I've been spending some time this weekend tidying up and rearranging. I've been meaning to declutter, but having difficulties trying to figure what to get rid of. I've been doing a lot over the last few months, before the move and since, and now I'm at a point where I just need to rearrange what I have better I think.However I read a really good post on this blog earlier today.
I'd encourage everyone to read it - quite an interesting article and interesting blog in general.
Anyway the salient points I took from this article is "what is clutter" and "how did it get here"?
Except from the article:
TOP 4 BY-DEFAULT CLUTTER CHOICES
- My [insert name of well-meaning relative] gave it to me and I just can’t throw it out.
This is tricky. But it gets down to this: life’s short and it’s your place. Objects carry memories and attitudes with them. If you want your home to be your temple or your chill-zone, then making choices based on obligation are only going to weigh you down. - I really hate this [insert home item or piece of clothing] but I’m waiting to have the money to buy a new one.
Something amazing happens when you get the stuff you don’t like out of your life – stuff that you do like has the room to show up. So chuck the old futon chair from university days, even if it means you sit on the floor for a while. You’ll be raising the vibe, shedding unwanted pounds and sending the universe a clear signal that you’re ready for quality…right now, not later. - I got it for free, so I may as well keep it.
Gasp. This is the ultimate gotchya-sucker default choice. ‘Cause ain’t nothing for free, baby! (Well, true love is free, but that’s about it.) If it’s taking up physical or mental space – it’s costing you. Everything has an environmental cost to manufacture, ship and dispose of. And when I think of all the “free” crap that I lugged around from apartment to apartment in moving vans – I could have saved enough to buy stuff I really loved. - But what if I need it someday?
Trust that if you ever need it, you’ll have what you need to get it. If you haven’t worn it for a year and half – give it away. If you’re waiting to lose the ten pounds, forget it. Just love yourself now. A happy life is an as-is life. And junk drawers are called junk drawers for a reason.
Simplicity demands ruthlessness. Consistent, conscious choices create momentum in your life, vitality, sweet satisfaction. You are what you eat. You are the friends you keep. And you are the stuff you choose. So choose from the heart every time – it always knows what’s best for you – and your living room.
I'm still mulling it over as I can see she has some good points. Its point 4 that's the hardest for me to let go of I think.So what about the rest of you - which of these points is hard for you - or do you live in a clutter-free environment?
The above picture is my kitchen this afternoon after I rearranged some furniture, moved the microwave, hung some hooks on the walls etc. I am working to the principle of "create the illusion of space". I figured this one out myself instead of reading it anywhere. I feel more comfortable with more space and my little apartment can feel cramped quite easily - so by keeping bench tops clear I am creating the illusion of having space even when I don't. This is my WHOLE KITCHEN. That's it - the whole space.
7 comments:
I agree that it's #4 that has me stuck in the clutter trap.....what if I need it someday??? Inevitably if I get rid of something, I'm looking for it a month later. Your kitchen looks great! It's about the same size as mine in this little basement apartment - but where's the fridge? In any case, you've totally motivated me into doing something with 'my space' (keeping in mind, my books are NOT useless clutter - referring to my blog several months ago.....) Keep up the good work! Cheers
I would also struggle with number 4. I am always afraid that if I get rid of something then I will need it next week. I try to go by the general rule....that if it is something originally valued at over 50$, then I only get rid of it if I have NOT used it in the last 2 years. If I use is only every 2 or 3 years (like for a special family gathering, etc.) then I still keep it. But if it is just something that I used at one time and haven't touched it in the past few years, then I accept that it is a casulty in a change of lifestyle and get rid of it.
The other thing I struggle with are my kids. They really create clutter. EVERYWHERE! In fact, this weekend is the annual "clean out the crap" weekend for their rooms :)
The only point in the ones you list that scratches me is point no. 4 - I have a simple method:
If it's a tool of any sort I'm only throwing it away if it's broken or has missing parts that can't be replaced. If it is NOT a tool I'll ask myself how long I haven't touched it and whether it is likely I'll ever touch it again... If I haven't touched it for more than two years (except for maybe changing it from one pile to the next) then I can just as well throw it out.
There are, however, a few exceptions. Decorative things that I have cherished for a long time would never be chucked out! And like Natalie says it above - I have a tendency of absolutely needing things I may have thrown out a few days after the fact. That's a Murphy law, by the way:
Whatever you throw away you will need within the next week. You will find though, that it is unretrievably gone the more definitely the more expensive it was when you bought it. And it will have gone not only into the bin but out of the house and then out to the burning or wherever your garbage gets taken.
Smaller spaces need extreme clutter management I think. I have enough space that I can declutter smaller areas and still keep my beloved clutter elsewhere, which makes it even harder to part with stuff :-)
I have very few things that I've been given, but the ones I have I would never give away (well, except for actual rubbish... but that won't stay with me long!)
Well, being married to King Pack Rat who fully embraces #4... I have an up hill battle to get the clutter out of my house. I finally decided to do the sly and sneaky decluttering and have started throwing a couple things away at a time. Nothing he will notice, but just enough that I feel like I'm making progress. He's also a hunter/gatherer, and will come home with all sorts of odds and ends that he found either on clearance that he thought we might be able to use, or it was just such a good deal... yeah, whatever... (He would tell you that it's me who can't throw anything away, but that is wrong on so many levels.) When the garbage can outside gets full, he won't let me throw anything else out because the can can't be open even a fraction of an inch... so we got a second can, and it's hard to get him to put stuff in the second can because he'd have to make an additional trip down the driveway. I finally put my foot down and sold the twins' cribs, one of the high chairs, baby swing and pack & play, and they are 4 1/2!!!! Little by little, I'm getting rid of stuff... but it's a long process...
#4 is definitely the sticking point. Fortunately I've got quite a lot of room so things do tend to get stashed away out of sight (even the boxes I've never empited and we've been here 21 years).
I do have a good excuse for clutter at the moment anyway as Mike still hasn't finished the dining room so consequently the furniture that will be in it is dotted around the house.
Yup - I'm faced with this one in this move. Smallest place I've ever lived :) Also facing the reality of living with another person - how much of my stuff do I want to bring with me - and how much do we want to start fresh?
Books - games - cross stitch = NOT CLUTTER!
It's weird. I lived in a two bedroomed, one bathroomed flat and when I moved into a three bedroomed, two bathroomed house there seemed to be less space.
I do have a certain amount of clutter but I was raised by an anal retentive mother who wouldn't let you have more than one toy to play with. If you wanted something else you had to put away what you were using first.
Sadly not much of this has rubbed off, but I agree that if you haven't had much use for something for a year [forget the other six months] bin it, recycle it or donate it to charity.
Unless something has particular sentimental value, I'd say chuck it. You won't miss it.
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