February is the shortest month of the year but can feel like the longest with limited daylight and frigid temperatures. We spend a lot more time indoors during New England winter months, making it an ideal time to declutter our homes. People tend to feel overwhelmed when they consider decluttering, but I challenge you to think of it as an opportunity to unburden yourself from things you may not want or need anymore. Decluttering is manageable with these broad-stroke tips.
Start Small & Have a Plan.
You won't be decluttering your entire house in one day, so keep the expectation realistic by choosing a small project to start with like a junk drawer or a laundry room. Work your way up to larger rooms and projects and enlist the help of family and friends.
Sort by Keep, Donate & Purge.
Remember to be patient with yourself. As you are touching your belongings, you are essentially reliving all the moments of your life, and this is EMOTIONAL. It is normal to have hesitations and anxiety about deciding what stays and what goes. Show yourself some grace and take it one item at a time.
Helpful questions for purging or donating include:
Do I use this?
Do I like this?
Why do I own this (inherited, sentimental, purchased, found)?
Does this serve the life I live or want to live?
Can someone else make more use of this?
Be Prepared with Bins or Bags.
Have garbage bags or baskets or bins on hand for the items you will decide to keep, donate or purge. It will be satisfying to make a choice and commit to it by clearing it away immediately. You can choose to donate to charities and help others while helping yourself too.
Get your house in Good Order, and follow me on Instagram and Facebook (@goodorderllc) for inspiration. Subscribe to my blog for more tips like these.
— SCG