Leaving your clutter can be a difficult break up, but it can be rewarding both emotionally and financially.
Set it free. When it comes to things you don’t love, set it free, and in doing so, you free yourself. If something does not serve your life or make you feel good, let it go.
Now if you love everything, you have to be realistic without much you can keep. It’s simply physics. Your home can only hold so much before the situation becomes dangerous.
Start anew. If you’re starting a new chapter in your life, it’s a good time to move ahead with the future and separate yourself from the past weighing you down. It’s like an anchor, particularly if you’ve gone through something painful.
Once you make the decision to let an object go, you have choices. Having a “higher purpose” in getting rid of unwanted items makes it easier to let them go as well.
Plant a seed. If you have kids or nieces and nephews who are starting out, seed their new apartments and homes with items you no longer want.
Give without strings and expectations. Once they no longer need the items, they are free to pass them on and help someone else.
Help others. Have business suits you don’t wear? Donate them to Dress for Success to help women who need suits for job interviews. For men’s suits, check out CareerGear. Have old towels, bathmats, and bedding? Take them to your local dog shelter. Want to help the planet? Recycle old magazines, catalogues, jars and other recyclable items.
For the rest of the stuff you want to shed, donate it to charities if it’s in good condition, clean and unstained. For example, if you would give to a friend without being embarrassed, it can be donated. Charity shops spend lots of money and time to separate out items that are not in good condition.
Make some cash. Neighborhood trading and selling groups are popping up on Facebook, and it’s an easy way to sell things you don’t want for a little cash. Garage sales, Ebay and other online sources are still great ways to make some money and clear out the closet.
To paraphrase Paul Simon’s hit song (no relation), time to make a declutter plan, Stan.
