Don't Wait to Declutter!

We hear it so often. You want to move, maybe you even found a new house, but the thought of getting your house ready to sell is just so overwhelming! We live in a society of "stuff" and that "stuff" sure does accumulate over the years. If you are feeling debilitated by your overflowing closets, or outdated pantry, know that you are not alone. 

Here's some easy advice, save yourself stress down the road, and do a little Spring purge/reorganization now. You don't need to make it a huge project, maybe just do a closet a weekend. Start with your master closet, and pull out all of your Winter clothes. What didn't you wear all season? If you haven't worn it in a year, get rid of it! Go one season, one closet at a time. If you want to take it a step further, go to Homegoods and buy matching hangers. They are super inexpensive, and the uniformity will make your closet look more organized.

Another small task that will make you feel much more organized is cleaning out your pantry. Want to do more than just throwing out expired canned goods? Buy some clear containers, and put cereal and other pantry items in containers so that you don't have a pantry full of mismatched open boxes. 

Next, go through your "junk drawer" (yes, we all have them) and toss the invitation to the baby shower from last Fall, old Christmas cards, bills you already paid, and anything else you shoved in there because company was coming over and you weren't ready to throw it away. Those drawers are like a black hole. They can become overwhelming fast, but usually only take about 30 minutes to clean out. 

If you are feeling ambitious, move on from the closets to each room in your house. One organizational guru suggests holding up each item and asking yourself "Do I love this? Does it bring me joy?" You may have a vase or some other little item that you got on an amazing trip to Costa Rica, but really doesn't have a place in your home anymore. Get rid of it! Hold onto the memory, but do not keep something because of what it represents. This method is a little cold for some of us, but if you want to be a minimalist, this is a great start! 

The idea of purging may seem daunting, but once you start, you will feel energized and once you finish you will feel both relaxed and accomplished. Then, when your dream home pops on the market, you will be ready to put that "For Sale" sign in your yard and move your practical, organized closets into their new home. 

(image courtesy of Lushome)

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