You Don’t Have to Move to Declutter

A client recently engaged me to help her “declutter“. My reaction was “declutter what?”  Her home was immaculate – everything in its place and nothing seemingly jammed into where it shouldn’t be – so what needed to be done?

Two days, 29 boxes and 5 bags later we are finished – and Doreen is delighted. Not only has she reclaimed cupboard space in her kitchen, but she can now reach everything she regularly uses. Her linen closet is organized and she can easily see what toiletry supplies she owns. Items on closet shelves are now nicely spaced instead of jammed together allowing her to easily retrieve anything she wants to use.

What was removed?  Spices long since expired; utensils, dishes and cooking appliances no longer used; pieces of paper, e.g., receipts, bills, and magazines, no longer relevant; books long since read; linens, toiletries and Christmas items no longer wanted. In general, we removed all the “stuff” that has accumulated over time because we rarely take the time to go through and discard it.

Where did the items go?  Most went to very grateful charities that desperately needed what Doreen no longer required, while the rest went to recycling and garbage.

What did we learn? You don’t have to be moving to declutter. Take the time to declutter on a regular basis so that you can enjoy space you forgot you had, and the task won’t seem nearly as daunting.