Aah who doesn’t love the start of the new year where everything is filled with new opportunities, new ways of being, new goals and the list goes on?
Sometimes what’s new is letting go of the old! Is decluttering one of your New Year’s resolutions? It’s a popular one but it can also feel like a daunting task and so it gets pushed off for one more week, one more month until you find yourself at the end of another year and nothing has changed?!
Here’s some great “jump starts” to really keep you motivated to finally get it done as you head into 2023!
No fad diets or extremes needed; the most important bit of information we can share is START SMALL!
Pick a space and just stick to it. If you’re trying to declutter your entire house at once, you will undoubtedly feel overwhelmed and likely quit. The more contained a space is, the easier it is to visually “take a glance” and just start. Personally, I love starting with the pantry. It’s like a BOGO! When I’m looking at outdated items, I can also be perusing those items which are either not healthy or were bought on an impulse and I simply don’t need them. So too the junk drawer is a great place to dive in and bring a sense of order to those seemingly “nonsensical” items.
If you want to spend a little extra money to get yourself going, consider smart and “cute” storage containers. Who doesn’t love opening the linen closet and seeing all those great handwoven jute baskets filled with your favorite things?!
TOSS, TOSS, TOSS may seem like money going down the drain in purging things but consider donating. Your “yesterday’s sweater” is someone’s brand new article that they may not have been able to afford were it not for your donation to the local thrift.
Consider decluttering on the daily. I’ve found that even 5 minutes in the morning and 5 minutes in the evening can go a long way in sorting thru mail, disposing of items in the medicine cabinet while brushing my teeth or even revisiting certain articles of clothing as I put laundry away. The more visually appealing you can make a space, the more you’re going to want to keep going.
Ultimately, be patient with yourself. Nothing sets us up for failure more than thinking it all must be done by the first month of 2023. Often that gusto ends up not being sustainable; whereas if you were a little more patient with yourself it would become a healthy new habit.
Last but certainly not least, treat yourself and consider hiring an expert to help you sort thru those non-essential items or those that you have an emotional attachment to but really have seen the end of their usefulness.
Happy decluttering and may 2023 bring you abundance beyond material possessions!