Winter De-Cluttering
Now is the time to start de-cluttering. Spring is for cleaning and you can’t do a great job cleaning if you are cluttered, so that means de-cluttering before spring. Once Daylight Savings Time begins in mid-March, we will want to do other things than de-cluttering/cleaning. You know the feeling DST brings, so get started de-cluttering NOW so you can enjoy spring!
It’s not easy to de-clutter in a vacuum, so here are two goals for you to consider.
1. Pay Bills with Your Clutter.
Why not let your “stuff” help pay outstanding bills and get you out of debt. You may have overspent during the holidays or simply need to catch up with payments that are due. De-clutter and sell your excess. You know you have things you’re not using and will never use. Admit it. There is that exercise bike lounging in the basement, the dresser and desk left behind by your now-married child and that china service for twelve you no longer need in your current lifestyle. Sell your clutter to help your cash flow.
Apply the One In, One Out rule. If you received new items as Christmas gifts, consider selling the items the new ones replaced Another option is to estimate the total amount of booty you received as gifts and decide to get rid of one large piece of furniture that can count as a trade for all the little things you received. If you want to strive to unclutter your life, or to maintain a clutter-free life, applying the One In, One Out rule in your everyday life is essential. Start now!
Online classifieds sites are great for selling items of all kinds to generate cash. There are many sites to choose from, but I have had good luck selling on Craigslist.com. Before you list your items be sure to browse through the appropriate categories to see how other sellers have described their item that is similar to yours to get ideas for your description. Check, too, the price they charged. For best results selling your items be sure to upload one or two photos of each item to the site.
If you are at a loss what to sell, check out the site’s “wanted” ads to get ideas what buyers are looking for. This exercise might jog your brain about an item you hadn’t considered selling or had forgotten because it is buried in the attic. You’ll get rid of clutter and make money in the process, a win-win situation.
2. Donate Winter Clothing!
The time to donate clothing is limited by the seasons. The only time you can donate winter clothing is before or during the winter season. If you do not de-clutter your winter clothing now, you will need to wait until next fall. Who wants to do that? Why wait when there are so many people needing warm clothing now? Take an income tax write-off for your donation but don’t underestimate the power the good feelings will bring when you give from your abundance. They will keep you on the de-cluttering path.
The statistics demonstrate how over-the-top we have gotten with amassing clothing. We wear 20% of our clothing 80% of the time. We wear our favorites. Eighty percent of our wardrobes sits wasting away while others do without warm clothing. If you donated just 10% of your clothing items, you would not miss them. You will gain room in your closets and drawers and make everyday clothing choices simpler.
Divide your warm clothing into categories, such as sweaters, sweatshirts, heavy socks, coats. Say you have 10 sweaters. Put them all on your bed. Choose the two you wear most often and set them aside. Now choose the two sweaters you wear least often and select one to donate. Feel brave? Donate both least-worn sweaters. No one is asking you to give away all your sweaters – you will have eight left, more than what you need.
Create a Give-away bag, put in it the one (or two) sweaters and repeat the process with each category of warm clothing. It won’t take long if you do one or two categories each day.
Pass It On
Hopefully you are connected to your community and have places that you can donate your items. Check with your priest, minister or rabbi or simply ask friends or co-workers if they can name a non-profit organization which needs winter clothing now. Call them for a time you can drop off your items. If you do not know a place, please go to http://www.beyondclutter.com/pass-it-on/ for a list of non-profit groups and what they are looking for.
Conclusion
Whether you de-clutter and sell items for needed cash, donate items to the needy or both, you are starting toward a more balanced approach to material possessions. Remember that you will not be taking them with you when you leave this earth, so why spend your precious time, money and energy amassing them?
I see world conditions as reminding us of the folly of putting our limited resources – time, money and energy – into accumulating things. Both our economic crisis and the devastating earthquake in Haiti demonstrate how much of our lives is out of our control. Owning “stuff” will not give us that control and having excess stuff will make it harder for us to cope with the stresses of life and to recover from any shock or tragedy.
The people of Haiti dug through concrete to find their loved ones. They didn’t have many material possessions to begin with, but I didn’t hear of a single person digging through concrete to find a “thing.” They now need the basics – food, clothing and shelter. So do we all, but we do not need things which clutter our lives. It’s time to get back to basics. Winter de-cluttering will get you started.
