Do you have way too many things in your kitchen cupboards? Are you only using the front row of things and the back of the cupboard is like the never ending universe with stacks of things that you can't remember the last time you used?
Is your closet full of clothes that you don't really use? There are piles of tops and sweaters where you only use the top four things in each. The rest is a mystery that remains to be solved.
Do the kids have a ton of toys lying around? Cars and my little ponies everywhere that they don't play with anymore.
Doesn't sound familiar? Good for you. Hurrah! But for most of us, this is our reality. You might think it doesn't matter, but shuffling all those toys around whenever it's time to clean adds extra time to an already time-consuming activity that you're trying to accomplish as fast as possible. Having to constantly move things around in the cupboards to get to what you need is frustrating. A cluttered home is distracting and energy consuming.
What if we could create some space in our homes? Not to have a pile of magazines in the living room greeting you with a guilty conscious for not reading them every time you enter the room. What if you would simply throw them away or give them to someone who'll actually read them? Is there really some vital information in there that you cannot survive without? Well, if you haven't read them for several years, I'm guessing no.
Why are we so afraid of empty spaces? Why do we have to fill every corner with little ornaments and figurines? Like squirrels stashing up for the winter, we collect things just in case they might be useful some day. We end up with a home full of things that we never use.
To be honest, we really don't need that many things to get by. It's only in the last couple of decades that we've started this frenzy of buying things and filling our homes with stuff. Stuff everywhere. And then some more stuff.
But you can make the decision to reverse. You can create a home with fewer things and more room for living. There's no reason to throw everything that you no longer need in the trash. There are many flea markets or second-hand shops that are happy to accept your things.
Decluttering your home doesn't have to be difficult. Simply take one step at the time and soon you'll find yourself living in a more relaxed and peaceful home.
Our closets don't need to be overflowing with clothes. We have washing machines that we can use on a daily basis. What if you could limit yourself to a few basic outfits and then perhaps a few party outfits for nicer occasions? That's really all you need. Of course, depending on the climate of where you live and what kind of activities you do, you might need a few more items. But still, use your washing machine instead of stacking up on clothes.
Another area where you can easily limit yourself is kitchenware. We don't need to have several coffee sets for those rare occasions when we have a lot of people over. Settle for a number that is equivalent to the maximum of your every day get together's. When you do sometimes have those bigger parties, simply borrow from someone else. Perhaps ask the guests to bring some cutlery with them?
Every time you're taking an item to the attic or the cellar or whatever storage space you have, consider if it's really suitable to put it there. Will you ever really use it? Do you really want to keep that armchair or flower pot? Or can you give it to someone else?
Crunch the numbers on everything around you. How many vases do you need? How many candle holders? How many glass bowls? Yes, things break sometimes. No, that doesn't happen that often. What if, in the unlikely event that you do break something, you simply would buy a new one instead? Or even better, perhaps find one in a second-hand shop? There's no need to stack up on things just in case they break. Better to have fewer and really use them instead.
If something new comes in, something old has to go. This way you'll at least not add to the problem.
Don't be over nostalgic. Of course, you want to keep some things that you're children made when they were kids, but there's really no need to save it all. Think about what you as an adult have appreciated that your parents saved for you. It might be fun to see that chicken you made for easter when you were five. Your kids might cast a glance at it and say that it looks weird. But that's it. Over thirty years in storage for a minute of fame. An occasional item like this might be fun but not several boxes full of them.
Let things sit for a while. If you feel that giving or throwing things away is a bit drastic, consider putting things away in a box. That way you will no longer have them in your life, but if you do miss them, you'll be able to retrieve them. Put that box away for a year or so. If after that year you haven't missed a single item in that box, simply give it away.
Every item you have in your household takes up time, energy and space that could have been used for something else. Eventually, someone will be forced to go through every single thing you have in your home. When you're gone, your kids or other relatives will be forced to handle all the stuff you left behind. They will have to sort through it all and decide what's worth keeping. An exhausting task in an already exhausting situation. What if you could do most of the work for them? What if you decluttered your home while alive? Not only will you leave less a burden on your offspring when you're gone, but you'll also have the benefit of a decluttered home while you still can enjoy it.
Try decluttering your home. It will set you free!