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10 Tips for Getting Rid of Excess Clutter
by Holly Tashian
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Deal with your clothes. Clean out closets and
dressers. Sell, consign,
give away or toss anything that you no longer love or that no longer
fits
you. If it’s beyond repair, out of style, unflattering, or useless
(like
one sock only), then let it go.
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Clear out your attic and cellar clutter. Let go of
those old love
letters, broken chairs, 10 year old tax records, old baby clothes,
moldy
rugs, useless tools, old towels and sheets, extra blankets, anything
you
no longer need. If you haven’t used it for the past 2 years, chances
are
you don’t need it, and perhaps someone else could make use of it.
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Address the kitchen clutter. Remove everything from
your kitchen
counters that is not essential for every day cooking (blenders, mixers,
jars of dried beans, rice, flour, etc.). These items should be stored
in
cupboards. Clean out the food storage areas and refrigerator to make
sure
nothing is expired, moldy or rotten. Clean out under the kitchen sink.
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Organize your desk & office area. Keep your desk
cleared off
at the end of each work day. Create active files for all paperwork.
Eliminate
paper clutter by keeping one notebook for all notes, rather than
post-its.
Keep your Rolodex current. Handle mail once – toss catalogues that
aren’t
essential.
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Recycle paper clutter. Magazines, junk mail and
newspapers should
be tossed out weekly. Books – especially paperbacks that you’ve read
can
be donated to the library. Keep only books that are essential and
irreplaceable.
Old textbooks, paperback classics, children’s books (when your children
are grown) can be given away to book fairs, garage sales, libraries and
friends.
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Clear away garage clutter. Broken items, scraps of
wood, rusty tools,
parts of appliances, electrical equipment that no longer works are all
candidates for the recycle bin, trash bin or Goodwill. Fix it, use it
or
let it go.
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Put consciousness into bathrooms. Clean out medicine
cabinets often.
Keep a minimum of towels out. Make sure the linen closet is up to date
and neat. Toss out any "dead soldiers" (empty shampoo, hairspray, and
cologne
bottles stored on the shelves). Keep magazines to a minimum of 1 or 2.
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Stop clutter at the front door. Only buy what you
need and have
a predestined place for. Stop going to garage sales, throw out junk
mail
before it settles on the kitchen table. Accept other people’s stuff
only
if you really need it. If you acquire a new piece of furniture, let go
of a piece of furniture that someone else can use. Recycle cans,
bottles,
papers, and plastic at least monthly.
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Clean out your car. Since most of us spend
considerable time in
motor vehicles, it is wise to apply these guidelines to the car, RV or
truck.
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Ask yourself these questions:
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Do I love it?
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Do I need it?
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Is it essential?
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Does it enhance my life?
Then: Sort your things into 3 piles – (boxes)
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Yes – I love it and I need it, it works and it’s useful
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No – Someone else can have it
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No – Toss it out
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