Theme of the month: Unclutter...

Living on the East Coast, all of this snow this winter has left me with a little extra free time thanks to the wonderful miracle of snow days and such. As a result, my new favorite show is Hoarders on A&E. Now if you know anything about me, I am not the domestic diva I aspire to be and I have a bit of a pack rat streak. Frankly, like so many of us, I have been just plumb unmotivated to do much when I come home from work than to have dinner and go to bed. But after the fifth time of tripping over a box of only God knows what, you really decide that enough it enough.

A little history: In October of 1998 (yes, it's that deep) I separated from the US Air Force after 4 years of service. When I left back in 1994, I carried with me a suitcase or two and the clothes on my back. Upon TMO's delivery of my things were several large boxes of everything I owned, a number of boxes with my electronics and an entertainment center that I bought from a captain in San Antonio for 20 bucks. It was several months before my bedroom, a converted attic space, was in livable condition. In the meantime, I occupied myself with school and a social life. Looking back, I totally missed that crucial tome to really get settled into my new environment.

Fast forward 12 years, 3 colleges and 2 careers later and that once empty bedroom is now bursting at the seams. Not only is it a place for sleeping, eating, studying, exercise, entertaining, meetings, praying, etc. Enough already! As you can see I have too much going on in one space. Now wonder I am not sleeping. Unfortunately, there isn't much I can do about that until I move and get my own place but I can do something about the clutter. Here are 4 steps that will help me to achieve a beautiful clean space:

1. Remove/remodel - reconfigure furniture in a way that takes the best advantage of the space. My sister and I spent a day just moving the furniture. I also moved my book case out of my bedroom and into my hallway where it is now neat, organized and out of the living space. As I don't take books from there everyday,I don't need it in the space. I also move the dresser and chest right next to my closet to create a dressing area. This will make dressing so much quicker.
2. Get it off the floor - Everything, is placed in a box. I brought some discarded boxes from the office home as well as bought some letter boxes from the store. The cardboard boxes represent something terrible therefore I know the things can't stay in them. Hang it up, place it in a drawer, put it on a shelf, throw it int he hamper, place it in a box or throw it in the trash. Everything in its place, a place for everything. Once everything is off the floor you can see what you are working with.
3. Purge - This is perhaps the hardest part! Make sure you prepare for it and go one room, one box at a time. Also, make sure you have plenty of trash bags, markers and organizing containers/cabinets and a shredder. Start with the smallest spaces first. Clean out the medicine cabinets, closets, drawers. Keep a notepad to write down things that you will need to replace. Clothes are hard, I know. If its ripped, stained, won't fit, or not your tastes anymore - get rid of it! If clothing is in good condition consider giving it away to friends and family who may want it or to charity. Recycle where you can. If you have a hard time parting with an outfit then (space permitting) place it in a container for one year only. After that year, give it away. Shred old bills/receipts that you no longer need to keep. Recycle and shred junk mail. Recycle old magazines or give them away to offices. Do not go to the next item until every thing is put in it's appropriate place. If it a big project then commit to an hour a day or tackle one room at a time.
4. Maintain - this is perhaps the most important part. Life can sure get busy but to avoid all of our hard work being in vain we must be consistent. Place things back where you got them from. Schedule a couple days a way just for household chores. Like anything else, make it a habit.
   

I hope this helps and I will certainly let you all know how my project progress. Here's to a cleaner and clutter-free life.

P.S. So why is Hoarders my new favorite show? Because it reminds of the importance of learning to let go. Every episode I see teaches me about cleanliness, consistency, and the need to allow God to be what fulfills me rather than my things. Plus I praise God that my clutter problem is not that bad and I vow to do something about it.

Keisha