The War On Clutter – Spring Clear-Out

It can be hard to throw things away. All too often, we overestimate the value of our belongings – based on how long we’ve had it, how much we paid for it, and specific memories associated with it. But as time goes on, even the most useful items wear out or become outdated, and changing priorities make yesterday’s treasures into today’s trash.

Setting aside a day every six months or so to clear out your old items can help keep your accumulation under control. On this day, tackle the worst spots in your house – the junk drawer, the back of your closet, any place where you find things gathering dust.

Luckily, a spring clear-out day is also an excellent time to reorganize. As you empty a drawer or closet, sort the contents by how often you use them. Make a pile for things you use every week, another for things you use every month, a small one for things you use every year, and a pile for things you haven’t touched in more than a year.

Then, you can start organizing your piles into drawer sorters and removing or relocating the objects that just don’t fit. Then, when you put your drawer sorters back into your drawer, you can put the most-infrequently-used items in the back, where they won’t get in the way of the things you use regularly.

If you have trouble letting go, picture the benefits – you’ll save time when you go to your closet every morning, you’ll save money when you find the glue in the drawer instead of rushing out to buy some, you’ll save your sanity by having an organized home.

Once you’ve amassed the full pile of old clothes and other items, you can pull out things to sell, donate to charity, or throw away. Clear-out day is also a great day to check clocks, smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, furnace filters, and other items that need to be replaced seasonally.

What’s your best clear-out story?