Spring is the time of year to clean up and clear out.
People either meet the task enthusiastically or avoid it with everything in them. No matter where you fall on this spectrum, there is no better time to declutter your home or office than now. Whether this is a regular practice or you are tackling it for the first time in years, we all have things we no longer need (or that we never needed in the first place).
My oldest daughter and I were recently talking about the idea of creating space, and this was her take: “To make space, you don’t just cram everything in the closet, do you? Sometimes you need to get rid of some stuff. Because if you have too much stuff, it will fall out.” My feelings exactly. Hiding the excess in a closet may work for the short term, but at some point, everything comes toppling out. The goal is not to reshuffle, reorganize, or even hide stuff but to rid your space (and life) of excess, naturally resulting in an organized space. Boxing up and pulling out the label gun may feel productive, but it only prolongs the inevitable: at some point, something has to go. Here are a few tips to get the ball rolling.
Start.
If it has been a while since you have decluttered, the task may seem overwhelming. Just. Start. Somewhere. Starting is often half the battle. As you progress, you will gain more energy to keep going.
Focus on one space at a time.
Choose one room, closet, or even just a table, and work to clear that area. Move items to their correct location, but refrain from starting on a new space. Once you feel good about one room, move on to another one.
Ask yourself: Is it useful, beautiful, or meaningful?
Keeping an item solely because you liked or needed it at one time is not a good reason to keep it today. If you are not currently using or finding beauty in something, pass it on to someone who will. Ask yourself if you would purchase it today. If the answer is no, it needs to go.
Count the cost.
The fact that an item was or is valuable is not a good enough reason to keep it. Allowing stuff to pile up has an ongoing cost, such as time and energy spent reshuffling and reorganizing. If something is valuable enough to sell, do it. If the item won’t sell, get rid of it. Your time is more valuable than money.
Designate a holding area.
Cleaning out can be an emotional process. We often hold onto things because of a memory or connection. Make a donation pile to circle back to in a couple of days. Knowing you can still decide later to keep items allows the initial pass-through to be more factual and less emotional.
Invite a friend.
Because cleaning out can be overwhelming, ask a friend to help. Not only are tasks more enjoyable with others, but friends can see your things without bias. Some things you want to keep may be worth saving. Other items that seem important may need an outside vantage point to kindly encourage you to let go.
Begin with the end in mind.
Cleaning out your home, garage, office, or any space in which you spend time creates more of a physical, mental, and emotional margin. The goal is not simply to throw away old items but to provide a fresh environment that brings peace and order so you can focus on what matters most. The process may be tedious, but the end will justify the means.
Article written by Allyson Joy and originally published in Focus on Artesia 2024 Spring edition.
