Lesson 38: Clear the Clutter!
Did you know clutter leads to debt? If you didn't, you do now. Clutter leads to debt. When your home, your office, your car, your life is filled with clutter it costs you, and costs you big time.
How often have you needed something and not been able to find it? You know you have it but it's lost in the clutter, so you buy another "something". What a waste of money (and time spent searching and shopping).
This week you are going to pretend you are a real estate agent, inspecting your home prior to putting it up for sale. You are going to walk in your front door, financial notebook in hand, and look at your home with new eyes, the eyes of a stranger.
It's easy to look past your own clutter. It's built up slowly, over time and become a part of your life. But a stranger coming into your home for the first time will see the magazines on the floor, the mail in the fruit bowl, the shoes piled by the front door, the folding pile waiting on the chair. The stranger to your home sees the pile of DVDs waiting to be put back in their cases. He sees the overflowing wastebasket and the dishes draining on the sink. He sees the dust bunnies lurking in the corners, behind the piles of toys. He sees piles and piles of stuff and wonders why there is so clutter much in this home.
The other thing you are going to do this week is learn the power of speed elimination. You are on a de-cluttering mission, you don't have time to reminisce over everything you pick up. Spring is the best time of year to do this. You're already tuned into spring cleaning. The weather is perfect, not to cold, not too hot. The sun is usually shining brightly, encouraging you in your de-cluttering. You're moving forward, de-cluttering so you will never again have to buy something you know you have because you can't find it.
Finding the Hidden Cash
If I were to tell you that right now, at this very moment, you have hidden cash in your home would you believe me? Would you be excited. I know I would be - I'd be wanting to start hunting for it.
Just how much cash is hidden in your home I don’t know. It may be enough to pay the mortgage next month; it may be just enough for a weekend away or to give your Emergency Fund a much needed boost. However much it is, it's your money and you should have it working for you.
This week you're going to find it. And it's easy to find. It's hiding in plain sight. It's all those possessions you no longer need, use or want. Some of them you will have outgrown. Some of them you bought on impulse and regretted ever since. Some of them will become your hidden cash, some will put a smile on your face and someone else's face as you pass them on. Some will find their way to the Op Shop or Freecycle for others to use. All of them will leave you with a clutter free space.
Storing the Stash
As you de-clutter you need somewhere to stash the stuff, otherwise you're just moving the clutter around. You need a temporary place to store the things you are going to sell, donate or give away.
It's exciting and rather freeing to clear clutter from our homes. But in all the excitement it's easy to let it get out of control and before very long you'll be exhausted and your home messier than ever, with huge piles of clutter everywhere.
If you have a garage or a spare room you can designate that the temporary clutter storage area. If you don't have that space, then allocate one area in each room in your home to be the clutter storage for that room. As we'll be going through each room, this method of clutter storage works very well.
Clearing the Clutter
As you go around your home, take your SavingRevolutionnotebook with you. Use it to make notes of the things you are going to sell or could possibly sell. Jot down what it is, which room it's in and roughly how much you think it's worth. Keeping track of saleable items savesyou time later on.
You may not have anything to sell, but you probably have lots of things that can be recycled or re-purposed. You may even find things you borrowed, giving you the opportunity to return them. Using this week to clear the clutter and create more space in your home may give you a sense of control and freedom. At the very least it will give you a home that's easier to look after and nicer to live in.
Getting Started
You will need some "tools" to help you in your de-cluttering.
In each room have:
You will also need one box to use to carry things from room to room as you sort and put away. You can use your laundry basket for this, it is strong and has carry handles. You'll empty this box or basket as you finish work in each room, ready to be used in the next room.
In the beginning you are going to work in 15 minute stints. You can do anything for 15 minutes, and shorter bursts are less draining or overwhelming than the thought of tackling a whole room in one hit. Turn off your mobile, don't answer the door or the phone. For 15 minutes you are going to move like greased lightning, de-cluttering the room. After 15 minutes stop and have a break. Do something else, then go back for another 15 minutes. Remember, you are de-cluttering - you are not filing, tidying shelves, washing windows or anything else - you are simply clearing the clutter. The cleaning and tidying can be done later, and will be easier when there's less clutter.
