Declutter

Ditch the Prints – Digital Photos are More Fun!

October 5, 2009 18 Comments

To be honest, I’ve never really enjoyed spending hours looking through someone else’s family photo albums—and I get the feeling I’m not the only one! On the other hand, receiving a snapshot by email always makes me smile. :-)

I stopped printing digital photos many years ago, and I recently paid a service to scan my shoeboxes of old pictures. Not only has this eliminated a lot of clutter from my life, but I actually look at my photos much more often. I can access them more easily, and more quickly, now that they’re on my laptop. If on a whim I want to view pics of my trip to Paris, the office Christmas party, or even my high school prom, they’re right there at my fingertips; if I had to dig through a closet or shoebox to find them, I likely wouldn’t bother.… {Read more}

Ebay Reality Check – The True Value of Your Treasures

September 30, 2009 10 Comments

Are you holding onto certain items because they might be “worth something?” If so, it’s time to take the Ebay Reality Check. Just about everything imaginable has been sold on Ebay.com—which makes it a great reference with which to value your items.

Unless you are dealing with some true rarities, why pay for an expensive appraisal when you have all that Ebay info at your fingertips? Chances are, if you want to sell an item, that’s where you’ll end up; and no matter what valuation an appraiser gives it, you can only sell it for what someone is willing to pay.… {Read more}

Minimizing Magazines

September 25, 2009 9 Comments

The Internet is such a wonderful source of information, that I no longer feel the need to subscribe to any magazines. In fact, many publications make the same content available on their websites, rendering paper copies largely unnecessary.

That said, I know many people prefer to kick back with their favorite glossy rather than stare at a computer screen. Fair enough! As long as you keep current with your incoming subscriptions, you can keep magazine clutter under control. Commit to reading each one the month it arrives. When the new one appears in your mailbox, out goes the old!

If you have a backlog of unread issues, limit the number of publications to which you subscribe.… {Read more}

Goodbye, Stuff

September 22, 2009 20 Comments

Dear Stuff,

I’m not sure how to break this to you…but the time has come for us to part ways. Sure, we have a long history, but we simply can’t go on pretending that we’re still happy together.

It seems that after all these years, our relationship has lost its spark. I recall the magic of when we first met: how your shiny newness caught my eye, how I vowed to have you at any price, how excited I was to bring you home.

It didn’t take long, however, for the novelty to wear away. Maybe it was the thrill of the hunt, but once you were mine, you no longer seemed quite so attractive.… {Read more}

I Have Freebie Phobia

September 21, 2009 16 Comments

I recently received a free George Foreman grill for opening a bank account. I had absolutely no use or desire for one; but the bank manager presented it to me with such flourish, it seemed downright rude to refuse it.

No problem, I thought—I’ll simply accept it, then turn around and give it away. Easier said than done: it took me three weeks to find a taker, as almost everyone to whom I offered it already had one. (Note to self: next time try Freecycle.)

Since then, I’ve become much more aware of the “freebies” that come into my life…and I’m much less likely to accept them.… {Read more}

One-A-Day Keeps the Clutter Away

September 18, 2009 30 Comments

I don’t always have the time (or inclination) to set aside a few hours for decluttering. At the same time, I like to feel that I’m making progress in ridding my home of useless things.

My solution: the One-A-Day Declutter. It’s super-easy, super-fast, and most importantly, keeps me going in the right direction.

Every day, I commit to purging ONE item from my house. It can be anything—a worn-out pair of socks, a book I’ll never read again, a gift I could live without, a shirt that doesn’t fit, an old magazine article, etc. It doesn’t take much effort, and at the end of the year, my home is at least 365 items lighter.… {Read more}