DECLUTTER FIRST, ORGANISE LATER.

Whenever I watch an organizing video on YouTube, I get new ideas on how to keep my home in order. I try to implement them if I can. 

Scene from Hoarders 

When I first watched Hoarders however, I was horrified and disgusted with the way Americans collect stuff, literally turning their homes into gigantic garbage bins. I guess that nowadays stuff has gotten so cheap that one can keep on buying but not using. 

Here in India, fast fashion has trended in a big way too, making it possible that, in the near future, every hoarder's dream will come true.

In my own home, I see this hoarding mentality creep in. My eldest son keeps getting hand-me-downs that he can't let go of. My second son, however, is minimalist. So is their Dad. 

I confess that I am a hoarder trying to become a minimalist. I learnt and practised the Konmari method five years ago and got rid of some of my 'unwanted' stuff. Project 333 helped me customise my wardrobe. Still, the 'What If' mentality is hard to shake off. 

In another two months, we are moving into a much smaller home and I am feverishly downsizing. I let go of several books, CDs, DVDs and even my oven and some of the baking items that can only be used in an oven. 














     Things I said Goodbye to. 

A year ago, I gave away all the make-up I had been gifted in Australia. My cousin, who is a beautician, benefited.

So, once I managed to let go, I am now trying to find places for the things I really want to take with me to the new home. 

           

DECLUTTER FIRST

I cannot emphasize enough that if you don't let go of the stuff you don't honestly care for, your chances of enjoying those that you truly love is NIL. 

Now that I have just half dozen outfits in my closet that I enjoy wearing, that fit well and have pared down my undergarments to just two pairs of each kind, there's no agony over What To Wear. I have to just pull out a clean one!

I do have some spares in a suitcase but those are kept to replace frayed/torn clothes. I also keep my off-season clothes in there. And I limit my storage space to ONLY that one suitcase which has a permanent place inside my cupboard!

Recently, I invested in some storage baskets for the children's clothes. We had been corelling their clothes in Amazon storage boxes for years. I figured that it was time to give them a better storage container. So I looked up some deals on Amazon and finally zeroed in on the ones you see below. Make sure when you buy anything to first measure your space properly. 


I've been doing the FLYLADY method these days. Among the many routines she teaches is the "15-minute DECLUTTER" one. She says that clutter cannot be organised, its rightful place is in the TRASH CAN! But its not easy to just throw away stuff that someone else could use. So the next best option is to DONATE. 

Some do try selling but it is a time-consuming process to get a person who will want exactly what you have and be able to come to collect it. I find it is better to join freecycle groups and get rid of the junk quickly. 

In Goa, we have a thrift store that has regular SST sales in the year. You can connect with them to give away your stuff. They either sell your item, swap you with something they have that you may need and the rest is put in a takeaway box which is FREE. (Incase you are interested, their poster is at the end of this article.)

Once you have decluttered so that everything you have has a fixed place in your home, you will be at peace with yourself and your surroundings. 

Whenever you do need to buy something, its always wise to ask these questions:

1) Do I have a place to put it?

2) What is it going to replace?

3) Would I love it enough to clean it?

4) Does it make me smile? 


And, the next time you go shopping offline or online, don't be shocked if you come back EMPTY HANDED. The thought of putting junk back into your calm and clean spaces will be more than you can bear. 

BONUS: With the money you save, you'll be able to buy a few quality goods that you will enjoy, cherish and carefully look after for years to come.



The most recent sale advertisement 

 





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