The Kitchen
The most used room in the house and often, even though it looks neat and orderly, the most cluttered. Clear the clutter and your kitchen will be a dream to work in.
Work in this order:
You'll probably find old newspapers and newsletters, invitations, envelopes, empty boxes, flyers and other junk mail, odd tools, collections of nuts, bolts and screws, strange utensils you've collected as freebies and if you have young children paintings and craft creations.
As you're working, if you come across items that belong in another room, put them in your laundry basket, ready to put away at the end of your 15 minutes.
The Dining Room
Often used as a spare office, the dining room can be a catchall for all manner of family clutter. You may find piles of magazines, mail, catalogues and so on. Recycle or bin as appropriate.
You may also find:
Worn linens such as stained, threadbare or torn tablecloths, runners, placemats and serviettes. These are best donated to your local pet shop or vet or put in a bag marked "rags" and donated to your local op-shop.
Extra dinner sets, odd dishes and pieces of cutlery, spare sets of glassware and so on that you never use, don't like or even forgot you had. Look carefully at them: does your dining room look like a useable and pleasant family room or a cluttered junk shop? if you know deep down that you are never going to use them, then decide whether to sell, donate or give away. Then do it!
The Bedrooms
Bedrooms are huge clutter magnets. Here are some common items you'll find in bedrooms, just waiting to be de-cluttered:
Clothing that is stained, torn, frayed, too small, too big, out of fashion. Decide whether to donate or toss, bag or box appropriately.
Check all accessories including jewellery, belts, bags, scarves, gloves and hats. Anything broken should be tossed. Anything saleable needs to be put aside, the rest can be donated.
Shoes. A hard one for many of us, but shoes need to be de-cluttered regularly.
Furniture. Do you have too much in the room? Too many sets of drawers or lamps or chairs? What about floor rugs? Anything that is extraneous can be either sold or donated.
Go to the linen cupboard and count your sheet sets and blankets. If you have extra sets you aren't using that are in good condition, donate them. If they are only good for rags perhaps your local pet shop, vet surgery or animal shelter may be able to use them.
Drawers need to be gone through one by one. Toss rubbish, put filing in your office to be done, throw out old make-up.
The Living Rooms
These days many homes have multiple living rooms. Family rooms, play rooms, lounge rooms, even home cinemas are all rooms that will attract clutter, just because they are "living" rooms. Start by having a specific place for all toys and games to be stored. Choose one room for this, it may be the living room or it could be the child's bedroom.
Pick up magazines and toss or recycle them.
Put DVDs and CDs into their cases and put them away.
Take a good look around the room - look at the furniture and the ornaments. Anything that is worn, torn or broken can be tossed, recycled or repaired.
The Bathroom
Start by checking towels, hand towels, bathmats and face washers. Any that are frayed or worn can be donated.
Go through the cupboard and toss any old, dried up travel soaps, shampoos etc. Put any that are still usable out to be used. You're sure to find some creams and lotions that you bought on impulse and are still regretting. Get rid of them. Ditto hair accessories that you no longer use.
The Laundry
It's amazing how much clutter can collect in our laundries. Rags, half used boxes of soap powder, odd buttons and socks, brooms and brushes, buckets and sponges can all be found in the laundry. Go through everything - if it's old, tattered and beyond useful bin it. If you have tons of rags, add them to the pet shop donation pile.
Reward Yourself
After a couple of days of speed de-cluttering (remember you're working in 15 minute blocks) you deserve a reward (well another one on top of your lovely, de-cluttered home). Do something that will invigorate and restore you, perhaps a walk outside in the sunshine. The outdoors is so nice at this time of year, so take advantage of the free mood lifting powers of the sun and enjoy your reward.
Week 38 Challenge: As you de-clutter this week you'll be collecting things to donate and toss. Your challenge this week is to end it with all donations donated and out of your home and car and all rubbish in the bin or at the tip.
