Lose the clutter

Time to get rid of some stuff! The thought may cross your mind when you find yourself pushing past piles of clothing in your downstairs cupboard to unearth that great sweater - and realize they haven't been your size for five years! Or it may be precipitated by an illness or a decision to downsize to a smaller home.

Whatever the cause, confronting your own clutter can be a difficult and overwhelming task. We offer some practical tips as well as some issues to consider if you're considering "getting rid of that junk" but you're not sure where or how to start. And as home decorating and lifestyle management shows and courses promise: it will be worth it in the end as you enjoy your new, clutter-free lifestyle.

She or he who dies with most toys wins?
Many of us have been raised to be frugal and set items aside for a rainy day. We also thrive on the 'high' of acquiring things - adding another great find from a garage sale, completing a collection, or having materials and supplies for just about any project. And there's nothing so awful about that!

When storing things becomes an issue is when you find that your things are interfering with your ability to enjoy them. Moving items in order to clean them can make chores stretch on for days. Having to spend hours looking for something behind stacks of something else is annoying. And visual clutter - either loose things, or two many storage units for your room - is tiring.

If you find yourself unable to relax in your own space, embarassed to have friends and family over, or shutting the door on several problem rooms, it may be time to let some things go. And if you're moving soon - you almost have no choice!

Before you start
Decluttering can seem like an enormous task. Not only is it tiring to sort through closets and storage areas, many of the items that we come across bring up old memories and associations. It can be all too easy to get overwhelmed and shove everything back into boxes.

It's a good idea to take some time before you start to focus clearly on your goal: a home full of things that you love and use, and only those things that you love and use. If you are downsizing, be realistic: if you are moving to a space that is 2/3 the size of your current home, you will be trying to let go of 1/3 of your belongings, at least. Setting a ratio will help when it comes time for individual decisions.

If you just want your current home to look better, make some clear statements: "I want a spacious hobby room where I enjoy sewing" or "I want room enough in the garage to park another car." You can also post inspiration pictures from magazines on your fridge or another prominent area to keep in mind.

Also, take time to consider how you'll handle broad categories of things:

The "someday it will be useful" quandary. Be honest here: when you start a new project do you go to your own garage first, or do you inevitably end up at the local lumberyard? If you haven't repaired something in the last two years, it's not likely that your need for it is so urgent that you will fix it up. And if you did lose that 20 pounds, wouldn't you want to celebrate with some new clothing? Let go of your fears that you won't have enough later on, and let these things pass out of your life.

Lifestyles change over time. If you have a collection of things you once adored by really haven't thought about in a long time, or equipment for sports you once practiced but no longer really do, you may be able to clear out a whole bunch of space in a short time. You enjoyed it at the time; be glad!