S I M P L I F Y // The Clutter Series
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Clutter is not just what’s on your floor –It’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.
-Peter Walsh
When your life is cluttered, your mind will be as well. I strongly believe there comes a sense of unsettledness that arrives when people live in clutter. The piles, the papers, the mess... it all adds up and takes a toll on our emotions and mental health. And trust me, I am NOT clutter free.
In January I made it my resolution (I LOVE resolutions) to attempt to de-clutter my life. Here are the 5 simple and hard questions I asked myself:
1. Do we use this daily?
2. Have we used/worn this in the past 6 months?
3. Is this a seasonal item that needs to be stored?
4. Does this have a place in our home?
5. Is there someone else who can benefit from this more than me?
I found I was holding onto a lot of STUFF because I didn’t want to deal with the clutter or find the time to organize my space and mind. Ultimately, I didn’t want to deal with the tough decisions of what I should be doing with all this stuff. By asking these 5 simple and hard questions I was able to make a choice if these items were important and worth keeping.
This past week we tackled the dreaded linen closet! Oh boy... this closet was CHAOS!
Here’s our helpful tips for cleaning out your linen closet:
1. Purchase pretty baskets, bins, and crates – Yes this is important. Having a place for items is KEY when it comes to organizing this space. Keeping sheets sorted according to size will save you time and will also keep linens fresh and wrinkle free. Putting smaller items such as extra lotion bottles, toiletries, flashlights, etc. into bins also keeps them from rolling to the back of the shelf, reduces waste and saves you money. Now you will know when you’re running low on supplies.
2. Sorting and organizing – You need to take EVERYTHING off the shelves, organize the items according to what they are and where they will go. Start by making piles according to size, like items, donations, and trash. This will also help you see which items need to go in larger bins and will give you an inventory of the items you have been storing for all these years!
3. Donate – Remember, you don’t need to throw things out! If you have items in good condition, donating is the perfect solution. Reach out to a local shelter and see if they’re in need of items. Donating allows you to personally help individuals within your community.
4. Trash – It’s not a bad word. Honestly, if you have items that are dirty, worn out, and tattered...then they got to GO! Don’t be afraid to part with items that have seen better days. Please do not donate these items... Organizations do not want your trash. Holding onto these items because you are scared to throw them out doesn’t help you at all... take a deep breath, answer the above 5 questions, and if at the end you know it belongs in the trash, well then… T H R O W I T O U T!
5. Make It Pretty – This is the fun part. Start by putting it all back in. To keep things clean and simple use the bins to store items according to size and likeness. Larger blankets can be folded up and stored on shelves by themselves. Don’t pack the shelves too much – remember only things you will use go back in!
6. Take a photo -The best way to view your hard work is to take a before and after photo. It’s hard to imagine how spaces we thought weren’t “too cluttered” can completely change. With some time and attention, this process is extremely satisfying.
Use our 5 questions above, and transform your space! We would love to see your projects. Tag us by using the #simplifyclutterproject so we can share your amazing spaces.
Here’s our before and after masterpiece! Yes, it’s a work of A r t.
There is a simplified world of freedom and fresh breath hiding behind that clutter. How you remove it is up to you!