It’s lurking behind every door and inside every drawer. It has taken over every flat surface. You battle it, armed with boxes and bags and every idea on pinterest for organization. But, it just keeps getting worse. You get more fierce as the battle rages on. You even arm yourself with a new years resolution. You cage it away in those neat shelving units, or so you thought… but, then you wake up one morning…

and it is back. Bigger and stronger then ever! It is ready and willing to take over your entire house.

It’s clutter.

I used to pretend I had a pet tornado who roamed the house. Every so often I would attempt to cage it while I cleaned. However, I would get nowhere. Sure the stuff might get put away… but, it just kept coming back bigger and stronger. I was trying organize clutter and keep it under control. I still struggle with keeping my house clean, but the difference is NIGHT and DAY compared to what it used to be! The biggest difference is even if the house gets fairly messy it can be straightened in 10 minutes, because I have kept the clutter down and implemented some simple organization.

You can use every tip for organizing out there, but let’s face it you only have so much time, and you can only do so much. Time is too precious to spend it attempting to reign in junk (read: even ‘cool’ things you do not need or use).

 THE WHY

Before you can make any lasting difference there are a few things you need to realize about possessions.

Our treasures are in heaven –

Do not store up fot yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:19-21 

The “where moths and vermin destroy” part was really driven home this past week as I pulled out a box of homemade decorations, photos, and some of my artwork that had gotten wet in storage. Many things were destroyed. We can have lasting treasures in heaven, but if we have ‘treasures’ on earth, they are inconsequential and easily lost.

Chances are you do not need it – Define need. Something necessary for your existence right? That would rule out just about everything you own. I am not saying you should go get rid of everything but a few articles of clothing, your food, and shelter, but I am suggesting you remember the difference between “needs” and “wants”. Of course, there are also “need to’s”. You probably need a knife to be able to do any home cooking. You need cloth diapers in order to cloth diaper. But, you do not need a drawer of dull knives or 40 cloth diapers for one kid in diapers. 

Why do you have so much stuff? – If you struggle with having too much stuff, ask yourself that question. You might be surprised at the answer. In my case I felt like I would be ‘breaking’ some unseen rule or ordinance to get rid of things with a story, or that I was heartless if I got rid of anything with sentimental value. I clung to my stuff, and in the meantime was making myself go a bit batty. 

Everything has a story – The other day we were getting rid of our first dinning room table. “That was the first piece of furniture we bought” I told the guy taking it away. “Doesn’t it have sentimental value?” he asked. Yes, it did. We ate at that table for two years. I made my first loaf of bread on that table and we entertained numerous friends there. I could carry the table with me everywhere I went. From house to house. Clinging to it as a source of memories, or I could not hoard it and consequently bless another family. If I kept everything that had a story, I could get rid of nothing. I’d keep it. Not use it, just keep it. All those story rich possessions would overrun my house. Every where I’d look there would be piles. Piles of memories that owned me more then I owned them. 

Cool points really do not matter – We live in a culture where possessions are linked to status. It’s a rather silly rating system don’t you think? In the grand scheme of things designer clothes, cars, and beautiful furniture really do not matter. It is not wrong to have those things by any means, but it is to wrong to idolize them and/or give them more importance they they are worth.

It is easy to let stuff take control, but you do not have to let it. Remember you keep your home, it does not keep you. 

THE HOW

We know it is important to take control of the clutter, but it can be overwhelming at first.  Here are some hints to help you both deep de-clutter and to keep the clutter down for the long haul.

More organization might not be the answer – So you have stuff laying around everywhere. You google “organizing clothes/craft room/pantry”. There are tons of ideas out there, but they might not be what you need. You might need to pare down what you have, and just organize what is left more efficiently. Simplistic organization without having too much stuff has been the biggest help for me in keeping my home cleaner. 

General rules of decluttering – If you do not need it, get rid of it. If you got it for a project you forgot about, get rid of it. If you have not used it in a year (with some seasonal exceptions) get rid of it. If there is one set of things you feel you can never keep clean, try to cut it down significantly. We were always picking up toys, so we got rid of many many toys.

