I’m not sure what it is about spring that inspires many to clean up and clear out the house and clutter, but it’s a good thing, isn’t it? I feel good about straightening up a closet or getting rid of unused items. The hard thing is that I have a husband who is a confessed pack rat! He keeps things because he has a sentimental heart and because he thinks he may need it again some day. Of course this runs cross-grain to a de-clutterer! The solution? Here are a few tips that I’ve found helpful:
- If the item in question was a gift but you don’t like it or use it consider passing it along to someone who would use it. Don’t re wrap it and disguise it as a new gift (tacky in my opinion) – just give it.
- If someone special gave you or made something for you that isn’t usable any more take a picture of it as a keepsake then throw it away.
- If you’re saving items your children made find just a couple of special things and put them into a special box for safekeeping.
- What about all the birthday cards and anniversary cards you’ve collected? I save just the special ones in a hatbox because I like to look back over them. You can also use many of the pictures and sentiment on cards as scrapbooking embellishments.
- Clothes that haven’t been worn in a year go out! You can send them to the consignment, Goodwill, or some store like that. I’ve found that adult clothing really doesn’t sell too well at yard sales. Children’s clothes sell – if you don’t mind getting rid of each item for a quarter after all the trouble of the yard sale. I’d personally rather pass things along to someone that can use them.
- Books can be donated to the library’s annual book sale. (The Gray Library is collecting books now.)
- Here’s a great way to get rid of sentimental notes and pictures: several years ago my mom gave me and each of my sisters a beautiful little box filled with cards, notes, and photos of things that each of our families had sent to her and my dad. It’s fun to read notes that my girls sent to their Nana and Papa after receiving birthday gifts, or cards that I wrote to them as a new bride. It cleared out her closet, and gave me a journal of sorts all in a pretty little box.
If you have tips on clearing out clutter please share them here.
Happy cleaning!
RefreshHer 