Have you been feeling the urge to do some spring decluttering? I have.
We’ve spent close to two decades in our small 1950s brick and stone ranch. In our time here, two children have learned to walk, talk, read, plus one has even learned to drive now. Cribs, high chairs, and changing tables have been replaced with books, microscopes, and a sweet vinyl collection. Tiny shoes that once skipped across the living room made their way to a hand-me-down bag.
No matter what changes, our home remains limited by its space. So while we do keep a few treasured items, not everything can stay within its walls. After all, if every item we’ve ever owned hung around, we’d have no place to sleep at night.
Perhaps during no other season am I more excited about reducing our physical possessions than the Spring. Whatever the impulse, I feel the call to declutter and re-evaluate what we keep. These spring decluttering tips are guidelines we try to live by on a regular basis.
Your Clutter is Costing You
Even if you have the extra space to keep all of your extras packed away, studies show your extra items can cost up to $15 per square foot per month to keep. That’s quite a bit of cash for stuff you’re not using. The time to maintain and organize those items heaps an additional cost onto your budget. Last but not least, an overabundance can weigh heavily on your mental health. It’s difficult to place a numeric value on the state of your psyche, but both your work productivity and ability to manage personal finances both can be affected by clutter.
Focus on Small Jobs
Probably one of the most significant challenges facing those who wish to lighten their loads is biting off more than can be chewed. We want an organized, decluttered home and we want it NOW. But, akin to improving your fitness level or paying off debt, it’s unlikely you’ll be able to achieve this goal in one short day.
Instead of attempting to declutter your entire home in a brief 24 hour period, focus on small jobs you can do in less than ten minutes daily. The quick, consistent practice of managing your home can form into a life-long habit. For instance, instead of cleaning out a dresser, aim to simply reorganize and declutter one drawer. Or rather than tackling the entire refrigerator, you can zero in on the contents of the door.
Wade into the waters gradually, creating systems to last longer than a frenzied attack.
Create a Cash Flow
You can move beyond dumping your no longer needed possessions into a garbage bag. Turn your trash into treasure. It’s not difficult to make money off gently used extras. Use your social media channels to create a virtual garage sale. Or pack up books, games, and movies to sell at a second hand retailer like Half Priced Books.
Of course, passing along items without a charge to friends and family members in need is always an option, too. You may also choose to donate your things to a charity. If you opt for this route, don’t forget to list the specifics of what you’ve given and when possible get a receipt from the organization for tax purposes.
Fight the temptation to turn around and spend the money you make on more material goods. Instead, funneling the cash toward a greater financial goal.
Institute New Practices
The clutter cycle continues over and over again unless you create boundaries for yourself. After you’ve cruised through a regular rotation of organizational tasks, you want to prevent future unnecessary repetition of the same work. As you make new purchases, remove one or even two like items from your home.
- Buy One, Remove One: So when you purchase a new t-shirt, as you’re folding it and putting it away, look for one or two well worn t-shirts to part with. When you’re lucky enough to buy new kitchen goods, dig deep into the cabinet to remove something of a similar size. This simple and intentional habit cuts down on future pile ups.
- Tub Test: If you’re like me and you’re uncertain whether or not you’d like to part with a household good, place it into an 18 gallon tub in a closet or other storage area. Test whether or not you really need said item. After a period of 1-3 months without use, make the choice to donate or sell it.
There’s nothing like a fresh start at the beginning of a new season. When you make decluttering a regular practice, you receive a fresh start every day. The benefits to your finances, mental health, and general well being outweigh the minor distraction of cleaning out. To everything, there is a season. Let’s begin the spring well.
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