Donna Smallin - Unclutter Your Home: 7 Simple Steps, 700 Tips & Ideas

Unclutter
Your
Home

7 Simple Steps
700 Tips & Ideas

Donna Smallin

The mission of Storey Publishing is to serve our customers by publishing practical information that encourages personal independence in harmony with the environment.

Edited by Gwen Steege and Janet Lape

Cover design by Meredith Maker

Cover and interior illustrations by Carleen Powell

Text design and production by Susan Bernier

Ebook version 1.0

October 3, 2014

Copyright 1999 by Donna Smallin

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For Mike, my best friend and traveling companion for life.

With heartfelt gratitude to my friends, colleagues, and family members: Thank you for your wonderful suggestions and true confessions. You gave my brain the jump start it needed to get this book rolling.

To the professional organizers who so readily shared their knowledge and expertise, I wish you continued success and happiness.

For the opportunity to write this book, I thank my lucky stars and my editors and friends at Storey Books for having faith in me.

I got into the habit of saving stuff, because... well, because it was my stuff. As a kid, I never had much in the way of material possessions. So I treasured each new acquisition, whether it was something I bought or something that was given to me. And I saved everything.

Try as I might, I just couldnt bring myself to throw away anything, especially something that was still perfectly good, like the beautiful white linen material I once bought to make a dress. I got as far as cutting out the pattern, but then set it aside for one reason or another. I had every intention of finishing that dress someday. Ten years and three moves later, I finally threw out the whole thing. And you know what? It was a relief to be rid of it.

What I have discovered is that it takes a certain amount of courage to let go of the bits and pieces of our lives that we no longer need. But letting go can set you free in body, mind, and spirit.

Every time I looked at that unfinished dress, it was a reminder of one more thing I needed to do. Even after I put it away in a closet, the feeling of unfinished business would wash over me whenever I happened to catch a glimpse of that white linen fabric.

You might get that same feeling when you look at the piles of stuff on your dining-room table or the mounds of clothes in your bedroom or the helter-skelter state of your basement or garage.

Material possessions demand our attention. They need to be put away, cleaned, maintained, and repaired. And the more possessions we have, the more time we need to spend caring for them. The feeling that you need to do something with your possessions can really sap your energy, leaving you feeling physically tired and emotionally drained.

Life is so much simpler when you have only what you need. Im not suggesting that you get rid of everything you own and take a vow of poverty. But if you can bring yourself to let go of the things you no longer love or use, you will gain more time and energy for living, loving, and celebrating life.

Imagine for a moment what it must be like to have no clutter in your home. Nothing to step over or push aside. No mess. No chaos. Just beautiful, peaceful, serene order all around you.

The difference between clutter and order, chaos and peace is quite simply a choice. A choice that only you can make.

A 19th-century philosopher by the name of Jeremy Bentham proposed that people make either/or decisions by weighing the pain against the pleasure. When you weigh the pain of letting go against the pleasure of living a simpler, more beautiful life, the choice becomes clear. All you need to do then is make a commitment and the rest will take care of itself.

Once your home is ordered, you will feel more satisfied with yourself and at peace with the world. Youll have more time to nurture yourself and the people you share your life with. Time to relax. Time to express yourself through the arts or to pursue a lifelong dream.

Time is a very precious gift so precious that it is only given to us moment by moment.

Amelia Barr

By following the seven simple steps outlined in this book, you can escape the chaos of your cluttered existence and perhaps even begin to accomplish more of what matters most to you.

Following is an overview of the seven steps to unclutter your home:

Step 1: Assess your situation. Its helpful to understand how and why clutter happens and to recognize how its affecting the quality of your life.

Step 2: Plan for success. If you establish the proper attitude, motivation, and environment for changing old habits, you can create lasting change.

Step 3: Lighten your load. Free up space and time by letting go of things you dont love or need or use anymore.

Step 4: Contain yourself. Find a place for everything so you can always put everything in its place.

Step 5: Revamp clutter zones. Minimize clutter by organizing your home and possessions to fit your lifestyle.

Step 6: Simplify with systems. Organize and simplify your life with systems for handling routine chores and tasks.

Step 7: Ban clutter forever. Learn how to maintain your new, clutter-free lifestyle.

This book is full of simple, practical, proven tips for uncluttering your home. Some may be reminders of things you forgot; others may confirm that youve got the right idea. Even exceptionally organized people are sure to find a few gems, including ideas for high-tech uncluttering ways you can use your computer to sell or barter unwanted items, find organizing services and products, minimize paper mess, and more.

If solid happiness we prize,
Within our breast this jewel lies
And they are fools who roam.
The world has nothing to bestow;
From our own selves our joys must flow,
And that dear hut, our home.