Clutter comes in many forms. There’s the stuff already in your home and then there’s the stuff knocking on the door, begging to be let in. What’s a gal to do?
Here are 3 of the top culprits and some tips to just say “no!”
Giveaways
You know what I’m talking about. That free lip balm or coffee mug being given away at a fair or concert. If you don’t really want, love or need it, just smile and walk on by.
“But, hey, it’s free!” you say. Is it really? If you don’t really want or need it, it will just take up valuable space in your home. So don’t let it in.
SHOPPING
I recently worked with a client who had a closet full of clothes and nearly 50% of them still had the tags on them. And many of them had been purchased more than a year ago! What?! If you have impulse control when shopping, whether it’s for clothes, kitchen gadgets, etc., ask yourself “Do I REALLY need this?” “Do I REALLY love this?” “Where will I put this if I buy it?” If the answer is “no” or “I don’t know,” put it back and keep walking.
“But it’s on sale!” you say. Stop bargain hunting. Stop it now. Buy what you need when you need it. Just because it’s on sale, doesn’t mean you need to take it home with you.
Curbing the shopping impulse saves you time and money. The less you buy, the more you save. The less you have the less you have to store and clean.
GIFTS
This is a tough one for almost everyone. It can be difficult to let go of something when you know the gift giver spent time to shop for and wrap something just for you. But, and this is important, once you’ve thanked your friend or loved one for the gift, you’ve fulfilled your obligation. You do not have to store and care for that gift forever. In fact, if it’s something you don’t like or doesn’t suit your taste, you’ll start to feel resentment towards the item. You’d better believe your friend or family member would not want to be responsible for such feelings. Don’t make a big deal about it…just quietly donate it knowing someone else will appreciate it. And if you think about it, most people won’t notice if a gift they gave you is not on display.
So what do you do when clutter comes a knockin’? That’s right…slam the door in its face!