Decluttering

I will be the first to admit I'm horrible when it comes to clutter. I let it build and build and build until I want to rip my hair out and scream. I go into a cleaning frenzy to get it clean and organized and within a week, you can't tell I did anything. It's time to realize that this will take a lifestyle change for the entire family if we want a clean and organized home. Lucky (unlucky) for us, we're about to make a major move from Texas to California. It's the perfect time to clear out as much as possible so we don't take it with us and start over. The worst thing about this is we have 1.5 months to achieve our goal.  Well, my goal. While I wish we could get our house down to about 50% of the things we own, even I have to admit that's not feasible. But maybe we can clear out 25% of it.

When faced with the idea of decluttering our house, I'll admit I'm overwhelmed. I look around and see everything we own and just want to sit down and knit while watching TV. That's a lot easier. I also have to take into account the fact I'm permanently injured. I have to do everything in tiny steps so I don't hurt myself. But with everyone else either at school or at work, most of this work is going to fall to me. I need to put a plan into place I can stick with.

I'm thinking of using the time honored "timer" method. You set a timer for a specific amount of time and work until it goes off. Then you put everything away, throw out the trash, etc. If I can do that 2 or 3 times a day, I think I'd see some good progress.

This time, I'm going to start in a hidden corner. A place I can go back to day after day and look at it when I'm feeling discouraged. I'm going to start in a linen closet. It's upstairs and no one really goes in there much. We pull out clean towels now and then, and replace sheets, but that's it. I think the cat spends more time in that closet than we do. Unlike some people, we don't throw things in there when people come over. No, those are our regular closets. The linen closet is already too full of well... linens. Now that I think about it, we almost never use most of our linens, either. It's time to get rid of a lot of things in there. Old pillowcases, sheets, cleaning supplies we haven't touched since we moved here 5 years ago. Stupid to hang on to them and drag them to another state. After awhile, they'll be as well-traveled as we are.

So, now that I've wasted some time blogging about it, it's time to actually go do it. And thank goodness for a tip I just read online to help save your lower back while tackling the linen closet. Put a folding surface near you while you work. Just a simple little idea that means so much to me.

Okay. Give me a trash bag and a folding table. I'm off.