Since my love for all things simple began, I’ve tried to keep in mind this mantra: ‘Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful’, which is attributed to William Morris (writer, designer and socialist from the 1800s).
It’s a handy thing to repeat to yourself when you’re just about to start spring cleaning, or are faced with a roomful of toys that need a serious sorting out, or if the contents of your attic is threatening to fall through the ceiling.
I can’t get enough of decluttering…I follow blogs, I’ve read books, I watch shows…heck, I’ve even started writing about it but, when it all boils down, all you need are those wise words.
And three boxes and a rubbish bag.
Label those boxes ‘Keep’, ‘Consider’ and ‘Give Away’. And then just start. Start with a drawer. Or the easiest room. Or dive right in and tackle the attic if you’re feeling brave and you’ve got a few hours (days) to spare. If you want it (and it’s beautiful or useful, or both), but it needs a new home, it’s a ‘Keep’. If you really can’t make up your mind, it’s for the ‘Consider’ box. If you no longer love or want it and it’s in good condition, put it in the ‘Give Away’ box. If it’s trash, well, you know what to do.
When your ‘Give Away’ box is full, you could donate it to charity, or to others you know who might appreciate it. Or you could put the things on gumtree or freecycle – or ebay if you want to make some cash. Or hang on to it and have a boot sale after you’ve done some more decluttering, but only if you promise to do it soon!
Tape your ‘Consider’ box shut, label it with the date and leave it somewhere for six months. If you haven’t needed or wanted to open the box in that time, get rid of it without opening it – you won’t miss it.
As for your ‘Keep’ box, if the stuff in there has a home elsewhere in your house, then put it away. And that brings me to another of my favourite sayings: ‘A place for everything, and everything in its place’.
More on that another time.
Do Not Touch The Lobsters 