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#6 Domestic Tourists & How To Let Go Of Clutter

11/19/2015

10 Comments

 
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Welcome to the sixth post in the Createyou86 Domestic Tourists November Blog Series.  Clutter it might be something that you deal with every day, and you might not know how to avoid it.  To plan a cross-country trip you can't have clutter.  Here are a few ways that we got rid of the clutter, and packed for our trip.
I have dealt with clutter most of my life.  I'm not a hoarder, but i like stuff, and especially paper stuff.  This would explain my love for stationary, and other paper products (this started when i was little, and liked to play school or teacher.  I would make fake tests on paper, and keep stacks of paper for later use).  When i found the Filofax, and planner world i was in heaven.  This gave me more reasons to buy stuff, and add clutter to my life.  However, when we decided that we were going to be driving cross-country everything changed.  In preparation for our trip i began to de-clutter my life, and my belongings. A Hyundai Elantra is not a large vehicle to fit tons of stuff in.  In fact, it is relatively small.  This made it so i had to pair down what i would bring with me that i had accumulated over an almost two year period of time.  Here are a few ways that i did that.

1. Take Your Time
I didn't just throw everything away in one fell swoop to make room.  I took my time.  This meant starting about two months ahead of time, and cleaning out my things little by little.  It sucks to throw out or donate things that you have grown attached to, but with enough time you should find it easier to get rid of the unneeded, and unwanted clutter.  I started VERY small.  I started with tiny post-it notes that i hadn't used in a long time or that there were only a few left of.  From there i gradually eased into boxes that i hadn't used, and larger items that could be donated.

2.  Divide, and Re-conquer
This means that you should take things from boxes that you may have been storing, and divide them into smaller boxes.  When you get to the point that the items can't fit into the smaller boxes anymore maybe its time to get rid of them, or donate them.  As i said in previous posts in this series, i paired down from 7 boxes to 4 boxes, and even considered less than that.  While you are dividing the items name them out loud.  This small action can give you reassurance that this item might be too big, and needs to go, or remind you that it is important enough to keep.

3.  You Can Help
Are you keeping boxes of toys for your future grandchildren that don't exist yet?  Chances are that popular toys will change in a couple of years.  Some cool toys to keep would be (in my humble opinion) Tinker Toys, and Lincoln Logs.  Those toys that you have been storing away could help a family in need at the holidays, or even a local shelter.  Donating is the way to go when cleaning, and decluttering.  You never know what someone else who doesn't have as many things as you would love to own.  The same goes for clothing.  Use the Salvation Army or The Red Cross to donate clothing that you haven't worn in the past year or so.  I did this when packing, but gave the items to my neighbor who was around the same size as me.  I saw her about a week later, and she said she had saved a ton of the clothes that i had given her, and donated the rest.  I also made two trips to the Salvation army myself with containers that i no longer used, and other items like books.  You can also trade in old video games, and systems at Gamestop for cash, or store credit.

4.  How Many Is Too Many?
Do you have duplicates of things?  Ask yourself how many you REALLY need.  There is no way you will use 5 nail polishes mostly in the same shades in the next few months.  Also how many Cardigans do you really wear when it gets cold.  Do you need several black sweaters, or are two okay?  Can you make some room by taking ten sets of Christmas card boxes, and putting all of your Christmas cards in one box?  This is what i do, and it saves a ton of room! 

5. Do I Love You?
I have a ton of things, but not everything makes me feel good.  I find that it is easier to get rid of things that i do not have an attachment to.  This applied for worn out shoes, clothes, books that i hadn't touched in about a year, and stationary items i though i might use one day, but really didn't need.  If i held it in my hand, and had to keep it, i kept it, but if i got that "ehh" feeling it was a goner.

6.  Guilty or Not Guilty
Guilt is something that most people feel when they are cleaning.  With as attached to things as we get there is no question that this would happen.  However, you are under no obligation to keep things that someone else has given you.  Chances are you are only making it harder on yourself, because that person forgot long ago about that sweater they bought you for your birthday 15 years ago, that you have only worn once.  This is something that has happened to me, but i would rather give that item a new home where someone will actually use it, and it won't sit in an unmarked box in the back of my closet because i feel bad for not using it.

