Greetings Happy Herald readers, Here’s my timely tips for CLEARING CLUTTER the S.M.A.R.T. Way, the “Hall” way!!
S – Simply Start… Start Simply When it comes to clutter clearing… the sheer volume of what needs to be sorted can be a daunting task. ”Which room to begin with?”, “Where and how do I tackle this mountain of stuff?”, “Why don’t I just leave it for another day?” I have heard many reasons why NOT to get the clutter handled, so here’s the first clue… Simply Start – for OVERANALYSIS leads to PARALYSIS. Start Simply. Try a bathroom countertop first, or a laundry room cabinet… these areas often are more forgiving and require simple solutions.
M – Mindset Choosing to WANT TO CLEAR the CLUTTER is a big shift in mindset. My suggestion is to “Set the mood, set the stage” for a favorable experience. To improve mindset, put on some fun, favorite music… dance style, uplifting… movement generating!!! Then, make a fave beverage… coffee, tea, or something stronger!!! Third, wear comfy clothes, and closed toe shoes (no oopsies on the dropsies). By taking these steps, you are preparing yourself for something different, exciting, and ultimately rewarding.
A – Action To get the job done, and done with alacrity, start here: Get BLACK garbage bags ready for DISCARDING items no longer worth holding on to (trash). Get WHITE kitchen bags for DONATION ITEMS (soft goods) – separating your items with no confusion. Secondly, with any area you choose to declutter: clear the surface, empty the drawer, clear the rack… you want to start FRESH and CLEAN… so wipe the countertop to its original shine, clear the pieces out of the drawer, and give yourself a whole new start. A fresh palette, if you will.
Then, with drawers empty, counters cleared, cabinets looking fresh and clean, then, with each item, decide DELIBERATELY what goes where. What goes in this space? What goes on my kitchen counter (hint: the daily use stuff), what gets donated, hidden in a drawer, trashed? It’s at this stage that you may wish to shop for drawer organizers, closet shelf organizers and such.
These solutions come AFTER you’ve lightened your “load” and decided to keep less, appreciate more, and donate to help others with your unwanted/unneeded extras.
R – Reuse, Recycle, Repurpose
On nearly every project I undertake, I find a new way to use the same furnishings. Just a feng shui adjustment here and there, and the room opens up with a greater vibe, a more visual appeal, a favorable path to move through. I call this repurposing. There’s also recycling, as in trashing with intention: old cardboard, old plastic, old glass items. Recycling helps. Reusing involves new ways to use old items… consider plates, platters, artwork and household items. Using in a new way, a new location, a new feeling helps you mitigate through your stuff.
T – Transformation
Rounding out the S.M.A.R.T. system, taking the necessary steps of S – Start, M –Mindset, A – Action and R – Repurpose, you should find yourself with less stuff, more greatly appreciated. From here, I suggest, you may experience a feeling of gratitude, of success, and yes, of TRANSFORMATION. You will feel better about your home, your level of control over things, and a renewed sense of discovery of all those items you didn’t even know you still own!
Try it out… the S.M.A.R.T. System of Decluttering I have created for your success.
Need help?
Always here to lend a helping hand. We speak by phone as a complimentary call. Just mention reading this column in the Happy Herald. The next step after a phone chat is a physical visit to assess your project needs, and from there, we take ACTION.
Stop delaying, procrastinating and start clearing your clutter today!!
Clear the Clutter… Clear the Mind™
