Does it sometimes feel like you’re living with too much stuff? Every room you look in there’s just too much stuff. Open a closet or cabinet and there it is again! That stuff. There are ways to deal with this, you know. Baby steps to downsizing at home is not as difficult as you may think.
You don’t have to have your house under contract either, to seriously consider getting rid of some of the overflow. We all have it; there are always those “must-have’s” we buy from HSN or QVC or the Dollar Store. Only problem is we usually don’t throw away that which we are ‘replacing’. And so the stuff grows, like some monster-infestation that starts taking over our home.
I have moved many times in my life, and each time is an excellent opportunity to get rid of unwanted or unused stuff. Even if you’re going nowhere, it’s good to begin a regimen that will put you in contact with closets and drawers you haven’t visited in a while.
Why is this important?
Well, because it is. It’s a VERY nice way of simplifying your life. Making things easier to find and used more often. And giving things away (notice I didn’t say hold a garage sale and make people pay for it) will make you feel so much better. And nicer.
Because this post is dedicated to the EASY ways to downsize your home. Baby steps. So you don’t notice so much is gone or missing. (BTW, you won’t notice at all). 😉
Two years ago, I did a re-organization of my second bedroom where I house ALL (well, mostly all) of my knitting stuff. It. Was. The. Biggest. Mess. You’ve. Ever. Seen. Check it out right here.
In the meantime, here are 5 Baby Steps to Downsizing at Home:
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Start with a drawer in the kitchen.
No kidding. Just one little drawer. You may want to look into that perennial “junk-drawer” we all have; that’s a most excellent place to start. Then, empty it all out and throw things away. You’ll most likely find there things that you saved for God knows what reason and have no reason to save it any longer. So, OUT it goes.
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Look at your hobby stuff.
For me, this is an easy one. I end up with tons of yarn over time, because when I buy yarn I always buy a little more than I need, just in case! Well, THAT yarn never gets used and while it’s nice to think I’ll make a patchwork afghan one of these days, I’ve got too many other projects on the front burners rights now to worry about it.
So, take your hobby drawers or closets and empty them all out. Then decide what stays and what goes. Most every town has a thrift shop; pile everything into sturdy bags and take it on over.
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Clean out ONE closet at a time.
If you have a spare hour on a rainy Saturday afternoon, here’s what to do: empty out ONE of your bedroom closets. You might want to start by making piles of things you will keep and things that will go. One of the rules I’ve been hearing lately is if you have clothes that you have NOT worn in the last year, it’s time to say goodbye.
Now, I have to say, I personally don’t follow this rule. But, we often forget all the stuff we have in closets, especially walk-ins, and over time clothes start piling up. You WILL find items to throw away, that’s a guarantee! -
Take a look at your furniture.
Walk through your home and give a good hard look to furniture that’s sitting in those rooms. Did you take in an old rocker when your Mom didn’t want it anymore? Or those junky plastic bins seem to serve no purpose any longer? Or perhaps a friend gave you a table you’ve never particularly cared for or you’ve been holding onto an old stereo “just because.” Time to part company!
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Organize your mind.
This one has been my favorite this summer. In addition to my freelance writing, babysitting, knitting, reading, and keeping house, I’m in the process of coming to the point (this autumn) of writing my first mystery novel. (!) I’m excited; but it takes some re-organization. In your home and in your mind.
So in order to do this, I’ve been reading. Lots of free Kindle Unlimited books, other books for my Kindle and purchasing a few writing books which I’ve been going through. Stuff like Story Engineering by Larry Brooks and other GREAT books all about how to write your novel. There is SO MUCH out there that even here you can get bogged down. Keeping my goal in perspective, I’m putting aside other things for these more important things.
In other words, pare down the things you think about every day and leave all the rest to the winds of time!
These 5 areas will get you started nicely when it comes to getting rid of unwanted items. You will be amazed at how quickly and easily this can go; it will put you in mind to conquer more, in time.
But, for now, give yourself a big pat on the back!
It’s essential to keep a clean, well-organized home, especially with a growing family or pets. You do want to know where everything is, from your car keys to those important school papers your kids need next month.
So, try it! One of these 5 baby steps to downsizing at home. It’ll surprise you!
Just another way to
“Homekeeping Inspirations for Knitting Your Best Life!”
