Operation Home Base.

You deserve to have a practical manageable space where you care for your family, attend to finances, entertain for holidays, plan vacations and prepare meals. It’s Mission Control and you’re at the helm. This is where you are at your best, so shouldn’t it be in its best form? How can you possibly get all you need accomplished if it’s chaotic?

You can’t. So it’s critical to make your home work around you and your habits. Yes, it takes a LOT of effort and time to set up but minimal maintenance once you’re there. Trust me. I’ve been doing it for years. Besides, doesn’t the idea of a home with natural flow that promotes your best work sound like utopia?

Then it’s time to CRUSH YOUR CLUTTER for good.

And as it turns out, clutter is bad for your wallet and bad for your well-being. Your wallet because you it encourages waste. Either in the form of spoilage or redundancy. How many unopened bottles of Balsamic Vinegar dressing do you need on hand before you realize your pantry needs some organization?

Your well-being because it’s energy zapping to do things repeatedly and frustrating when you’re surrounded by disorder. How much faster could you get dressed (for any occasion) if your closet were streamlined to only clothes that fit and are organized by season and color?

Don’t know where to start because all you see is clutter and tons of work needed to clear it? You’re probably right. It will be a lot of work. And frustration. And at times, painful. But what if I told you it would be so rewarding AND only had to be done once?

I fly through so much now – getting dressed, finding a gift, sorting mail, locating paperwork. I promise you can too with these 8 steps.

1. ASSESS YOUR CURRENT SITUATION

Look at your clutter. Really look at it. Is it truly insurmountable? It’s probably not quite as bad as you thought. It may be that you’ve just been staring at it so long, feeling stress each time you pass over it that it’s now your Everest. Then again, it may have become a mainstay of your life and you don’t realize the underlying stress it’s causing you.

Take pictures, take notes, feel despair, feel overwhelmed and then realize that it doesn’t have to be that way. You’re going to be free of the clutter soon enough by conquering it all on your own. And that will be liberating.

2. ACCEPT THAT YOUR CURRENT METHOD ISN’T WORKING

If you were content with the disorganization and general untidiness, chances are you wouldn’t be looking for solutions. So I’m guessing your current method is not working for you. Or at the very least, it could use some tweaking.

How many times are you going to curse the shoe pile that you have to step over to get through the front door or the expired coupons & takeout menus that you have to sort through to find the Back to School Night flyer you need?

The clutter is not only an eyesore; it’s wasting your time, chipping away at your sanity and is very likely costing you money.

3. EMBRACE THE CHANGE

Be excited that you’re tackling a long overdue problem that is affecting your time, sanity and energy. If you do it right, you only have to do it once. We already know the current method is not working, so embrace that you’re adopting a new method and things will change for the better once and for all.

And I promise, it will feel SOOOO good when it’s done. You’ll feel enthused and motivated to keep it in tip-top shape, especially after some post declutter soul-searching.

4. COMMIT TO A SCHEDULE

Look at your clutter. In order to clear the clutter, it’s going to require focus. It could be small periods of time, an area at a time or the whole project in one fell swoop. Consider what will work for you that you can commit to. I’d recommend some process that allows you to see gradual progress that will keep you involved and help drive the project to completion.

5. PREPARE YOUR STRATEGY

Consider these criteria when handling each item and determining its future in your home. Both of these throw the appropriate perspective on the value of our things.

• What if you lost everything in a fire or natural disaster? What would you have to replace?
• What if something happened to you and your loved ones had to go through all of your belongings? What can you actually do without?

Expect some resistance from your family. Consider where you will donate your gently used items.

You’ll need boxes, baskets, trash bags, perhaps a camera to photograph those items you want to sell, a labeler to organize those items you keep. Maybe new supplies such as wooden hangers for heavier clothing items, under the bed storage boxes, dry food storage containers, whatever you know needs to be replaced or added to your new system.

Note – Just make a list of needed items at this time because it will be revised while you purge and rearrange. You may think you need more hangers but then you clear out a drawer and realize it can house all your neatly folded t-shirts thereby freeing up closet space and hangers. Once the clutter is cleared, you can go shopping with your list.

6. START SMALL

Everything looks daunting at first, so start with the smallest closet in your home, like a linen or hall closet. Or if that’s too overwhelming, start with your junk drawer. Likely this will be a challenge but result in fruitful gain.

As you make progress, the next project will feel less challenging. It’s even possible you’ll feel empowered and build momentum. It’s also very helpful to take before and after pictures. The transformation is very rewarding. You can post on my Instagram page @CactusDiariesBlog. I’d love to see your photos!

7. A PLACE FOR EVERYTHING AND EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE

This is the secret to making it work. If you skip this step, you’ll be engaging in this exercise constantly.

Start by removing everything. Clean the space i.e vacuum debris, reline with new drawer liners, add scented sachet. Then consider every item and apply these guidelines.

1. Set aside anything that belongs elsewhere (ie borrowed, in the wrong room, return to merchant)
2. Trash broken or incomplete items
3. The item has to have a purpose -or- bring you joy*

* Be weary of the joy question. Don’t use it as an excuse to keep everything. Bringing you joy is not the same thing as feeling guilt for throwing it out or paying a lot for it. If it doesn’t bring you joy or doesn’t have purpose, it has to go. 

8. FOLLOW THROUGH WITH DISCARDED ITEMS

Throw, donate, sell, return anything you’re not keeping. Some great suggestions are:

• Relocate items – Deliver to rightful place in home immediately
• Return items – Rightful owner, merchant for credit, library/school. Schedule items return on your calendar. Package and put in car.
• Selling items – Mercari, eBay, Amazon Seller, Facebook Marketplace. Schedule items sale on your calendar. Collect and store in Command Center or office.
• Donation – Goodwill, local shelters, churches, schools, senior homes, pet clinics. Schedule items drop off on your calendar. Package and put in car.

Offer to others –

• Magazines or other useful reading material for doctor’s office (or any waiting room) drop off. Package and put in car. Note in any appointments if items need to be dropped off before/after appointment.
• Puzzles, books and games to senior homes, schools or churches. Set reminder to research options. Package and put in car.
• Clean bedding, towels and blankets (any condition) to animal shelters and hospitals. They are SO grateful to receive these items. Set reminder to research. Package and put in car.
• Durable goods to those you know in need. This doesn’t mean give away crap in order to avoid throwing it away. But if you have an older version of a tablet, would your teenage nephew like it? A recent college graduate moving out may want your second hand luggage set. Set a reminder to offer to intended recipient.

As you can see, the added step of putting things in your car, makes it a priority.. When it sits in your home, it loses its urgency. If it’s in your car (aka in your eyeline), it’s easier to follow through and complete the final step.

9. RESET YOUR BEHAVIOR FOR SUCCESS

Now that you have your space decluttered, breathe a sigh of relief. Feel the reward of your efforts and look at the results. You’ve done a lot and let the endorphins flow!

Now consider the time it took. The labor that was spent. The volume that was removed. The resources that were wasted. Do you really want to repeat that?

So looking back, what behavior needs to stop or change to keep your newfound order? How can you stop the flow of clutter entering your life? One tactic is to consider an item’s new home prior to purchase. Where will it go? What will it replace? Is it necessary or just an impulse buy?How are you going to get the needed support and commitment from other household members to maintain a clutter-free space?

Celebrate your new decluttered space. What was recently a fantasy is now a reality. Enjoy it and being in control of your environment again!

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