13 New Year’s Solutions: Minimize Your Stuff

NEW YEAR’S SOLUTIONS:

Minimize Your Stuff

By Liz Clearman

Many moons ago, when my daughter was a wee toddler, my mom and I started a professional organizing business (back when organizing was a relatively new gig) where we would venture into friends’ and strangers’ homes to help them declutter, organize, and get their lives together. While that venture ended several years ago when I went back to work full time, I have always harbored a deep passion for getting rid of anything that doesn’t serve me and organizing what’s left — I think it’s my way of corralling the chaos in the world by controlling what I can in my own home.

Getting organized is just as popular a New Year’s goal as losing weight or eating healthier, and since this is a subject I actually possess some experience and expertise in, I thought I’d share a few of my tips to help you go into 2023 feeling a bit more peaceful. The only things you need to start your decluttering journey are a bit of willpower, a small chunk of time (even 15 minutes will do!), and several containers — one for trash, one for donations, and one for what you’re keeping. Start small and don’t overwhelm yourself — take it one drawer, one cabinet, or one corner at a time, and if you feel inspired and motivated, keep going.

TIP #1: Ask yourself, “Would I take this with me if I was moving?” If the answer is no, donate or toss it. Remember that every single box you pack to move will cost you time, money (especially if you’re hiring movers), and energy, both to pack and unpack in your new abode. Preparing to move is a great time to declutter and analyze the usefulness of your possessions.

TIP #2: Do you use it, love it, or need it? Then keep it. Once a year things like holiday decorations count because while you may only bring them out annually, if you actually use and love them, they get to stay. (However, go through your holiday decor each time you bring it out to purge trinkets that have overstayed their welcome.) Maybe you have a souvenir you got on a trip years ago that serves no purpose except to remind you of an amazing vacation, but it brings you great joy every time you look at it. That counts, too.

TIP #3: Get rid of the guilt of decluttering things

that other people have given you. Oof, I know. This is a tough one. However, a gift should come with no strings and no conditions — regardless of who it’s from and what it is. Once the giver passes it into your hands, it’s yours to do what you want with it. You’re the one living in your space, not the gift giver, so if something doesn’t add value to your home, donate the gift and let it bring joy to someone else.

TIP #4: Embrace minimalism. This has become quite a buzz word, but hear me out. Minimalism does not mean stark white walls, one piece of furniture, and absolutely no character or color (although if that’s what you like, have at it!). The entire concept behind minimalism is that you have in your space only what brings value to your life and nothing more. If you have a collection of Fiestaware, or a cabinet full of figurines that you adore, those fit the bill. There is no single version of minimalism.

TIP #5: Get rid of the “just in case” mindset and

embrace the 20/20 rule. I can’t take credit for this — it’s a concept that The Minimalists (theminimalists.com) recommend using as a general rule when you’re going through your stuff. If you come across, say, a kitchen tool that you haven’t used in months (or years), but you’re hesitant to get rid of it “just in case,” ask yourself if you can buy it again within 20 minutes and for less than $20. Chances are, you can, so pass it onto someone who might readily need and use it.

TIP #6: You deserve to have clothing that fits you

now. This one can be especially challenging if you’re in a season of life where your weight isn’t what you want it to be. Let me say this again with gusto: You deserve to have clothing that makes you feel good and fits you right now. Not in six months, not in a year. NOW. The reality is you’ll probably want some new pieces anyway when you hit your goal weight. If there are some clothing items you just can’t part with, pack them away in a plastic tote and put them up where you don’t have to see them every day, but focus on what works for you in this stage.

TIP #7: Don’t buy storage containers until you

know what you’re storing. Yes, it’s incredibly tempting to go to Target, Walmart, or The Container Store and stock up on bins, baskets, and totes. Save your money and declutter first, use what you already have in your home, and then go shopping. Your wallet will thank you.

TIP #8: The less stuff you have, the less you have

to organize/maintain. This one is self-explanatory. Every single item you own — whether it’s a T-shirt, a coffee maker, a couch, a phone — requires some sort of maintenance. The question is are you willing to do what it takes to maintain, dust, clean, change the batteries in, or put away the item. You may surprise yourself with the things that you look at and realize that you’re not, in fact, amenable to spending your time and energy dealing with them. Out they go.

TIP #9: Save sentimental stuff for last. This one is arguably the hardest for anyone embarking on a decluttering journey. If you’re not particularly sentimental, this might be easy for you — take pictures of tchotchkes, letters, or kids’ artwork and move on. However, if the thought of getting rid of your middle school crush’s love letters makes you hyperventilate, save this category for last and take it slow. With the advent of cloud storage and amazing phone cameras, photographing and keeping memories without having to store the physical item is much easier.

TIP #10: Listen to the experts. There are tons of podcasts to listen to, YouTube channels to watch, and websites to peruse. Each person has their own way of organizing and decluttering and a unique perspective on minimalism, and no one has the exact same advice, so it’s worth listening to and watching different perspectives. Some I recommend: The Minimalists (podcast & YouTube), The Minimal Mom (YouTube), Minimal-ish (podcast), Natalie Bennett (YouTube), Joshua Becker (YouTube & author), Matt D’Avella (YouTube), Dana K. White (YouTube), and Courtney Carver (author).