I am a $uper $aver in every way, and it makes me anxious to part with things I love, things I “may need” or things I think someone may need in the future. No more! I am on a simplification campaign and you can be too!
How often do you de-clutter your email by pressing “delete”? In my case the answer is “daily,” however, it still isn’t often enough. “Deleting” the clutter from our lives may just be the way to jump into a clean start! My excuse for not de-cluttering is that I don’t have enough time. I’m not cutting myself any slack now – instead I am going to get out my calendar and delegate at least one hour per week, same time, same station for organizing my house, my “stuff” and my life.
- Start Now. Keep your favorite show on in the background while you make some progress cleaning a closet! (If a closet is too much for you, start with a drawer.)
- Get Help! The buddy de-clutter system works great! Ask a friend to help you purge and then return the favor.
- New Simple Life! Carry your enthusiasm into the future and commit to a specific day to organize your life. No excuses!
- Donate the items you can’t pass down in the family to The Salvation Army, Goodwill, Amvets, or better yet, to a local shelter. There are probably a dozen places in your own community that would love your castoffs. If I know items are going to a worthy cause, it is easier for me to part with them.
- Tax Benefits: Get a receipt each time you donate. These are tax deductions! Did you know that you could donate everything from shoes and socks to a car and receive a tax benefit it you donate it to the right place. A local church has a “cars ministry.” They accept and repair donated cars to give to single mothers and victims of domestic violence who otherwise could not have a safe life.
- The Calendar Commitment: Take a free date calendar from your local bank or merchant. Dedicate it to your ongoing simplification project. Keep track of; a.) the time you spend, it will motivate you. 2.) the items you donate and where. 3.) the value of your donations so you can feel excellent about how you are helping others.
- Book Donations: Go through your books, save those you want to read or re-read. Organize the others for donation. Nursing homes are always delighted to get books in good condition as are shelters and even pre schools if your books are for children younger than 6.
- Electronic Clutter: Clutter no longer just takes over our physical lives but it has crept into us electronically. Get into your email. Archive the information you want to save and delete all spam and unwanted email. Set up stronger spam controls to keep out unwanted “junk mail!”
- Desktop: If your computer looks like mine and your saved items are covering up your desktop, it is time to start deleting and/or moving items to other folders!
- Social Spam: Has your Facebook, Twitter or email account filled up with advertisements or people who are strangers? Delete them and start fresh.
My de-clutter strategy resolution is going to be an all-year project which I plan to make a habit. I am starting with drawers, moving to closets, my car, my desk, my computer and hopefully my life! My biggest motivator is to have local places lined up to accept the donations of items I don’t need.
