Clutter Free For the Rest of Your Life

Is it really possible to be clutter free for the rest of your life?  Forever?  Yes, it is possible with a few simple steps it is possible for you.  Here's the plan:

1)  Stop of flow of new items into the home

• Every purchase is well thought out and planned.
• Have your kids make Christmas and birthday gift list ideas. Instead of always saying no you can encourage them to add it to one of their lists.
• Suggest non-toy items for gifts.  Gift cards or memberships are great because they encourage family experiences.  Time together is always better than more stuff!
• Make a 30 day purchase list.  Put it on the list and evaluate the items after 30 days.  This helps with impulse and emotional buying decisions.
• Say no when people offer you free items.  Unless you REALLY need it.  Nothing is free and it just may add to the clutter you are looking to be rid of.
• If at all possible limit buying clothes to a few months out of the year.  I once saw a suggestion of purchasing in May and August.  In May you buy next size winter clearance and fill in any spring or summer stuff you need.  In August buy summer clearance for next year and fill in any fall or winter items you don't have.  

2)  Purge

• Be ruthless when you do this activity.
• Categorize into keep, donate, sell, trash, relocate.
• Is it beautiful or useful? If the answer is no then it does not stay.

3)  Set yourself limits

• Limit the number of hangers in the closet.
• Develop a one in one out mindset.
• Become a family of one (within reason). One hat, winter coat, set of boots, scissors, bike and  swimsuit.  When it wears out then replace it.
• Limit toys!  

4)  Purchase quality over quantity

• Read the reviews on items before you purchase.  I never buy anything under four stars.  By doing this I suffer very little buyer's remorse.
• If its well made you can pass it down through your children.

The number one thing is to limit what is coming into your home.  Start today by really paying attention to new items entering the door.  Go on a spending freeze for one month if you need to. Spring is the perfect time to clean out and become one step closer to being clutter free!

Today's Project: Ten Minute Clothing Clean Out

Spring is almost here!  With that being said we will slowly be getting out our spring and summer clothing.  If you live here in the Midwest don't go packing away your winter gear just yet.  However, right now go to your closet and pull out 10 items you didn't wear over the winter, that don't fit properly or at all and items that you just plain don't like.  Put them in your donate or sell bin.  You have just made room for some of your lighter clothing you will be needing.

We tend to wear the things we really love over and over again.  Get rid of the ho-hum items to make more room for the pieces you love!  Yeah to spring colors, boat shoes and chevron!

Organizing Your Weekly Schedule

We are creatures of habit.  I have a weekly schedule or routine that I follow.  Once in awhile it will vary from week to week but I typically try to stick with it.  My goal is to be home three days per week and out of the house two days.  This may vary if something unusal comes up.  And that's ok!  It's just not every week.  If I'm not home enough then the house is a mess and nothing gets done.  If we are home all week then we go a little stir crazy.  Find your sweet spot and stick with it!

Monday:  Home
Change sheets on all beds
Laundry
Clean kids room, playroom and organize toys

Tuesday:  Out/home (depends on week, may flip flop with Friday)
Doctor appointments (if there are any) OR
Bible study
Playdate

Wednesday: Home
Clean
Clean out refridgerator
Plan next week meals and grocery list

Thursday: Out
Errands

Friday:  Home/Out if there's something special going on
Laundry if needed
Family pizza and games
Date Night two times per month

Saturday:
Groceries in the morning if Thursday didn't work out
Family outing or activity
Movie and popcorn night

Sunday: Family Day
Church and Sunday School
Dates with kids in the afternoon (one time per month per kid)
Family dinner

Once our kids get a little older we will need to add in activities and sports.  However,  we will still limit time going our seperate ways and make family time a priority.  Overall, the idea is to be in control of your calendar and not the other way around.  Don't be so busy that the important things in life pass you right by! 

Client Project: Penny's Pantry

My client who we shall call Penny really wanted to tame her pantry.  Penny loves to cook and especially loves to bake.  However,  with a growing family to feed it was getting difficult to navigate the pantry.  She also wanted to be able to readily see what she already had in there when she went to make her grocery list.  Here's what we did:

1)  We took everything out.  EVERYTHING.
2)  We grouped all the items into categories
New/Unopened
Cereal/Breakfast Items
Snacks
Condiments
Baking
Cooking
Pasta and Rice
Canned goods
Drinks
3)  All expired items were tossed.
4)  All items she would never use were donated to the food bank.
5)  Everything left went back on the shelves within its category.
6)  Heavy and bulky items like drinks went on the floor.
7)  We implementing the system of placing all unopened items on the top shelf or way in back behind its opened counterpart.  This will help to ensure that old stuff gets used up before the new item is opened.

The only other suggestion I made was to place labels on the shelves.  This way the family can get used the new system.  Sometimes it takes a few weeks to remember where everything goes!
Here are the before and after pictures:

Congrats to my client who did such a great job purging and organizing!  It was so much fun to create an organized and useful space for her and her family!  Knowing where everything is saves time and money.  No more purchasing things you already have just because you can't see them. Open that pantry up and purge/organize it today!