You don’t have to be a hoarder to have a lot of clutter around the house. Many of us are reluctant to get rid of things that we have become attached to, even if we don’t use them any longer. But one way to motivate yourself to get rid of clutter is, instead of just throwing it out, to donate it to a worthy charity such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army.

The way it works is that you gather up the books you no longer read, clothes you no longer wear, kitchen gadgets that you never use, and anything else that you no longer need. Box them up, and then call the charity to send a truck around to haul the stuff away, You will have the satisfaction of having a cleaner house. The worthy charity will have some more stuff with which to raise money for its causes.

Alternatively, you can have a garage sale. That way your neighbors and whichever bargain hunters come will buy some of your clutter and take it away. You lose your clutter, but you have a little extra money. You’ll also get to interact with your neighbors, always a good thing. It goes without saying that a garage sale only works to get rid of clutter if you don’t go to other people’s driveway bazaars.

The last option is to find out if any of your used items will do as gifts. Maybe you know someone who would love a used pasta machine or your complete set of DVDs of every episode of “Friends.” Your relations and friends get something that they don’t have, and you get rid of something that you’ve had for far too long.

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Prioritize Your Attack

What do you need organized the most? For most of us it is our wardrobe, and our closet. Perhaps you are someone who piles things, and that needs the most work. Take a look at your home and your life and pick a place that needs it most. After-all, too much gathered stuff not only makes your life look cluttered, but make your life run less smoothly.

Set Aside a Time

Most of us can make a few minutes here or there for sorting through the stuff we have accumulated. Once you get started, it really doesn’t take that long. Ten or twenty minutes can make a huge difference. If you commit to doing this a little at a time and stick with it, you will have things organized before you know it.

Start With Sorting

Sort first, putting trash, recycle, and thrift store items into piles or bags. Just getting this stuff out will be more than half the battle to cleaning up any closet, drawer, purse, or catch space pile. Don’t allow yourself to get overly nostalgic over items that you don’t use. This does not mean the extra special things that you cannot replace, but the everyday items that bring back a memory. If you want to remember it, make a note and take a picture. This will take up a lot less space, and stores easily forever.

Sort as You Go

Keep a trash can handy for things like old papers, mail, ads, and junk. Don’t be shy about throwing this stuff out before it adds to the junk that needs organizing. If you open a drawer and see something you know is not good, take a second to get rid of it now. If you are getting an outfit and find it doesn’t fit, throw it in the thrift store bag or box. It will be one less thing to clean later. Once you get in this habit, you will find things stay cleaner.

Don’t Let It Overwhelm You

The junk did not get there all at once, you don’t have to get rid of it all at once. Take it a little at a time. If you don’t get done this time, it is okay. There is less to look at next time. As long as your making progress it is good.

Allow Time to Notice

As you clear out the stuff you don’t need, take time to notice how much easier your life is getting. You will also find that your stress level is usually lower, and life is more satisfying with less clutter in your life. As you soak in the sense of calm that is increasing in your home, you will be more energized for life. You will also be more motivated to continue simplifying and organizing.

Cleaning, like mopping floors and dusting is something we can help you with. For help with your cleaning needs, please give us a call, we would be happy to set up a free estimate.

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Closets are the greatest things, they hold what we need and hide what we don’t. Sooner or later you get to the point that you can’t fit any more in, and you don’t know what you have. This usually causes stress and frustration. If you’re there, or even almost there, it is time to go through the stuff. Here are a few tips on managing this task.

Clothes

We have a few lies we tell ourselves about clothes, such as I will lose weight enough to fit in that outfit that is two or more sizes too small. We say, it will come back into style someday, but by then the color will be wrong. If it is too small, too trendy, or just not loved enough. If you haven’t worn it in the last year, it should go. Give the good stuff to a thrift store, throw the rest out. There are a few exceptions, like a wedding dress you hope to pass down or the tux that gets rarely worn but still fits. Anything else you should look at more critically. Clearing out the old will make it easier to find what you want.

Electronics/Cords

Electronics are out dated so fast it is not funny. If it is hiding in a closet, it is quite likely you have not used it in years. If you have not been searching frantically for it, it most likely needs to go. Any cords that have unknown devices are junk, especially if they have a boxy end. In the old days, those only went to one thing. Using a cord on the wrong device was a good way to fry the electronics, and for some reason we seem to get rid of old devices and keep the cords. For anything along these lines over a few years old, when in doubt throw it out.

