Tammy's Tips-Let's Conquer Our Clutter Together-Step 3

The last two weeks we have been taking about getting rid of our clutter.  Week one we found out whether we needed to declutter.  Week two, the sorting began and we saw how expensive clutter can cost.  This week we will be working through our sorted piles. 

We started with the intial sort.  We should have a Keep, Toss and Sell pile.  The toss is easy, take it to the garbage can and start dumping.  It you have large items you may have to pay a small fee and take it to the dump.  

At this point, set aside the sell items since we will be talking all about that next week.  Now to get to work on the keep items.  One reason that the room or house needs to be decluttered is we have too much stuff.   We need to narrow it down.  This is the tough part.  Say you are an avid reader, you love books and keep all of them that you read.  Your bookshelves are overflowing and no room for the boxes of books you have.  Unless you have storage for those books, you really need to scale them down.  Take 10 books and only keep 5.  If you do that over and over again you will have cut them down by 50 percent!  You can do the same thing with toys, clothes, stuffed animals, shoes, etc.  With young kids, start with smaller amounts such as taking 3 toys and narrowing it down to 2.   They have a harder time understanding giving or selling.   I know it's hard to get rid of our possesions.  There is always a "reason" why you should keep it.  I have a box of antiques up in our attic.  I probably should go through them and donate or sell the items but they are sentimental, given to me by my grandparents.  If you have a place to store them, by all means keep the items.  The last thing you want to do is regret giving something you really love away.  

Once you have sorted through your keep pile and have decided what really could go and what needs to stay, start cleaning.  Cleaning and organizing go hand in hand.  If you just went through your closet, vacuum and dust from top to bottom.  Then as you put things back use totes, or racks to keep the items organized.  Hang up items and button them, you can even color code your clothes as you do this.  I can't see spending all that hard work sorting to have you just throw it all back into the bottom of your closet. 

This is the  list I have hanging in my pantry door.  It keeps me on track and reminds me when I have cleaned an area thoroughly.  I know what areas have been sorted, organized and cleaned just by looking at the list.  I date each area once complete.

Spring Cleaning Checklist 2010

Downstairs:


Living Room
Dining Room
Kitchen
Cupboards
Fridge
Pantry
Eating area
Guest Bathroom
Family Room

Upstairs:


Master Bedroom
Master Bathroom
Emily?s Room
Brad?s Room
Laundry Room
Landing
Kid?s Bathroom


Closets:


Master closet
Sort through:
Hubby?s and my clothes
Emily?s closet
Brad's closet
Hall closet (upstairs)
Hall closet (downstairs)


Windows:


Wash all curtains/valances
Window Tracts


Outside:


Garage
Gutters


Add on?s:


I usually sort with the kids a couple times a year.  Hubby and I will even do this process out in the garage.  In fact an organization session out there is way overdue.  I run through the downstairs about two times a year.  The best part about doing this is that it usually never gets to the point it once was.  I think twice about buying this or that.  Is it going to fit in the kitchen cupboards?  Do the kids really need this?  Do I really need another pair of shoes?  Once you can get to that point, you are on the way to being organized inside and out.

Next week we will look at how to sell our items.  We have several options and I will try to make it simple and easy.  If it's too hard, we won't do it and it will sit out in the garage cluttering up another space.  See you next week!