With the advent of spring, nature begins to come to life again, urging most of us to spring-clean. It’s the perfect time to downsize your possessions, and purge what you don’t need. But if you’ve been too lazy to move a muscle, perhaps you could use some motivation.
We’ve already given you a detailed break-down of cleaning out your pantry, and now, we’re about to share tips to reshuffle and reorganize in three simple steps. These tips are so easy to follow, you’ll run out of excuses to procrastinate.
Sometimes the process of clearing clutter can seem daunting, because of the emotional connections we have to our belongings. But if you want to make some major strides in letting go this season, apply minimalist thinking to your spring cleaning process. Minimalism is all about living simpler, which can help to decrease stress and raise the quality of life. We show you how to omit the common household items that tend to pile up.
1Food
Stocking up on food items at various times throughout the year, and particularly during the winter months, is normal. But often, much of it goes unused and sits around for another season.
Minimalist Tips: Go through your cupboards, checking dates on everything, and separating what’s expired from what’s still safe to consume. Trash the former, and decide whether the keepers are things you’re really going to use (or if it’s just wishful thinking). If you’re not sure, give yourself one month to use it or lose it.
2Clothing
Having trouble shutting those drawers, or finding a place to hang things up in the closet? Part of the reason is that old clothing from years ago is taking up space. True, some things are for special occasions only, but take a closer look and you’ll find other items that just have no purpose anymore.
Minimalist Tips: If you haven’t worn it in over a year, have more than one of something, or a piece of clothing is torn (but you know you’ll never repair it), donate these pieces, or give them away to friends.
3Books
Books, magazines, and other reading material can accumulate like tumbleweed. We tend to stash away books on a shelf, in the closet, or in a box under the bed to be read later, but often forget about them and keep adding more to the collection.
Minimalist Tips: Decide which reading material you’re likely to read again, and put the rest aside. Remember, unless it’s something rare, sentimental or personally moving to you, most books can be bought or borrowed from a library. Also, many titles and publications can be downloaded and read digitally, making storage a lot easier.
Food, clothing, and reading material are found in just about every home, but there are many other things and knick-knacks that can be dealt with in similar ways. The biggest factor is steering clear of fear, because it can be scary parting with things we have emotional connections with. When all is said and done, be vigilant about what’s brought into the living space, so any progress you’ve made doesn’t reverse itself.
Enjoy the spring cleaning, because how you minimize now can make every future spring that much lighter.
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