Cut the Crap

Is all your crap (clutter) bogging you down? Is it sitting on shelves collecting dust and in your closet pilfering valuable real estate? Has it wandered out into the hall down to the kids room and taken over? It’s time to cut the crap.

What is clutter?

• It is an item you have had for six months or more and have used one time or less.
  
• It is too many items packed into a space.
• It is mail that is unopened and unsorted lying about in piles.
• It is all the projects and hobbies lying around unfinished.
• It is anything you no longer have use for.

What should you do with the clutter?

You should sort clutter into three groups:

TOSS – Paper, broken items or anything in bad condition.

SELL – Brand name clothing items or anything in almost new condition such as toys.

DONATE – Clothing in good condition, toys or any usable item in good condition.

How do I start?

Find a clear space anywhere in your home, garage, patio or back house. Clear everything out of the cluttered area and take it to the clear space.

Do Not sort the clutter in the room that you are decluttering. Move anything that doesn't belong in the area to your clear space. The idea is to clean put the clutter as quickly as possible.

You can sort it at another time.

What will I need?

When you have completely cleared the room of everything that doesn't belong there you can start on your clutter that you put in the cleared space. If you are tired form the clearing, take a break.

When you are rested, get two big boxes/tubs and a good sized trash bag, 30 gallon at least. Label one box/tub sell unless you do not plan on selling anything. If not label it donation as well as the other box/tub. Otherwise you should have two boxes/tubs, one labeled sell and the other donate.

You don't need to have a garage or yard sale to sell your things. There are options. If your neighbor is going to have a sale, ask if you can put your things in her sale. Offer to help her get it organized. Or, list it on eBay or another web auction site. It is not difficult to setup an eBay account and list your items. You should, however, have a nice digital photo of each item. A photo increases your chances of selling the item by over 200%. 

Getting into the clutter.

Once you have decided it is time to get rid of all that clutter it is just a matter of getting started.

Pickup an item and make a quick decision about it: Keep, Sell/Donate, or Toss. If you can't decide it's a Toss. If you decide to keep an item it must have permanent spot in your home. A place where it belongs and will be kept. If the item doesn't have a home in your home, then it's toss or sell/donate. No ifs, no ands and no buts!

If you're not sure where to start, pick a clutter hot spot.

Clutter Hot Spots:

Kid's rooms (closets, toy boxes, dressers, shelves and the floor) – broken or out grown toys, worn or too small clothing, papers from school, food wrappers, drink cans and cartons. 

Kitchen (counter tops, table, drawers, cupboards, under the sink) – Papers, mail,  useless appliances and gadgets, empty product bottles or products that do not work or you don't use.

Bedrooms (closets, dressers, shelves, under the bed) – Clothing, paperbacks, magazines, newspapers, junk mail,bath towels and accessories, knickknacks, etc. 

Living or family room (shelves, entertainment center, drawers) - Books, paperwork, mail, toys, knickknacks, magazines, newspapers, dirty clothes, shoes, loose coins, eating utensils and dishes.  

Bathroom (Shelves, medicine cabinet, under the sink) Old make up, used products, empty products, old magazines, newspapers, dirty clothes, wash clothes and towels.

Coat room - make sure all outerwear has working zippers and fasteners; toss worn shoes or unworn shoes, old hats, gloves and scarves that went out-of-style in the 1970s.

This is not clutter! What do I do with it?

Baskets are great for organizing many small related items together in one spot.

Tubs/totes are a organizer’s best friend. Store away half your children’s toys and recirculate then every month or so. Put out of season clothing, blankets and shoes/boots away.

Shelves give books, magazines and knickknacks a place to live.

Laundry baskets make great toy storage for stuffed animals and other big toys. They are also great to leave in various spots around the house for family members to toss things in until they get to putting them away. Assign a basket to each family member. It is the job of that family member to clear the basket by taking the things to the room or area each item belongs.

The golden rules of clutter.

• If you do not use it, lose it.
• If you bring something new into the house, something old must go.
• Everything has a place, if it doesn’t toss it.
• Everything must have a use or purpose. if it doesn’t toss it.
• Less is almost always more.
• Less is easier to clean and care for.