Organize + Energize: Getting Rid Of All That Stuff

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Tuesday, July 23, 2013

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

Why do we accumulate so much stuff? What if we took inventory of everything we own? How long do you think it would take you to go through each room in your home and make a list of everything you own? How much of the stuff has been passed down to you? You may realize that half of the stuff you own you have never used. You may also realize that you forgot you had items that you purchased months or years ago. Imagine all the money wasted.

I think we need to be more mindful of the items we purchase. Think about the money you have wasted in the past on items that are sitting in the basement in boxes that haven’t been opened in years. Think about all the clothes that are hanging in your closet with tags still on them. Next time you go to purchase something, think about if you really need it or are you just in the mood to buy something.

Are you holding onto stuff that belongs to other people? Are you holding onto items with the hopes that you can pass them onto other family members? If you are holding things that belong to other people, go through the piles and make a list of all the people you have to return items to and send them back. If you are holding onto items that you want to pass down to other family members, really think about if that person you are giving it to really wants the item. They might not want it but feel bad and take it and now it ends up in their basement. It becomes a vicious cycle.

Don’t be afraid to tell people that want to pass items down to you that you really don’t have room for it or you don’t have good use for the item. People should not be offended if you don’t like what they are handing down to you. If you don’t like it, don’t take it.

Take a pad a paper and walk through every room in your home and take inventory. I know for some, this is a very overwhelming task. Break it down. Tackle one room a month. You are going to be surprised at what you find! Don’t even think about organizing anything. Just take inventory and make 3 piles: Donate, toss, or sell. That’s it. That’s your task. No organizing involved.

When finished in the room, throw away anything that is trash. Put the bags of donate in the car, get them out of the house and make a plan to drop them off at a donation center. Take the sell pile and make an appointment right away with a consignment store or schedule a yard sale.

After this exercise, you will feel cleansed, rejuvenated, and lighter! Remember, break it down. Don’t look at the project on a whole or you will get overwhelmed, stressed, frustrated, and nothing will get done. Don’t think about organizing or where things are going to go, just de-clutter! You will feel like a million bucks after! Trust me on this.

 

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. Kristin has appeared on air on www.talkstreamradio.com and Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio. Her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Her CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start and is available at the following locations listed here. She is also available for organizing workshops.

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