Non-seasonal knickknacks

You hid it in a closet, usually this means you don’t love it. The ones we love, we display. Unless it belonged to your grandma or some other cherished relative, it is time to get rid of it. These are usually good items for “white elephant gifts” if you belong to a group that does that. Otherwise, pass it on, give it to a thrift store, or throw it out.

Most of the time, this will describe the bulk of what you have hiding in a closet. When you get rid of the junk, you can find the treasures. Also, while cleaning you will find treasures you forgot you had. Limit how many treasures you keep. If you didn’t miss it while it was hidden, you will not miss it when it is gone. Having an organized closet with only things you use will give you a feeling of peace, and make your daily life less hectic. After all, when you can find everything you need easily, it takes so much less time to get ready for the day.

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While it’s hard to throw things in the garbage that you spent money on and selected carefully, keep in mind the health reasons why replacing these products regularly is so important!

• Mascara. The expiration date on mascara is six months at most. If you pump your mascara to get more onto the brush, you are forcing more air into the tube, shortening its lifespan to three months because it may dry out or allow bacteria to grow.
• Eyeliner. Just like mascara, liquid liners are safe for up to six months. Pencils are good for up to 12 months because sharpening them helps to keep bacteria at bay.
• Powder-based products. These include eyeshadows and blushes. These will keep for up to two years.
• Foundation. Opt for a pump dispenser whenever possible; this has a life of up to two years.
• Lipsticks. Toss these after two years. However, there are signs that they need to be thrown out sooner, such as changes in consistency or smell. When in doubt, throw it out! Replace it with a new tube.
• Nail polish. Nail polish has a life of 1-2 years, depending on the brand. Again, keep an eye on the consistency. Polish that looks clumpy has likely expired.
• Perfumes. Perfumes are designed to last longer, and will still be good for 8-10 years. They fare best in cool, dry places.
• Lotions. Lotions are good for up to two years. After that, you will notice the scents change, which is a sign they’re past their prime.

Once you’ve cleaned out your inventory of makeup and lotion that no longer serves you, you’ll be able to tell which products you use regularly and which you don’t. If you’ve had the same blush or foundation for years, that’s an indication that you don’t use it a lot. Next time, replace it with a drug store brand. If you use your eye makeup every day, that means you can splurge on the quality brands more often because you know you get more use out of it!

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Magazines. If you have a pile of magazines that you’re waiting to find the time to read, quickly flip through each one. When you find an article that sounds interesting, tear the pages out and keep them in your purse or coat pocket. They’ll be easy to access on a train or while standing in line. You can then recycle the rest of the magazine without wondering what you missed.
Books. Books can be so hard to let go, but if they’ve been sitting on your shelf unread, they take up a lot of space. Choose five books to let go of. You can drop them in a donation bin at your local library or leave them in the break room at work. You may even have a certain person in mind for one or two of them!
The junk drawer. Every kitchen has at least one. Spend ten minutes emptying out this one drawer and sorting things into piles of what you actually need and what can be recycled or thrown out. Of the things you decide you need, find homes for them other than in the kitchen junk drawer. Having one empty drawer is very satisfying!
Choose 5 things you don’t use but are in good shape. Do you ever use your crock pot and toaster oven? How many empty vases are sitting in a cabinet under the sink? Is there a coat in your closet that doesn’t fit like it used to or you think is out of style? Take a few minutes to post photos of these items on a local tag sale site or find a local chapter of freecycle.org. You can also drop them off at a charity resale store. This will free up precious space in your home without adding to a landfill. It’s environmentally safe and will help others!
Dump out your bag. This could be a briefcase or purse you carry to work and back daily, your gym bag, or a diaper bag for a child. These bags make it easy to carry too much stuff around that you never actually need. Take everything out and decide what you don’t need to be carrying around anymore. Recycle or toss it, and literally take a weight off your shoulders!
You don’t need to set aside a holiday weekend to clean up your home. With just ten minutes a day for a week or two, you will see a real difference in the amount of clutter in your space!

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