3 Easy Organization Tips to Get Rid of Clutter
It was a crisp Tuesday morning as we climbed among the huge landscaped rocks in our neighbors’ backyard. We were as quiet as cats paws because we didn’t want to wake anyone while we cut lavender for a foot soak. The bees buzzing around the luscious flowers made more noise than we did.
When we got back home I took out the Epson salts and sea salt to mix with the lavender oil. In the jar I tied a sprig of fresh lavender that we had just picked.
I was surprised because along with these ingredients I found some wax chips that were left over from making a lip balm more than five years ago. He had made over 20 jars of the stuff. I gave it to my family, who told me they preferred a national brand of lip balm to mine. I completely agreed with them. It was fun to do it once, but I didn’t want to do it again.
This is a good example of saving things “just in case I want it again”. When you’re getting rid of clutter and can’t decide whether or not to keep it because your monkey mind is telling you, “but I might need it someday,” ask yourself this: Will I really use it again, or was it fun? at the time, but I’ll never do it again. (Especially after others don’t want what you offered them the first time.)
If you don’t use something regularly and won’t use it at least once a year (like Christmas decorations), you’re taking up valuable space and you can get rid of those things. Things you don’t love, use and have a purpose for is creating clutter.
If you haven’t needed it for several years, what makes you think you’ll ever need it again? When was the last time you wore that special robe you were given 15 years ago? If he hasn’t canned a bottle of peaches since 1999, even though he tells himself every year that he will next year, he can safely give away his jars.
Getting rid of clutter can be fun if you donate items to a charity or long-term care facility. I was at a garage sale and a woman had 10 plastic boxes full of rubber stamps. They were all organized and labeled by type, but she no longer used them. I suggested that she donate them to the local children’s hospital, senior center, or assisted living facility. All of these places are on a tight budget and they all do crafts. She was delighted to find out about a few places that could use them instead of clinging to them and creating clutter.
Get rid of the clutter by asking yourself:
1. How long have you not used it?
2. Do I still love it or am I tired of it?
3. Do I use it regularly or is it just clutter?
Order your life today one space at a time.
