I was pleased to be a guest on CBC Radio’s BC Today on January 3. We talked about decluttering tips for the new year and the new decade. You can listen to the podcast episode on Apple Podcasts and Google Podcasts. My section starts at the 26-minute mark.
How to Start
Ask a friend to help you declutter. Choose your friend wisely. It should be someone who will challenge you to get rid of things you really don’t need, yet understand and empathize when you really want to keep certain things.
Start with rooms you use the most such as the kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, living areas. This will have the most impact on your day-to-day life. Begin with smaller spaces within those rooms. Declutter one drawer or cupboard at a time.
Take a persistent and consistent approach. Working for 15 minutes a day can have a significant impact over the course of a week, and this will motivate you to increments of 30 minutes or more. To avoid distractions when decluttering, pick an area to work on and set a timer. Stay focused on that space until the alarm sounds (your audible signal that you have completed the time you set out to do).
Use the C.L.E.A.R. method for organizing: Categorize, Limit, Evaluate, Allocate, Remove.
Coping with Challenges
The most challenging items to declutter are memorabilia and photographs because they hold a lot of emotion and reflect family history. If you have the space, keep the items. Digitizing photographs, videos, and documents is also an option.
Other family members may not be as interested in decluttering, so start with your own space first. Create a clutter free zone to become your haven and put some rules into place so this area does not become cluttered again.
As your parents and elders age, have them hand pick items to give away to people and include the story behind these items to indicate its significance. It may help to avoid things that have no significance being loaded into a dumpster when they pass away.
Older family members may have boxes and boxes of photos. Have them put names to the faces in the photos. Otherwise no one will know who the people are and the story behind them.
We hope these decluttering tips for the new year help you maintain your resolutions. Remember, for success, start small and be persistent and consistent. If you need help, feel free to contact the Out Of Chaos team.