Deep decluttering – To deep declutter go through EVERYTHING but, focus on one functional space (ex. clothes, craft room, desk, ect. ) at a time. Open every drawer and box and go through it. It is amazing the stuff we have gotten rid of in the last couple weeks, and I work very hard to keep our clutter down. Most of it came from places I did not expect I would be decluttering, like our soap and cosmetics making box and our gift box. That brand new nutcracker we have had in our gift box for a year, but I had not give to anyone because I thought it was stupid had to go. Chances are if you have not used it in the past, there will not be a magical time in the future when you will use it.

Decluttering the kitchen – For the kitchen we emptied all the cabinets and laid everything our so I could really see what all we had. I had four whisks, one of which I used. I do not need three whisks I do not use taking up space in my kitchen drawers! I also discovered many other things I did not need. I have a tiny kitchen, there is no room for unused gadgets! 

For the laundry – Keep a basket in your laundry room of stuff you discover while doing laundry you do not use, or use but do not like, as you are folding the clothes. Most people use 20% of their wardrobe. That means the other 80% can go. I decided I did not need two skirts that could only go with one specific shirt I had.

As you are folding laundry put all the mismatched socks ect. In a basket to go through later. When you know you have made a full cycle with the laundry anything that does not have a match can go bye-bye or be sent to the rag bag (but only if you don’t already have too many rags).

Baby clothes are tiny and it’s easy to accumulate things like socks and onesies. Lay out the clothes and go through them. We try to go for about 8 outfits, plus pajamas and some play clothes.

Craft Room – I struggle with starting projects I do not finish and getting things while they are cheap to use for projects, then never using them. I have talked to a number of other moms that have this problem too. I got rid of many of my craft supplies that I did not have a specific use for. What I could send to a second hand store I did, and what I could not, I gave to other crafty moms.

For the toys we decided how much space we had for toys and went from there. We have three small boxes we rotate on a day by day basis. With the exception of a few educational toys, puzzles, and riding toys, we got rid of anything that did not fit in those boxes. We only had “good” toys. Nothing broken or even poorly made. Almost everything was Discovery Kids, wooden, or homemade, so it was hard to get rid of some of them. But, if you have too many toys, you have too many toys.

As for other baby and toddler items, babies really do not need that much stuff and yet they seem to be the reason for loads of collected clutter.

KEEPING THE CLUTTER DOWN

Declutter box – Keep a box destined for a second hand store or charity shop handy. I also keep a box of stuff I want to give other people.

Reconsider – Sometimes it’s hard when you see someone else talking about something they love then find it on sale, to reconsider. But do it. Be slow to purchase. This will not only save you money, but it will keep your clutter down. For months I have been wanting a stick blender. I used to have one and used it all the time. I have a stand mixer now, but that does not work for smooth soups. Then it dawned on me. I do not make smooth soups. The one smooth soup I made this year Mark hated because he does not like soup and he especially does not like soup without chunks. So, if my stand mixer does all my blending, except blending soups, why do I need a stick blender?

Turn it down – People are so generous to me, which is such a blessing, and they offer me things all the time. They usually ask “do you want it?” If the answer is no, be honest, but gentle. I can think of many instances where if I had just said “no, that’s not really my cup of tea” when I was asked if I wanted something, that would have been it and I would not be feeling bad getting rid of it two years later.

DECLUTTERING WITHOUT BEING WASTEFUL

I hate being wasteful, as I am sure you do as well. I am not advocating wastefulness! I do keep things that are useful, but not always for me. I keep egg cartons, but they are for the lady I get my eggs from. I keep sheets that are ruined as sheets, but can be used as fabric. If I do not need that fabric, I offer it to other crafty moms. I do not just throw things away. It is very possible to keep down the clutter without simply throwing things away. There are so many ideas out there of how to upcycle stuff, but you only have so much time. Be creative, but also realize if you have had something for two years and still have not used it, it is time for it to have another home (that’s right yogurt containers, goodbye!).

 WHEN TO DO IT

Make it a habit to keep down clutter. It is a continual process (I did not realize that at first and felt bad that I was always getting rid of stuff). Just start right away. There’s no time like the present.

**This post has been entered in Frugal Fridays at Life as MOM.** 

What are some tips you can give on keeping down clutter?