Tip of the Month :: What Can You
Get Rid of Today?
I heard a quote the other day that made me laugh, but
I quickly realized there was a lot of truth in those words.
The quote said “You will never see a U Haul following a funeral
procession.”
That comment reminded me about how much “stuff” we accumulate in the
course of a life time. Most of this stuff consists of things we don’t
really use or need. It just happens to come into the house and unless we
are vigilant, never leaves!
Well, de-cluttering doesn’t have to be a huge overwhelming process.
There are little things we can do every day that will help us keep only
the things we love, use and most importantly, need.
Here’s a list of 5 things you can let go of this week.
-
Magazines – If two months have gone by and
you haven’t read that magazine next to your bed, consider getting
rid of it today. If you haven’t read the article that originally
caught your attention, chances are you will not get to it. Your
magazines can be recycled, donated to a retirement home or your
doctor’s waiting room. Just make the decision today and act on it
today!
-
Plastic Containers – Do you have a
collection of mis-matched plastic containers in your kitchen
cabinets? Go through them and make sure every bottom has a lid.
Recycle those that do not. Be realistic about how many plastic
containers you really need.
-
Flower Vases – Are you the type of person
who has fresh cut flowers around the house all the time? If you are
not, then keep the number of vases you have to a minimum. An easy
choice to make for disposal or donation, are the vases that come
with flowers we receive. No need to keep them. They are not
decorative and take up a lot of room. They can be easily recycled.
-
Food – In the course of my work helping
clients get ready to move, we always find lots of food sitting in
cabinets that we will most likely never eat. Don’t wait until you
are moving to go through your pantry and dispose of items that are
expired. Take a little time to do it now. If you find things that
are still good, then consider using it within the next week. If you
know it was a choice that just isn’t appealing to you, then your
local food pantry is a great place for it. There are many people in
need who can use it.
-
Books – I know books are a touchy subject.
Many people believe that books are an important part of their lives.
They believe the books they have “souls” and are difficult to
discard. I agree that books hold special places our lives. That is
why honoring them by keeping them organized and safe from damage is
important. Keep only books you are sure to read/read again. Just
like magazines, if you have had a book for a long time and not
gotten around to reading it, consider giving it away. Local
libraries are one resource for unwanted books. If a local retirement
community or nursing home has a library they will usually be happy
to take books. See if there is a “Half Price Books” store near you.
They will pay you to take your books. Visit halfpricebooks.com to
find a store near you.
I’m sure as you take a look around the house you will
see little pockets of stuff that has accumulated. Do you tell yourself
“Ugh, I have to go through that stuff and get rid of it” every time you
walk past it? Well, take some time this week and do it! Keep the project
small and simple. Don’t tackle something that will make a mess or be
left unfinished. Most importantly, be ready to make decisions! If you
struggle with making decisions about what to do, get someone to work
with you.
Past Tips:
Fall/Winter 2011 -
Could You Become A Minimalist?
Summer 2011 - What Can
You Get Rid of Today?
Winter 2010/2011 - Organizing your Kids’ Paperwork
Sumer 2010 - Organize Your
Photos
Spring 2010
- A Step by Step Guide to Paper Management
Fall 2009 - Clearing Clutter
Summer
2009 - Enjoy the Warm Weather & Get Organized Too!
February 2009 - Get Organized in a Bad Economy
January 2009 - January is Get Organized Month
December 2008
- Organize Your Closet
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