It’s Spring! Well that’s what the calendar says anyway. With the change of season there are many people who decide to declutter their house. Out with the old, in with the new. As we make space in our homes we also make space in our minds too. Feels good to get rid of things that are no longer serving you. Also helps to keep you house tidy when everything has a “home”. Easy to throw more things on the kitchen counter when there was already things on there. If it’s cleared off then it is more noticeable that something is out of place.
With the arrival of the book The Art of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo on the decluttering scene many people have jumped on the decluttering wagon. There are many ways to go through the process of clearing out things you no longer need but here are 2 of the main ones:
Declutter by Category
The KonMari Method suggests working through your belongings by category; clothing, books, papers, Komono (Miscellaneous) and sentimental. She suggests going through each category and collecting all the items into one spot. Pick up each item one by one and see if it “sparks joy” for you.
Benefits:
- When you have all of the same items in one spot you can see where you have duplicates.
Challenges:
- Best to commit to doing your whole house in a short period of time and that can be a bit overwhelming,
Declutter by Room
With this method you commit to tackling one room at a time. You empty all drawers, cabinets, bins etc and decide the items you want to keep.
Benefits:
- Easier to work on this project in smaller chunks
Challenges:
- May not be able to see all of the same items you have in different locations of your home.
- May feel like the project is “neverending”
With either method it is recommended to sort your belongings into 3 piles as you go through each item; keep, donate and throw away.
What to do with your gently used items?
Thrift shops
There are many places that will come and pick up your items for free. You can also drop off your items to a location near you
Women’s shelters
Women’s shelters are always looking for items like women’s and children’s clothing, toys, toiletries etc.
Consignment stores
Take in bags of clothes to your local store and they will pay you for the items they want. There are specialty children’s stores that will also take your gently used children’s toys, books and other baby gear.
Facebook Marketplace/Kijiji/Craigslist
Take a photo of your item, put a small description, price and post it. Great way to make a bit of extra cash.
Whichever way you decide to tackle this project we suggest doing it with a buddy. Get your partner on board, get a friend to come over or hiring a coach just make the process so much more fun. Contact us and we would be happy to put you in touch with some wonderful organizers in the Toronto area.
Happy Spring Cleaning!
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