52-Week Challenge: Week Thirty-Nine

Ohhh, I love this week's challenge.  I seriously think I would be highly successful in a career as a professional organizer.  I LOVE to de-clutter and organize.  It's almost an obsession.  So, if you don't want to do this week's challenge, call me.  I'd love to do it for you. :)

This week's challenge is to de-clutter, simplify, and organize your home.  *Yay!*

I will be the first to admit that, like most people, over time, I seem to accumulate a lot of stuff --natch-- junk.  Some stuff I just don't use anymore, some stuff is out-dated, some stuff is broken, and some stuff I don't know why I bought in the first place.  However, unlike most people, I do not have a problem getting rid of it.  I religiously go through my clothes at the end of each season and, if I haven't worn it that year, it gets donated.  I periodically (i.e. once every few months) go through other things in the house as well.  If it's broken, it gets thrown in the trash.  If it's outdated or simply un-used, it gets donated.  If I just don't need it anymore, it usually gets passed on to a friend.  I love the feeling of de-junking my house.

BUT--I know a lot of people that are like my husband.  When confronted with making the decision to keep or not to keep, it always seems easier to just keep it.  An old Playstation (2, mind you, not even 3), a de-humidifier (we live in the desert), or--most recently--a broken coffee maker; it doesn't matter what it is, he seems physically unable to part with it.  It almost makes me claustrophobic and, without a doubt, causes me stress.

Perhaps that's why I'm so excited about this week's challenge.  I have excuse to get rid of that stuff.

Basically, the things in your home can be boiled down to three categories:  1) things you need, 2) things you like, and 3) clutter.  Focus this week on getting rid of things in that third group.  Here's a gameplan for doing this:

1.  Obviously, you should keep anything of value.  Really sit down and try to determine is something has functional value (makes life easier and is necessary for everyday living), historical value (has an attachment to your personal or family history), personal value (something important to you for your own VALID reasons), or aesthetic value (creates beauty or is aesthetically pleasing).  If an item doesn't provide any of these four values, toss it or give it away.

2.  Create a plan.  Maybe your entire house is cluttered.  Maybe it's only one area.  Whatever the case, figure out an area to focus on, and get started.  In line with this is FINISH WHAT YOU START.  Don't half-ass de-clutter.  It will only make your house more un-organized.

3.  Get the big things out of the way first.  Furniture, appliances, electronics--many of these things can be sold or donated.  Get rid of them first, and then you'll have more room to work.

4.  Sort.  I find it's easiest to sort things into piles:  keep, toss, donate.  This allows you to cut through all the clutter quickly and then focus on organizing the things you're keeping, throwing away the stuff you're not, and finding homes for the things you're giving away.

Best of luck!