plan to declutter

[betsy glass]

need help to declutter. over 25 years of stuff, needs to go. we know we can pick something up and throw it away, but need a more definitive plan for maximimum return in least amount of time. know that it took a long time to accummulate, but cannot take 25 years to make it go away.

[disneysteve]

What is the purpose of the decluttering? Are you moving?

Set up 3 bins/boxes. Label one KEEP, one DONATE/SELL, one TRASH. Everything falls into one of those 3 categories.

Obviously, the TRASH bin is the easiest to deal with and needs no explanation.

The DONATE/SELL bin requires a bit more thought. You don't want to give stuff away that is of significant value (or maybe you do) so you may want to separate out the valuable stuff from the every day household items. As you fill a box or bag to donate, actually drop it off at your local Goodwill or Salvation Army or charity of your choice. Some charities even pick up at your home if you call them. The sooner you get the stuff out of your space, the better.

The hardest to deal with is the KEEP stuff, though once you get rid of the trash and donate stuff, you'll find you have a lot more room to better organize the stuff that remains.

As for a plan of attack, take it in small bites. One drawer or one shelf or one closet at a time. Don't try to do it all at once as it will quickly become overwhelming. Dedicate at least 20-30 minutes each and every day to decluttering.

I find the best way is to clear out the area I'm working on and then go through the items one by one before returning the KEEP stuff. For example, my wife and I recently decluttered the 4 shelves in our bedroom closet. First, I took everything off of those shelves and spread it out on the bedroom floor. Then we sorted through it all piece by piece, dividing it up into the 3 piles I described above. The trash went out. The donate went in a box to the garage. The keep went back into the closet, organized neatly.

When I cleaned off our big bookshelf, I emptied off one shelf at a time and sorted through each item. What went back onto the shelf was a fraction of what I had started with. Some books went to Goodwill. Some random items went in the trash. Several books got listed on half.com. And the remainder went back on the shelf.

At the beginning, the task seems overwhelming but with each section that you work through, you'll find you get more and more motivated to keep going. Everything starts looking cleaner. Walking into the rooms that were previously overrun with clutter becomes much more enjoyable. Take it bit by bit and before you know it, it will look great.

[jpg7n16]

Depending on your budget and timeframe, you could also consider hiring a professional organizer to give you assistance and direction

professional organizer - Google Search

www.napo.net

Obviously not the cheapest way to do it, but an option if you've got a very short timeframe (ie moving for work)... or just want the help in person.


There's also a decluttering thread if you haven't seen it already. Good motivation

And I really like DS's post above.

And also some books out, with detailed guides to cleaning any room in the house. Like: Amazon.com: The Beverly Hills Organizer's Home Organizing Bible: A Pro's Answers to Your Organizing Prayers (9781592331543): Linda Koopersmith: Books
or Amazon.com: Too Much Stuff: De-Cluttering Your Heart and Home (9780834122567): Kathryn Porter: Books