This post will be a bit different as I want to write about something I've done that in the long run saved me money, but you wouldn't think that at first. The short list of
how it is going to save me money is:
1. I won't buy something a second or third time because I can't find it. ( I found 3 hole punchers!)
2. You reap what you sow and I have already benefited because of donating so much stuff. Freebies from the charity shop girls, etc.
3. Selling a few items on Etsy or EBay has netted me some extra
gas money, technically not saving but I spent less than I would have.
4. Less clutter means less stress so I don't need to buy more St. John's Wort.
5. Less stuff will make it cheaper to move one day.
6. I can see what I really have and make better use of it which keeps me from buying more stuff.
There are many sites on the net that will teach you about decluttering as well as several TV shows. I've seen them and read them and learned a lot. The one thing everyone says is
how much lighter they feel after the purge. I feel it too. I can be a pack rat so here's how I looked at it in order to actually do it. I took William Morris' quote literally:
"Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful
or believe beautiful."
Add to that 'If I haven't worn or used it in the last 1 to 1.5 years
I am not going to, so get rid of it.'
Take one area or room at a time and fill sacks or boxes to haul to the charity shops. Small bags make it easy to carry and you feel like you have done a lot when you fill one. Tackling a small area at a time helps to not lose focus or get overwhelmed. Even if it is one drawer or one box, it IS progress. Organizing is the flip side to decluttering. This helps everything have a place which helps everything stay in place. Not having a place for everything is a large part of how homes get in such a mess to begin with.
One thing I have done is to use a plastic tub or box to put things in that
didn't go where I was cleaning. Then I had to figure out where they went and sometimes it was AWAY. I also think about WHERE I put things. Will it be a convenient place near where I use it so that I WILL put it away?
I have shifted not only where things used to go but also what they are stored in. One weekend I patiently took apart all the 200+ music Cds and put the discs and booklets in one large notebook case that fits on an empty shelf instead of in 2 large wooden box holders. Less to dust, gives me more shelf space, weighs less and is easy to use. I should have done this years ago. The plastic cases are difficult to recycle but some people use them for crafts, picture display or to replace broken ones so they can be donated.
Here's a site on dealing with clutter I have found helpful, they even have free calendars you can download to motivate you daily. http://unclutterer.com/
I say do a little at a time and keep going, it works for me.
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