moving, I really needed this and it saved money also
By savypat
@savypat (20216)
United States
February 9, 2009 10:43am CST
How to De clutter an Entire Room in One Go
Posted: 09 Feb 2009 05:17 AM PST
Post written by Leo Babauta. Follow me on Twitter.
My family is moving to another house this coming weekend, and to prepare for the move, we’re going through the entire house and getting rid of stuff we don’t need.
The new house has much less storage, which I’ve decided is a blessing: it means we have to cut things down to the essentials. I’m pretty good at keeping things simple, but things tend to accumulate over time (especially in the kids’ rooms!).
Moving day, btw, is a wonderful time to declutter. I often advocate decluttering in small steps, but sometimes it can be fun to do an entire room at once.
So here’s the method we’re using to declutter each room, one room at a time:
1. Clear a working space, probably in the middle. We’re using our beds in the bedrooms.
2. Start on one side of the room and work to the other.
3. Do one drawer or shelf or spot on the floor at a time.
4. Pull everything out of the drawer or shelf (or section of floor or what have you), and pile it in the working space. Clean out the drawer or shelf.
5. Sort the pile into two piles: 1) what you use regularly and love, and 2) what you’re going to get rid of. Pick up one item at a time and make an instant decision — when was the last time you used this? If you haven’t used it in a few months (6 months at the longest), get rid of it. This excludes seasonal stuff like winter jackets or what have you.
6. When you’ve sorted through the pile, put back the stuff you love and use, neatly. Put the other pile into a box to be donated or recycled or given to friends and family.
7. Move on to the next drawer or shelf or section of floor. Repeat the process until you’ve worked your way across the entire room. Do the same thing with closets: one section at a time.
Working like this, we were able to do each room in a couple hours. If it’s really cluttered, it could take 3-5 hours. Set aside some time on the weekend to do a room.
It feels amazing when you’re done.
Now sit back and enjoy the simplicity. This is a wonderful article, Can it help you?
4 responses
@jakill (835)
•
10 Feb 09
It was nearly two years ago that we decided to try to move. (Unfortunately we're still here because the house hasn't sold - credit crunch and all that. Sighs wistfully). I decluttered the office first. It took about a month and ten black sacks of shredded paper. Then we got a skip and did the garage on one weekend. I'd been storing my old cooker and washing machine and stuff belonging to my son in there, for when he gets more than a room to rent. Most of that went so he lost his chances of that. We went through other rooms too and packed several boxes which are now cluttering up the guest bedroom. It felt great at the time, but clutter has such a way of creeping back.
I'm still hoping to move to my dream house by the sea before too long. Best wishes for your move.
1 person likes this
@Opal26 (17679)
• United States
10 Feb 09
Hi pat! I did this when I had my apartment painted and this
is kind of the way that I did it and it did work! I cleaned
out a room drawer by drawer first throwing things out. And
then I did the same thing with the closets! It took me alot
longer than 5 hours though! I had 28 years of stuff to clean
out! When I finished it felt much better! I had gotten rid of
stuff that had been around that needed to be gotten rid of
for a very long time! It was a difficult job, but I was happy
with the end result!
1 person likes this
@snowcat46 (2322)
• United States
9 Feb 09
I get rid of things regularly, doing things this way. I usually have to do it every month, since auctions tend to make you accumulate things. My biggest problems deal with paper. (Wow, bet you never thought that could be. lol) I collect articles and writings and books and... Those are the hardest things to part with for me. I might get rid of something, but it usually gets replaced with 10 others. Paper, paper, whatever would I do without you? Sigh.
1 person likes this