First, you will need four cardboard boxes and a large trash can. Label the boxes as follows: Put Away Fix Set Free Mementos Set an alarm clock to go off in one to two hours. You don’t want to overdo things! Open the closet or junk drawer and select the first object. Now we will use the four definitions of clutter to help us decide what goes in the trash can or which box to use for each item. The trash can. You will find plenty of stuff that is absolutely unusable. Be ruthless. The “Put Away” box. Anything goes in here that is out of place and would be better off in a more convenient location. As soon as the alarm clock goes off you will take ten minutes or so to put all the items in this box where they really belong. The “Fix” box. If the item is damaged or missing a part, but you are certain you would use it regularly if repaired, put it in this box. Objects can only reside in the fix box for one week before they have to change residence! If you do not repair the item by week’s end it […]
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The first step in winning the Clutter Wars is to de-bug your own mind! Most of us don’t recognize clutter when it falls out of the closet onto our heads, so how in the world will we conquer it? Let’s start by defining what clutter is. Clutter is anything in your home: That is out of place That is broken That you have not used or worn in more than a year That you dislike Now don’t panic. I won’t be telling you to throw away everything that falls within the above definition of clutter. BUT once you get a clear picture in your head of what constitutes clutter you will be better able to deal with it! In the next installment we still start in one small place to give you some practice in sorting through all that clutter. Image Credit: @cannelle.olga via Twenty20
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Let’s look at some ways to prevent the clutter in the first place. You can call this your Homeowner’s Declaration of Independence. Garage sales are events you stage, not events you attend. Unless you are a professional junk or antique dealer, there is no reason for you to ever attend a garage sale. Think of them as the entry level drugs offered by the clutter “drug lord” to get you hooked. Discover the joys of borrowing. Let’s be honest. There are some things you might only use two or three times a year (fondue set, espresso maker, sewing machine, Super Dooper Foot Spa, etc.). You don’t need to buy these things! Your friends will be happy to dig them out from under their beds and loan them to you upon request. Throw away those full-color store ad inserts in your newspaper and the mailbox—do not browse them first. I’m talking about the good ones from Walmart, Kmart, Target, Kohl’s, etc. Those ads exist for one reason only—to make you think you need more stuff. I know, you think you are just window shopping, but that is the first step to buying a juicer with ten attachments, a second George Foreman […]
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When you have to continue living in a home at the same time you are trying to sell it, keeping it ready for a showing at any time can be a challenge. This challenge is doubled when you have children in your home. You want to be able to accommodate a showing whenever possible in order to get your home sold quickly, but when asked to let people in unexpectedly, getting things in order fast can be a challenge. Here are a few simple tips to get ready for a showing in a hurry! Keep Some Drawer Space Free Keep a drawer in your kitchen as empty as possible so that it can be a catch-all for the clutter that is hanging around, including unopened mail, pens and pencils, and other general kitchen clutter. When you need to pick up in a hurry, simply open the drawer and toss in whatever will fit. This can clear off your countertops in a hurry and make your kitchen ready for showing. A Few Smart Hiding Places Pick up a few storage ottomans and place them strategically around the house—in the entry, at the end of the hall, in the living or family […]
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