Decluttering can be a difficult thing to do, physically, mentally and emotionally. If you aren’t prepared for the task at hand, you may find yourself giving up early or not knowing where to start. A successful decluttering, whether it is one room or your whole house, starts with some preparation.
Let us start with the emotional piece. Letting things go can certain stir up some emotions. Give yourself a pep talk about how you can let things go. Don’t focus too much on individual items but on the end results of your decluttering project. Imagine your beautiful living room, your spacious and organized closet, the empty basement that can be turned into a playroom or family room.
Focusing too long on individual items usually makes the decision making process harder to complete. If you are feeling overwhelmed, take a break or call a friend for perspective.
Physically, you want to make sure that you have everything that you need for decluttering before you start. Skip the fancy organizing systems and the special bins at this point. You can always get them later once you’ve culled down your items to what is really important.
Instead simply gather some boxes and bags. You’ll want a bag or box for stuff that can get tossed, another for items that can be donated, and another for items that you want to keep but don’t currently have a home.
If you get attached to things, you might want to make sure that the items that you toss or donate are in opaque bags, so you don’t have to look at them after you make a decision. A good choice are contractor grade black bags that you can get from the Home Depot or Lowes. They are thick and sturdy. As you fill your bags, take them out of your house, either to the trash or to your car for a donation run.
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