So you’ve decided to take the plunge and join my 9-day Clutter Clearing Challenge! Go you! By doing something positive in your life, you are giving yourself and everyone around you a tremendous gift! Give yourself a pat on the back for moving in a healthy, positive direction!
Now, on to the challenge! If you’ve never done a clutter clearing challenge before, the first thing to note is that there are no rules! I will give you guidance but, in the end, I encourage you to do whatever what works for you!
With that in mind, here are some of my favorite tips:
Focus only on today. Your goal for each day is 27 items. Do not think about what you have to do tomorrow or the next day; just focus on today!
Set parameters. Before you begin, set parameters for your clutter-clearing activity. I like to use the “love it, need it or use it” rule within a year – meaning if I don’t use it, don’t love it and haven’t used it in a year, it goes out. Having parameters set before you begin will keep you from making a lot of exceptions once you begin.
Create a simple system. So what do you do with the stuff you no longer need? I like a 3-category system for the items I choose to release: trash, recycle or donate. Use trash bags, boxes, or whatever works for you. Label the bags or boxes with the three categories or designate a spot in your house or garage to store the items until you are ready to permanently get rid of them. Personally, I put the trash and recycling out immediately and store the donations in my garage until the end of the nine days. Then I schedule a service to pick them up from my home.
Just Do It. Pick a time, set a timer, grab a garbage bag and do it! Twenty minutes is often more than enough time for me, especially during the first few days.
Start anywhere! Take a walk through your space and observe where clutter has piled up and start there! Kitchen counters, nightstands, closets and junk drawers are often clutter magnets and excellent places to begin! Garages and basements are also prime real estate for clutter.
Keep your motivation up! Once I start decluttering, I often don’t want to stop, but if you feel your energy waning, give yourself a recharge by imagining how much lighter you will feel as you circulate items out of your life! Visualize your space clearer and think about the benefit others will receive from your donated goods!
Encourage yourself! Praise yourself for anything you do with this activity; even if it’s just reading this article and thinking about doing it! You are a beautiful person and you deserve to live a light and joyful life, which starts with praise and encouragement from within! Give yourself a pat on the back for every item you throw away, recycle or donate!
Have fun! If there is one thing I have learned in the past three years, it is that life is meant to be fun! With that in mind, think about how you can inject play into this activity to make it delightful and easy! For you, that might mean imagining the amazing things that will manifest in your life as a result of this activity, or maybe it’s setting the timer and racing against the clock! I love to give a “woohoo!” for each item I put in one of my bags! Putting on fun, clutter-busting music like Johnny Nash’s, “I can see clearly now” or I’m Walkin’ on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves is also a necessity for me! I’ve even donned my daughter’s pirate hat and pretended to search for “lost treasure”! Enjoy yourself and let loose!
Celebrate your success! Doing this type of activity is incredibly powerful, and a wonderful way to beautify your space and do something positive and healthy for you and your family! Celebrate yourself for any success your have and please share it with me! I love to hear from you!
Wishing you luck and good fortune on Day 1 of this 9-day Decluttering Challenge!