7.  Use A Planner
When i found the Filofax, and planner community i lost it.  In a good way!  All of a sudden i had a creative, and organized way to plan my months, days, and years.  I put together sections for health, finances (bills), notes, blogging, to-do lists etc.  This gave me an excuse to put my bills, invitations, etc. somewhere where they could be kept safe, and would not be forgotten about.  Using a planner helps organize your world, and you won't forget where your bills are when you need to pay them.

Unfortunately in 2009 our family suffered a huge loss.  Our house burnt to the ground, and many of the "things" that my mother had been saving since pre-school such as toys, or artwork (there were BOXES of artwork from myself, and my sister) were ruined.  When the inspector went through the house he had to take count of everything in the house EVERYTHING (for the insurance company to be able to reimburse us)! You never really think about just how many things you accumulate over 24 years, but here are some examples, and we are by no means a hoarding family, and we regularly (at least once a year) donated items to The Salvation Army.  My mother has worked for the Gap for fifteen years, and when you work there you have to buy the clothing that they sell (essentially you are a walking advertisement).  Of the items that were not burnt or ruined otherwise here are a few of the things that the inspector counted.

Belts- 45
Flip Flops- 30 pairs
Sweaters- 20
4 Huge stacks of National Geographic Magazines (basement ruined by water)
300 Grateful Dead CD's (my dad's love!)

This was over 400 items without even counting any other items in the house!!!!!  On the flip side this huge loss was actually a huge gain.  The house was rebuilt, and new systems for organization were put in place.  There aren't anymore stacks of magazine that nobody reads anymore, and the closets are much smaller so there isn't any room for unused clothing.  My mom was able to save a few choice pieces of artwork from when we were little, and framed them for us.
All of these methods were methods that we used when planning our cross country trip.  We hope that you find these tips useful.

​What item (s) do you think that you have the most of in your home?  Let us know in the comments below!


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10 Comments
Colleen Berge link
11/19/2015 09:24:23 am

I am so sorry for the loss of your home. That must have been devastating!
However I love your decluttering tips. This is a topic I am passionate about and love to read more about! :) I think we benefit so much from sharing and donating our things. Also by throwing out the junk. Giving us room to breathe. These are excellent and inspiring tips!!

Reply
Emily Leonard
11/19/2015 05:29:21 pm

Colleen,
Thanks for stopping by! I am so glad that you have been able to connect with this article. Thank you for you condolences, but they are just things. Most can be replaces, but we are certainly more thankful for the things that were recovered. I love decluttering, and donating!

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Kiersten link
11/19/2015 09:28:19 am

Great article and awesome tips!!! I will definitely be using these on some of my own paper clutter.

Reply
Emily Leonard
11/19/2015 09:37:59 am

Kiersten,
Thanks for stopping by. I never thought I would be able to pair down my paper goods, but these methods really worked for me. I'm glad that you have enjoyed this post.

Reply
karen patten link
11/19/2015 11:46:09 am

I can't imagine loosing your house! But I so agree about getting rid of clutter! I find that before I finish the project, more has piled up... I always de-clutter and donate before Christmas.

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Emily Leonard
11/19/2015 02:10:11 pm

Karen,
Thanks for stopping by. Losing the house we grew up in was something I would never wish on anyone, but it gave us a new appreciation for the things that we saved. I normally do cleaning/donating in the spring, but Christmas is a great time as well.

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Clare Speer link
11/19/2015 08:05:56 pm

Love this post and great ideas and suggestions - you have broken it down to make it doable... because clutter can be "overwhelming" but you broke it down to make it a little easier to deal with!

Reply
Emily Leonard
11/19/2015 08:35:42 pm

Clare,
Thanks for stopping by. I'm glad that you have enjoyed this post. That is exactly what my goal was with this post. Clutter can be very overwhelming, and some people get so lost in it that they don't decluttering at all.

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Jennifer Ross link
11/20/2015 07:18:08 am

My favorite tip was to take your time..we love our home but we decided to downsize from within..we aren't ready to move but when we are we want to do it with way less stuff. Now I can make a reasonable timeline and know I am doing it intentionally and with thoughtfulness!

Reply
Emily Leonard
11/20/2015 07:31:32 am

Jennifer,
Thanks for stopping by. Starting was the hardest part. I was feeling a serious connection to post-its. Sounds crazy I know. I started very small, and that made it so much easier. Good luck in your decluttering timeline! I would love to hear how it turns out!

Reply



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