How often have you needed something and not been able to find it? You know you have it but it's lost in the clutter, so you buy another "something". What a waste of money (and time spent searching and shopping).
This week you are going to pretend you are a real estate agent, inspecting your home prior to putting it up for sale. You are going to walk in your front door, financial notebook in hand, and look at your home with new eyes, the eyes of a stranger.
It's easy to look past your own clutter. It's built up slowly, over time and become a part of your life. But a stranger coming into your home for the first time will see the magazines on the floor, the mail in the fruit bowl, the shoes piled by the front door, the folding pile waiting on the chair. The stranger to your home sees the pile of DVDs waiting to be put back in their cases. He sees the overflowing wastebasket and the dishes draining on the sink. He sees the dust bunnies lurking in the corners, behind the piles of toys. He sees piles and piles of stuff and wonders why there is so clutter much in this home.
The other thing you are going to do this week is learn the power of speed elimination. You are on a de-cluttering mission, you don't have time to reminisce over everything you pick up. Spring is the best time of year to do this. You're already tuned into spring cleaning. The weather is perfect, not to cold, not too hot. The sun is usually shining brightly, encouraging you in your de-cluttering. You're moving forward, de-cluttering so you will never again have to buy something you know you have because you can't find it.
Finding the Hidden Cash
If I were to tell you that right now, at this very moment, you have hidden cash in your home would you believe me? Would you be excited. I know I would be - I'd be wanting to start hunting for it.
Just how much cash is hidden in your home I don’t know. It may be enough to pay the mortgage next month; it may be just enough for a weekend away or to give your Emergency Fund a much needed boost. However much it is, it's your money and you should have it working for you.
This week you're going to find it. And it's easy to find. It's hiding in plain sight. It's all those possessions you no longer need, use or want. Some of them you will have outgrown. Some of them you bought on impulse and regretted ever since. Some of them will become your hidden cash, some will put a smile on your face and someone else's face as you pass them on. Some will find their way to the Op Shop or Freecycle for others to use. All of them will leave you with a clutter free space.
Storing the Stash
As you de-clutter you need somewhere to stash the stuff, otherwise you're just moving the clutter around. You need a temporary place to store the things you are going to sell, donate or give away.
It's exciting and rather freeing to clear clutter from our homes. But in all the excitement it's easy to let it get out of control and before very long you'll be exhausted and your home messier than ever, with huge piles of clutter everywhere.
If you have a garage or a spare room you can designate that the temporary clutter storage area. If you don't have that space, then allocate one area in each room in your home to be the clutter storage for that room. As we'll be going through each room, this method of clutter storage works very well.
Clearing the Clutter
As you go around your home, take your SavingRevolutionnotebook with you. Use it to make notes of the things you are going to sell or could possibly sell. Jot down what it is, which room it's in and roughly how much you think it's worth. Keeping track of saleable items savesyou time later on.
You may not have anything to sell, but you probably have lots of things that can be recycled or re-purposed. You may even find things you borrowed, giving you the opportunity to return them. Using this week to clear the clutter and create more space in your home may give you a sense of control and freedom. At the very least it will give you a home that's easier to look after and nicer to live in.
Getting Started
You will need some "tools" to help you in your de-cluttering.
In each room have:
- strong garbage bags for rubbish
- a sturdy cardboard box for recycling
- a sturdy cardboard box for donations
- a sturdy cardboard box to store items to sell.
You will also need one box to use to carry things from room to room as you sort and put away. You can use your laundry basket for this, it is strong and has carry handles. You'll empty this box or basket as you finish work in each room, ready to be used in the next room.
In the beginning you are going to work in 15 minute stints. You can do anything for 15 minutes, and shorter bursts are less draining or overwhelming than the thought of tackling a whole room in one hit. Turn off your mobile, don't answer the door or the phone. For 15 minutes you are going to move like greased lightning, de-cluttering the room. After 15 minutes stop and have a break. Do something else, then go back for another 15 minutes. Remember, you are de-cluttering - you are not filing, tidying shelves, washing windows or anything else - you are simply clearing the clutter. The cleaning and tidying can be done later, and will be easier when there's less clutter.
