CLUTTER-BUSTING TECHNIQUES

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Okay, you’ve psyched yourself up for some serious de-cluttering. When you get into the trenches, try using the following clutter-busting techniques:

1.Pick any number from one to two. When considering what to do with an item of clutter, remember that you have two basic options: Keep it or lose it. If you decide to keep it, you must figure out what to do with it. If you choose to lose it, you can chuck it or give it away. Clearly, the biggest obstacle to getting rid of anything is having to make this choice.

2.Take a second look. It’s never too late to get rid of some of the stuff you decide to keep. Go back over your keeper pile and take a second look. Organizing even a small pile of things takes a lot of time. And although storage and filing play an important role in managing all the possessions that clutter your life, simply getting rid of stuff often makes more sense.

3.Use the Triage Method of Clutter Control. One approach I find useful in making difficult keep it/pitch it decisions is something I call the Triage Method of Clutter Control. First, I create three categories: Definitely Keep, Definitely Get Rid Of, and I’m Not Sure. Then I throw out or give away everything in the last two categories. The upside of unloading much more of your clutter far outweighs the downside of making a mistake. Don’t look back.

4.Get a clutter buddy. I’ve noticed that whenever I decide it’s time to de-clutter, I come up with marvelous ideas for organizing my wife’s side of the room. I have even better ideas when it comes to our children’s rooms. I’ve also noticed that my wife is equally creative in disposing of the stuff on my side of the room. You’re probably less sentimental, less ambivalent, and more determined when dealing with other people’s clutter rather than your own. Make this concept work for you. Ask your mate or a friend to help you de-clutter. Listen to that person, and do what he or she tells you.

5.Get some emotional support. De-cluttering can be a lonely and emotionally taxing job. You may need someone more emotionally supportive than your clutter buddy. This should be someone you feel comfortable talking with — a family member, a good friend, a colleague you trust, or perhaps a therapist. This support can keep you going when the going gets tough and you start to feel discouraged.

6.Play the dating game. If you can’t bring yourself to throw something out, put it in a box and put a date on the box that is exactly a year away. Don’t list what’s in the box — just the date. If the future date comes and goes without your needing anything in the box, take a quick look inside. If nothing critically important catches your eye, chuck it without a second look. Don’t look back. If you do need an item from the box, find a better place to keep it.

7.Use the three-month rule. I tend to keep old magazines around the house far too long with the noble intention of reading them. But after a certain point, I rarely do. Take a look at the dates on your magazines, and if they are older than three months for monthly publications or three weeks for weekly ones, chuck ’em.

8.Find a clutter recipient. Getting rid of stuff is much easier when you know that it won’t end up in the trash but rather in the hands of somebody who wants it and can use it. In fact, your rejects may be someone else’s cup of tea. Clothing, sports equipment, books, and furniture are often welcomed by others. Give your relatives and friends first crack at your treasures (but give them a definite time limit to come, look, and take). The Salvation Army, Goodwill Industries, thrift shops, and charity drives will be delighted (usually) to take the stuff that your family and friends turn down. You can even get a tax deduction for donating to charitable organizations.

9.Consider consignment. Sometimes it’s hard to give an object away because you really do believe it’s worth something. And you may be right. Putting it up for consignment may just do the trick.

10.If it doesn’t work, toss it. Look around your home for a broken toaster, blender, vacuum cleaner, radio, or clock — any small appliance that hasn’t worked for a long while. Once you find one, ask yourself whether you truly need it. If you decide to fix it, fix it. If not, replace or discard it. These days you may find that replacing the item is cheaper than having it repaired. However, chances are good that if you haven’t needed it in the last year, you probably don’t need it at all.

11.Whatever you do, don’t leave the broken item in your home. Throw it out or, better yet, give it to a charitable organization that will repair it and give it to someone who will use it. I often put a little note on the item explaining what’s wrong with it and then leave it at the side of our building. When I come back to check in about an hour or so, the piece is usually gone.

12.Handle things only once. You may be in the habit of putting some things aside and saying you’ll figure out later what to do with them. This just adds to the problem. Deal with it right in the moment. File it! Pay it! Delete it! Chuck it! Deal with it only once!

13.Invest in doors and drawers. If you absolutely must keep something, hide it. Unless the object in question is something you’re very fond of or somehow adds to the visual aesthetic of your decor, keep it out of sight. Store things in cabinets, closets, bureau drawers, or file cabinets — anyplace that contributes to a sense of visual order. But remember that the space things occupy behind doors is still space that you could use for something else.

Whole stores are now dedicated exclusively to storage furniture and containers. Their catalogs are great fun to look through, but remember not to make them a new part of your clutter.

14.Take a sample. I’m not sure at what point my wife and I realized we couldn’t keep absolutely every piece of artwork, craft project, or report card that our children brought home. I think it was when every major appliance in the kitchen was covered in crayon drawings. Then my wife came up with a brilliant idea: She brought home a large folder and began taking samples of the masterpieces we were especially fond of. This “art” folder is neatly stored in a back closet. The smaller masterpieces and mementos we scan and electronically file. When our children become famous “artistes,” we’ll cash in. You can do the same.

15.Take a picture. Often, items in your “I’m Not Sure” pile have sentimental value but are too big to keep around. You want the memories, but not necessarily the object. Take its picture. Pictures (especially the digital variety) take up far less space and still can bring a warm smile to your face. I remember a rather large stuffed animal that our children had when they were smaller. There came a time when it had to go, but sentiment was holding us back. We decided to take its picture and give the teddy bear to a thrift shop. This compromise worked well. The photograph on our computer collects far less dust. You may also want to include someone in the picture. Looking at your daughter squeezing Cuddles is a lot more satisfying than just looking at Cuddles by herself.

Copyright © Allen Elkin Phd – Originally appeared in Stress Management for Dummies 2nd edition by Allen Elkin