Here’s a quick and easy way to start decluttering if you’re not sure where to start. Often people overthink this crucial step. But it doesn’t have to be so hard.
Why not declutter 6 things without giving it a second thought? Here are some easy starting points.
- Excess coat hangers. When all the clothes are clean and hung up, there will likely be excess coat hangers. Those extras take up a surprising amount of space, which would be better given over to let the clothes hang freely, without creasing. If getting rid of all the excess coat hangers is a step too far, at least remove them to another location. I personally have a few extras sitting on a shelf underneath the hanging space.
- Out of date and smelly cosmetics. You’d be surprised how quickly opened cosmetics expire. A jar of face cream will have a recommendation for how long it will keep fresh. For other things, a quick way to check to whether it’s still fresh is the sniff test. Eew!
- Chipped or broken cups. You deserve to drink from a lovely cup. Cracks and chips attract bacteria and are unsightly. Unless that broken cup is a prized heirloom and you can’t possibly part with it, let it go. If it is very special, repurpose it to do something useful, like store your bookmarks.
- Faded receipts. Seriously, you wouldn’t believe the number of clients who have insisted on keeping receipts, even though the print has faded, they don’t know the amount or even the store printed on them. Even if they were once useful as a record of spending, once that print fades, they are just clutter.
- (Most) Christmas cards. In fact, let’s extend that to other kinds of greeting cards as well. A card is wonderful to receive. It shows that someone was thinking of you. It warms your heart. But the sender doesn’t expect you to keep that card forever. It’s like blowing a kiss or virtual hugs. The sentiment stays with you, even when the item is gone. Ok, I admit there will be occasional cards which are special. Go ahead and keep those in a Fabulous File (read more here), but in the main part, make way for more good things to come into your life.
- Perfectionism is a barrier to being organised. Let go of the idea that there is a perfect time, a perfect way, a perfect system to get organised. Instead, grab hold of the phrase “organised enough”. It will make your life a whole lot easier. If you still need convincing, read this article – One Perfect Day.
Read more in the Organising by Numbers series here.
