Clear the Clutter

My rule for keeping my home in order is:

“If it isn’t beautiful, sentimental, useful or doesn’t bring me joy, get rid of it.”

I am a person who cannot stand clutter. It gives me the feeling of being trapped and claustrophobic, not to mention all the extra cleaning time that it causes. It makes me crazy to have to look everywhere for a receipt or a book, etc. Looking for things is just not how I want to spend my time. I honestly can’t think as clearly when surrounded by useless clutter. My creativity is stifled, and I feel somehow out of tune when my house is in chaos.

But I have a sense of serenity and control when my surroundings are neat. The simple act of getting things in order, as mundane as it may seem, can be a relaxing, peaceful activity, probably because I know how much better I will feel when it is done!

To keep things orderly, I go through my house every three or four months and get rid of anything that does not meet my requirements. If it isn’t beautiful, sentimental, useful, or bring me joy, out it goes. When there are things that I am not sure about, they go to the attic for a while. If I don’t miss them, they get the boot the next time I clean the attic!

I understand that some people are simply born packrats. I know that their need to hold on to things is just as strong as my need to get rid of them. But I really believe that my requirements for what to keep cover everything that a person could possibly need.

Another plus is that I get the good, positive feeling that comes along with donating things to someone who needs them because I never throw away things that I think could be useful to another person. There are many organizations that will come and pick up the items, as well as charitable groups that I can deliver them to. Salvation Army, ARC, and Goodwill will pick up useable items such as clothing, household items, furniture, and appliances, and many churches have clothes closets for folks in need. I try to make sure that nothing goes to waste.