The Kitchen
The most used room in the house and often, even though it looks neat and orderly, the most cluttered. Clear the clutter and your kitchen will be a dream to work in.
Work in this order:
- benchtops
- overhead cupboards
- lower cupboards
- kitchen table
- pantry
You'll probably find old newspapers and newsletters, invitations, envelopes, empty boxes, flyers and other junk mail, odd tools, collections of nuts, bolts and screws, strange utensils you've collected as freebies and if you have young children paintings and craft creations.
As you're working, if you come across items that belong in another room, put them in your laundry basket, ready to put away at the end of your 15 minutes.
The Dining Room
Often used as a spare office, the dining room can be a catchall for all manner of family clutter. You may find piles of magazines, mail, catalogues and so on. Recycle or bin as appropriate.
You may also find:
Worn linens such as stained, threadbare or torn tablecloths, runners, placemats and serviettes. These are best donated to your local pet shop or vet or put in a bag marked "rags" and donated to your local op-shop.
Extra dinner sets, odd dishes and pieces of cutlery, spare sets of glassware and so on that you never use, don't like or even forgot you had. Look carefully at them: does your dining room look like a useable and pleasant family room or a cluttered junk shop? if you know deep down that you are never going to use them, then decide whether to sell, donate or give away. Then do it!
The Bedrooms
Bedrooms are huge clutter magnets. Here are some common items you'll find in bedrooms, just waiting to be de-cluttered:
Clothing that is stained, torn, frayed, too small, too big, out of fashion. Decide whether to donate or toss, bag or box appropriately.
Check all accessories including jewellery, belts, bags, scarves, gloves and hats. Anything broken should be tossed. Anything saleable needs to be put aside, the rest can be donated.
Shoes. A hard one for many of us, but shoes need to be de-cluttered regularly.
Furniture. Do you have too much in the room? Too many sets of drawers or lamps or chairs? What about floor rugs? Anything that is extraneous can be either sold or donated.
Go to the linen cupboard and count your sheet sets and blankets. If you have extra sets you aren't using that are in good condition, donate them. If they are only good for rags perhaps your local pet shop, vet surgery or animal shelter may be able to use them.
Drawers need to be gone through one by one. Toss rubbish, put filing in your office to be done, throw out old make-up.
The Living Rooms
These days many homes have multiple living rooms. Family rooms, play rooms, lounge rooms, even home cinemas are all rooms that will attract clutter, just because they are "living" rooms. Start by having a specific place for all toys and games to be stored. Choose one room for this, it may be the living room or it could be the child's bedroom.
Pick up magazines and toss or recycle them.
Put DVDs and CDs into their cases and put them away.
Take a good look around the room - look at the furniture and the ornaments. Anything that is worn, torn or broken can be tossed, recycled or repaired.
The Bathroom
Start by checking towels, hand towels, bathmats and face washers. Any that are frayed or worn can be donated.
Go through the cupboard and toss any old, dried up travel soaps, shampoos etc. Put any that are still usable out to be used. You're sure to find some creams and lotions that you bought on impulse and are still regretting. Get rid of them. Ditto hair accessories that you no longer use.
The Laundry
It's amazing how much clutter can collect in our laundries. Rags, half used boxes of soap powder, odd buttons and socks, brooms and brushes, buckets and sponges can all be found in the laundry. Go through everything - if it's old, tattered and beyond useful bin it. If you have tons of rags, add them to the pet shop donation pile.
Reward Yourself
After a couple of days of speed de-cluttering (remember you're working in 15 minute blocks) you deserve a reward (well another one on top of your lovely, de-cluttered home). Do something that will invigorate and restore you, perhaps a walk outside in the sunshine. The outdoors is so nice at this time of year, so take advantage of the free mood lifting powers of the sun and enjoy your reward.
Week 38 Challenge: As you de-clutter this week you'll be collecting things to donate and toss. Your challenge this week is to end it with all donations donated and out of your home and car and all rubbish in the bin or at the tip.