwill, Purple Heart, Veterans of Foreign Wars, to name a few. You may have a local charity or church that has a resale shop. Do a little research, and then haul all that stuff away! Some charities will pick up large pieces at no cost o you. And don't forget shelters. I once donated a girl's white bedroom set to a women's shelter in Pontiac, MI and they were very happy to get it. I even donated a car to a local charity. Although it no longer ran, they came out and hauled it away on a flatbed truck. All the G's are tax deductible, so make sure to get receipts.
#5. Take a critical review of your S items. Research comparable items on Craigslist, eBay, or local swap blogs or Facebook pages. Do a page for each item that includes at least one picture, description, age of item, specifications and measurements, and a firm asking price. Then go for it! Your trash may be some else's treasure! But be careful...more on this later with safety tips for selling stuff on the Internet.

My next few blog entries will explore each of these 5 options for getting rid of stuff you no longer need.