Out with the old, in with the new
De-cluttering for the new year
DE-CLUTTERING and getting organized are probably at the top of many homemakers’ list of New Year’s resolutions.
In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if a lot of you out there block out the last week of desks and air out closets.
While sprucing up the house and dressing it up seems the order of the day for the holidays, putting things back, reorganizing and spring cleaning your living and work space is par for the course for ringing in the New Year.
Over the past 12 months, you have probably accumulated things that, more often than not, you would not be needing or using anymore and would probably spend the rest of its days simply gathering dust.
Before you turn the calendar page to welcome the New Year, make a fresh start and clear out the “old.” Deep purging of the clutter need not be a chore if you follow these smart strategies and tips.
Tip #1: First of all, organizing and de-cluttering are not the same as cleaning. One must not confuse the two activities. Cleaning denotes similar actions. Organizing and de-cluttering, on the other hand, means creating a sustainable management system to clear the mess and keep the clutter in place.
Tip #2: De-cluttering can be overwhelming, but you just need to start somewhere. Some experts recommend starting in one area—a desk, a room, the most. In the KonMari Method (the Japanese art of de-cluttering and organizing created by Marie Kondo, an organizing consultant and author of “Life-Changing Magic Magic of Tidying Up,”) the author recommends tackling categories, not spaces.
- partmentalize by items—books, utensils, photographs, clothes, and so on. Kondo suggests starting with the least emotionally-loaded items such as clothes, then gradually moving on to things you have greater emotional attachment to such as books and photographs.
Tip #3: Keep nostalgia at bay. How many times have you opened some boxes to clean, only to come across old letters or photos that make you stop and reminisce? Before you know it, two hours have gone by and you’re still in the same spot, same position, walking down the memory lane (and probably shedding a tear or two.) Bad move, because you’d end up keeping more stuff than clearing out the clutter.
This, and we cannot emphasize this enough, is not the time to let emotions overrule your sense of purpose. Don’t waste time and space. Just dump those stacks of old love letters and greeting cards (from those
ex-lovers you might not even want to remember. Junk those calling cards and photos and other meaning to you anymore ( yes, even those few sentimental knickknacks that you probably have not seen for years.)
Who knows? It could even be cathartic for you and help you solve some issues.
Tip #4: The purge starts with ruthless sorting. Kondo suggests sorting things into the following categories: Keep, Donate or sell, and Throw. How do you know which ones to keep, and which ones to send to the recycle Method, you should ask yourself: Does this thing still spark joy? Do the things I hold make reading this book?
If you answer no, then put it in the donation bin. Kondo says people keep their books far longer than necessary. She suggests keeping only those that spark joy. You can even earn some bucks from selling the ones you’re not reading anymore, and with that money the number of books can free up a huge amount of space.
For clothes, there is the “One Year” rule. If you haven’t worn that dress in the last 12 months, you’re hardly likely to wear it again in the upcoming months. Better to just donate it to someone who would have better use of it, or give it to a friend who would most likely wear it. Clothing items that you don’t wear anymore just crowd your closets and drawers. If you have kids, we recommend decluttering their clothes and toys do grow up fast.
Tip #5: Decide where the “keep” things should go. But do it ONLY the two tasks simultaneously, you might end up purchasing storage containers that you may not need. Once you’ve sorted out everything, solution that works for you.
Tip #6: To store clothes, better learn the vertical folding technique. The folding is perfect with vertical stacking. The fabric origami should be lined up in neat rows inside the drawers or closets.
In the KonMari Method, piling is a big no- no. Instead, Kondo suggests using the vertical stacking method to maximize storage space. It also makes getting the clothes you need easier, without jostling a whole pile every time you need something and messing the closet. closets and drawers using storage solutions of all sizes and shapes. There is no need to buy new organizers. Those shoe boxes that you’ve saved can be used as drawer undies, another one for scarves and handkerchiefs. Big boxes can keep those folded shirts, tops and what is better to group the items by color.
Tip #8: Where folding is not an option, turn to uniform hangers. It is good to invest in a matching set. Not only does it give that chic and tidy appearance, it gives uniform breathing room between pieces to avoid arm wrestling with the racks. them look better. For the KonMari Method, “belongings are acknowledged for their service and thanked before being let go of (once they no longer spark joy).” is always a priority, so keep the counter safe by clearing it out and keeping most items out of sight. Purge old kitchen utensils such as rusty spoons, bent forks, and items you have in multiples. Use drawer inserts to keep things neat and organized. Organize things into three piles,
- most Never, depending on how you use the items. For example, plates, utensils and glasses are things you use daily, so they should be stored somewhere accessible.
This also applies to your grocery and food items. If you eat cereals every morning, put it on an easy-toreach shelf. You can also group your grocery by categories - breakfast, lunch, dinner and snacks, etc. Classifying them this way helps lessen the mess and make unloading easier.
Labels are your friend. Putting labels on kitchen items makes it for and position items on dedi- cated shelves.
Tip #10: Curate your shelves and display tables. If the décor or whatever is on display no longer gives you happiness and love, it is time to donate it or keep it in storage.
Tip # 11: Keep your entryway clutter-free by creating a drop station for your daily items such as keys, mail, loose change, etc. Use a cabinet or a storage for your shoes, slippers, umbrella, and other every day items. For shoes, use clear shoe boxes so you can see the design and style and stack them up.
Tip #12: De-cluttering is a commitment. Whether you do it slowly over the next few weeks or you schedule a weekend to tackle the clutter, you really have to allocate time throughout the year. Don’t make it a once-in-a-blue-moon affair. Make it a monthly project so that when the yearend approaches, there would just be a few knick knacks to de-clutter.