This is part two of a four-part series on how to declutter, downsize, and organize.
By Sandie Timm, Professional Organizer
Decluttering and organizing your environment is beneficial for your physical and mental health. But it can be overwhelming to know where and how to start. Like most things, the hardest thing is taking the first step. The following tips will help you get started on the process:
- The first step can be taken before you even begin decluttering. It might be simple, but stop bringing things into your home. Or at least think twice or even three times before you do. Ask yourself: Do you need that free pen from the estate planner’s office? Why bring home the flyer from the open house you strolled by? How many tiny branded bottles of hand sanitizer do you really need? Just because it’s a good deal, on sale, or even free doesn’t mean you need to take it. You may not even realize how much future clutter you are bringing into your home. Being aware and thinking about whether you truly need these items is a positive first step.
- If a move isn’t imminent, just start small. Try starting with your kitchen. How often are you cooking big meals these days? Do you need six different whisks? How many roasting pans of varying sizes do you need? Are you using that Yellow Pages directory from 1998? Continue decluttering drawer-by-drawer and then room-by-room.
- Once you have started decluttering, place your items into three categories:
- KEEP – First consider, does this serve a purpose in my life TODAY – not did it once serve a purpose, or might it serve a purpose in the future? If so, keep it! (We’ll talk about how to handle sentimental items in Part Four of this series.)
- SELL/DONATE – If something no longer serves you but still has life left in it (e.g., dining room furniture or dress shoes), consider donation or consignment. High-end items in excellent condition that are similar to items currently sold in stores can be consigned. Other items can be donated to resale/thrift stores. But please note that donation and consignment centers are now more selective about items they take to resell. They too do not have buyers for dark, heavy furniture or formal items. A third option is to consider posting items for low cost or free on NextDoor or Freecycle.
- RECYCLE/SHRED/TRASH – For items that are no longer serving you and for which you cannot find a home, it’s time to throw them away. Recycle whatever you can and shred or trash the rest.
- As mentioned in Tip 3, be ruthless about the “I may need this someday” items. When did you last use the item? If you haven’t used it in two years, you probably won’t need it in the next two. No matter what size your home is, you can’t keep everything you may ever need someday.
- Realize that your children and grandchildren don’t want your stuff. Yes, that’s hard to hear. Yes, it probably hurts. But it’s true, and you must accept it. After World War II, there was a trend in accumulating material goods. And for several generations, those items were passed down from one to the next. But today’s young adults don’t want your heirloom furniture or the good silver. It’s not personal. Maybe they don’t have room for it, or it doesn’t reflect their casual lifestyle. Younger generations also prefer collecting memories and experiences instead of things. When my grandmother died, I didn’t want any of what she would consider “the good stuff;” I only wanted her inexpensive necklace with an owl charm that I remember her wearing throughout my childhood. I keep it in my jewelry box and smile whenever I see it.
- Call in the experts. Decluttering can be time-consuming, exhausting, and emotional. A professional organizer is trained in the emotional and physical acts of decluttering and can help you both with the logistics (e.g., how do I get this furniture to the donation center?) and the emotions of letting go.
Stay tuned for Part Three: Managing Paper and Part Four: Handling Sentimental Items
Sandie helps clients create beautiful, organized spaces that allow simpler, calmer, and more efficient lives. Her love affair with simplifying and organizing started when she was a young girl arranging (and then rearranging) her bookshelves.
Her instinctual practice of keeping spaces organized and simple evolved into a ten-plus year career preparing homes for the market with the top real estate team in Silicon Valley and as a personal organizer to private clients––editing, downsizing, simplifying, organizing, and elevating people’s homes and lives.
Sandie@sandietimm.com | 650-796-3375 | Insta: @sandie_timm_home
Throughout the “The Nuts and Bolts” section of this blog, we will introduce you to the practical needs in retirement.