Let It Go! 8 Tips For Getting Rid Of Clutter

**Did you miss the other posts in this series of 31 Days Of Intentional Living?  You can find them here!

Hoarder, clutter bug, pack rat, no matter what you call it, almost all of us have a problem with our stuff!

I spent 6 hours cleaning our house yesterday.  I know, 6 hours!  I was organizing and decluttering at the same time but as I thought about how much time it was taking me, I started to get mad.  No, I wasn’t mad at the kids for leaving toys out, I was more mad that in our home, we have this much stuff!  I don’t want my life to revolve around “stuff”.  When I have to spend that much time getting things in order, it’s TOO much.  So as I was cleaning, I quickly turned my cleaning session into a purging session!

Do you have a clutter problem?  Consider this:

• Are you holding onto items in your house because you don’t know what to do with them (but you might someday)?
• Do you keep gifts from others because you feel guilty getting rid of them?
• Have you held on to every sentimental item you have ever received?
• Have you made purchases on items that did not work as expected but kept them because they cost a lot of money?
• Do you still have all of your children’s toys and now they’re grown adults?
• Do you have clothes that fit you 2 sizes ago that you hold on just in case you ever lose that extra weight?  (I do, no judging!)
• Are your closets bursting at the seams?
• Do you have clothes for your kids in 14 different sizes because you’ve found good deals but the clothes are taking over your house?
• Do you buy things on clearance because they are a good deal, and then those items become clutter?
• Do you need a 31 Day Decluttering Program?  (I will be doing the 31 Days of Decluttering in December again this year, but will be revamping from last year!  It’s a great time to declutter before the holidays hit!)

Chances are you answered “yes” to at least one of these.  So what can we do?  I have a few tips (that I need to take implement in my own home)!

• Have a plan and set your goals.  Make a list of what you want to declutter.  Why are you wanting to declutter?  Is it to free up some space, to get rid of stuff you don’t love, to make money, or because you are wanting some extra time to focus on something else?
• Get a buddy!  Find a friend to declutter your house one day and do hers a different day! Having someone to help you will keep you motivated and on track!
• Decide what you will do with the stuff you’re getting rid of.  Are you donating your items, selling online, consigning or having a garage sale?
• Keep what you love.  If your Grandma gave you a bowl and you never use it but you love it, who cares?  Keep that bowl!  We should only have items in our home that we love and that are useful to us.  (If Grandma gave you a bowl that has no meaning, snap a picture of it and send it on it’s merry way!  If you don’t love it, don’t keep it!  You wouldn’t want Grandma to keep every item you’ve ever given her just because you gave it to her!)
• Quit organizing!  I have bought tote after tote after tote trying to organize mess.  Guess what?  If I would have went through the mess to begin and decluttered first, I wouldn’t have needed the totes!
•  Clear out the duplicates!  How many sets of silverware do you need?  Do you need 25 towels?  How about Tupperware?
• Start anywhere and start small!  It doesn’t matter what room, or whose stuff it is, just begin somewhere!  Purge for 15 minutes and quit.  If you go crazy you will burn out.  It takes a long time to accumulate stuff, it’ll take awhile to get rid of it!  (The only exception to this is if you are going to sell whatever it is you’re decluttering (such as a set of dishes, bathroom accessories that go together, or a bedding set).  Then finish the set so you can get it together and get rid of it!
• For clothes, shop the closets.  If the clothing isn’t something that you’d purchase in the store today, it’s time for it to go!

Do you have a clutter problem?  What is your favorite tip for getting rid of clutter?

**Did you miss the other posts in this series of 31 Days Of Intentional Living?  You can find them here!

Have you enjoyed what you read here today?  Do you have friends or other women you know that could benefit from this resource?  If so, please do me a favor!  I have included the links below to share with other intentional women!  They’ll be glad you did!