A. Talk about KonMari, and share an inspiring YouTube channel from a kindred spirit.
B. And tell you my simple process that's worked for me before.
Have you heard of the KonMari decluttering method, invented by Marie Kondo? I've heard. My darling daughter read her book. I just can't do it. Nope. I just cannot read yet another "how to" book. I also know myself well enough to know I WILL NOT follow her fairly strict method.
I KNOW I'm tired of too much stuff, too much clutter, too much mental weight. Yep, that's what clutter is...mental weight. I'm not procrastinating by reading another miracle method. (I'll find something more entertaining to distract me.)
I do need inspiration...as long as it's quick, easy, and relevant. I stumbled on this YouTube channel. Rachael is a hoarder, non cleaner, collector, & project-a-holic like me. She's a kindred spirit. It's refreshing to see somebody working on decluttering who isn't already a minimalist with a Pinterest perfect house. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBI1BZxzfpw
D. The most successful deep cleaning, decluttering thing I've ever done is this:
1. Get a garbage can with a new bag, and more bags next to it if it's a big job.
2. Set up a box marked for donations, and have packing tape & a sharpie next to it.
3. Set up a box(es) marked "other rooms".
4. Set up a box marked (whatever room you're working in...kitchen, bathroom, etc.)
5. Use a timer...kitchen timer, or phone timer...something that makes noise at the end of 10 minutes.
Set up your garbage, donate, other rooms, and this room boxes near the door of the room you want to work on. Stand in the doorway to that room. Set the timer for 10 minutes. Bend down and pick up an item. Do you USE it, do you NEED it, do you WANT it, can you live without it? Decide quickly...no lingering, no overthinking, no giving it energy or sparking joy or saying thank you. Put it in one of the 4 choices...garbage, donate, other room, this room.
At the end of 10 minutes, take a 10 minute break, then start again for 10 more minutes. Focusing for 10 minutes then taking a break helps me work faster, and keeps me from bogging down. I'm able to make clearer, quicker decisions if I subconsciously know it won't be a long drawn out battle without a break.
When one or more of the receptacles is full take it to the appropriate place. The donate box immediately gets taped up and put in the car. Garbage goes out to the garbage can, dumpster, or wherever you put garbage. Other room boxes go to whatever rooms they belong in, and the "this room" box items get put away in this room, if you're able to do so. If the room is still too messy to put things away leave that box right outside the door for now and keep going.
When you get to the next room, there will probably already be a box of stuff that came from elsewhere. Set it outside the door and leave it until it's time to put things away. If you can put things away in the room you're working in instead of having a "this room" box do so. It will save a you time and steps later.
See, simple and it didn't take a whole book. It does, however take practice. The more you do it, the easier it is to let go of things. Yes, you'll probably have to do it in each room more than once. I typically find I have to do it at least twice. Once initially, and once again when I find there aren't enough homes for all the stuff when things are being put away out of the boxes.
Of course, I don't have all the answers or I wouldn't be doing another blog post on wrestling with the mess. It's a process.
I've already conquered several areas, including my closet. Some day I'll post the after pictures. It went from beastly to boutique! Here's a teaser...
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