In today’s world it’s hard to get rid of stuff that we no longer need. This month let’s focus on the items we really can live without. Perfect example of some things we don’t really need and that take up time are magazines. Often times we allow keep renewing the subscriptions but we never get a chance to read those magazines or they just get thrown into the recycle bin. Impulse purchasing when in a clothing store, department store and even the grocery store. What is clutter costing you? It could be time, money, and STRESS? Go through your belongings as much as you possibly can and get rid of the clutter once and for all!
- Get Real: Make a list of the things you really need to purchase on a weekly basis and focus on sticking to your shopping list. The savings will be alarming when you see what you really can do without. Those impulse purchases at the checkout can add up.
- Cull: Get rid of all those junk drawers and make a home for each item within those drawers. My rule for clients is only one junk drawer allowed in a home.
- Quality: Favor quality over quantity ever time! If you buy the best that you can afford you will save money in the long run from having to purchase duplicate items of the less expensive version. Less maintenance is always a plus.
- Entertainment Purge: How many books do you have that you’ve already read? Instead of hoarding all those books, CD’s, DVD’s, consider taking them to a resale shop, or donate the ones you no longer need. These items can pile up quickly and become dust collectors.
- Cancellations: We can all live without all the premium channels on our cable television subscription. With all the new electronic devices like the I-pad, nook, etc we can now cut all the paper clutter and TV clutter from our lives.
Set a goal for yourself this month you are going to act on cutting out things you really don’t need and purging through the entertainment area of your home. But, do set a realistic goal such as, going through your books or magazines for one hour on a Saturday. If you set your expectations too high like, getting your entire study done in one day, you will only disappoint yourself. Start small and move to a more complex project when you are ready. If you want to live in a home that feels less cluttered, simpler lifestyle learning to live with less will help you reflect on how much you really don’t need. Remember less is MORE!
Tonia Tomlin is the Founder and President of Sorted Out™ and Sorted Out Publishing. Tonia is an author, publisher, speaker and mother of twin girls. She has been featured on HGTV’s, Mission: Organization, and is the author of the book Chaos 2 Calm: The Moms-of-Multiples’ Guide to an Organized Family. Tonia@SortedOut.biz. www.SortedOut.biz
