Category: Reduce

Many, if not most of us, put off tasks that may take lots of time, or challenge us, or otherwise cause stress.

Two such tasks  (figuratively) hovered over my head, with daily reminders that they existed. I sing in the Bella Voce Women’s Chorus, and serve as our historian. I write our history, which I actually enjoy, and also update our scrapbooks, which I obsess about and always avoid. (While scrapbooking was a recent fad, it may have faded out within the last year or so. Having our seven scrapbooks provides a wonderful, and fun, visual record of our history. As we begin our 15th season, it’s easy to forget details about our early years.)

Within the last week, I updated both our written history and our current scrapbook. Though neatly arranged, the pile of music scores, concert programs, Scotland tour information, Annual Meeting and other notes is gone from my office floor. Poof! Magic! The area looks physically neater, and I actually feel lighter.

It’s like when I ask my clients if they feel lighter as we clear their clutter.  They always smile and agree. It’s the same for me. I’m “smiling out loud,” and now can turn my free-time focus to other hobbies and some other household projects.

About De-clutter Me!

De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.

In this era of super-sized this and that, it’s easy to get lured by the temptation to buy more of various things than you really need. Do you shop at “regular” grocery or big box stores that offer multiples? Tightly packaged rolls of paper towels, toilet paper and the like may seem like a good idea in those non-home settings, with their different scale of wide aisles and huge shopping carts.

While you may save some on additional items, are those savings in balance with at-home conditions? Do you have to force those additional paper towels into cupboards that now seem too small? How much time might you waste trying to get to other items? What about your frustration level?

Unless you live very far from stores and shopping requires a major excursion, you might want to think carefully about how much stock of anything to keep on hand. For most items, a week’s supply, or enough for two weeks at the outside, will be enough. More could be considered clutter. And, remember that physical clutter = mental clutter.

As you scroll down through other Timely Tips, you’ll read about how to clear clutter. This tip, though, is about the emotional lift that comes from getting rid of excess stuff. I’ve been doing that quite a bit over the last week or so, as I set aside a wide variety of donations for the annual Bella Voce Tag Sale. I’m an alto in the women’s chorus.

There are piles of stuff around my condo – costume jewelry on my dresser, clothes in the guest room from its closet. There are jackets, housewares, books, CDs and three art pieces in the living room. Several boxes in the garage are already packed, and ready to deliver. They include more housewares, holiday decorations, vases and other planters, teddy bears and other stuffed toys, etc.

As we work together, many of my clients say, “I feel lighter!” It’s true. I do, too. You can feel the same lift – by de-cluttering. And, bonus points, you often can get a tax deduction for donations to second-hand stores and other businesses that might welcome your used, but reusable, items.

As the saying goes, “Less is the new more.” Try it. You’ll like it!

About De-clutter Me!

De-clutter Me! offers non-judgmental, competitively-priced and confidential assistance to help clear clutter in your home and/or business. We’ve been “bringing calm to chaos” since 2013.