Clear Your Space to Clear Your Mind

By Lisa Payne

How do you feel when you walk into your home at the end of a long stressful day?

Does it feel like a little piece of heaven that you can’t wait to sink into or does it feel more like a circus with so much going on that you can’t think straight? There are many books and shows about how to declutter your home. I’ve watched the shows and read the books. I am here to share what I’ve learned and what has worked for me.

Before we start, the most important thing to consider is WHY do you want to declutter. To clear your mind? To have less debt and save money? To have less to clean and be more organized? I’ve spent entire days just moving things around and never really accomplishing anything. And then one day my very tidy husband told me it’s helpful to only touch things once. When he has a dirty dish, he rinses it and puts it right in the dishwasher. He doesn’t throw recycling into the garage to be dealt with later. He takes the five extra steps and puts it right in the recycle bin. I have saved so much time with this one trick.

Here are the top ten tips I have gathered and used over the years. Adapting even one small change can make a huge difference in your life.

1. Keep only what makes you happy. If it creates a warm happy feeling, it’s yours to keep. All the rest goes. Give yourself permission to have no guilt over issues such as wasting money, you may need it someday, or Aunt Bertha gave it to you. Let it go. Donate it to those who need it.

2. Start small. Clean out one drawer or cupboard. Small accomplishments motivate you to move to bigger projects.

3. Put things you aren’t sure about getting rid of in a storage box. Tuck it away for a year. If you don’t know what is in it and never needed it’s contents, donate the whole box. Don’t open it. Seriously do not open it!

4. Take a garbage bag and go around your house and fill it with items to donate. Do this once a week or once a month. Do it by room. Give the kids a garbage bag to fill from their rooms. Tell them they can exchange it for an ice cream date with you or one new small item they have been wanting.

5. In your closet, turn all hangers so they hook over the rod from behind. When you wear an item, hang it back up the normal way. In six months or a year look to see which clothes you never wore. Donate them.

6. Declutter by room. Once complete, you will feel drawn to be in that room all of the time which will motivate you to keep going.

7. Touch things once, as stated before.

8. Make sure everything you own has a home in a closet, bin, drawer. If it doesn’t, time to donate.

9. Keep flat surfaces clear. All countertops and tables. Your home will immediately feel clean.

10. Teach the whole family to put everything back where they found it. And good luck with that one.

Keep your eye on why you want to declutter and take baby steps. Your heart and home will thank you.

And for all of those items that you have identified to donate, bring them to A Precious Child right here in Broomfield! This powerhouse non-profit is always looking for clothing and items that can be put to use by another family.

Happy Spring!