So you’ve learned to keep your home tidy. At least it looks tidy. But what about those deep places? You know what I’m talking about: the cluttered closet, the over-stacked basement, and the junk drawers. How do you go about decluttering deep places?
I know what happens. I’m guilty, too. You have a couple of things you don’t know what to do with, so you stuff them in a drawer. Before you know it, you have a junk drawer, or three. The same thing happens with closets. We take the big stuff, like unused furniture, out to the garage. And there it sits.
Lets Decipher Why We Let Stuff Accumulate
Before we can start decluttering deep places we need to understand why things accumulate.
I have a drawer with about 40 pens in a tray. I’m not going to use 40 pens in three years. I go through them and toss out the ones that quit working every so often. But I’d hate to get caught without a pen when I really need one. So the pens are still in the drawer. Remember, I am a writer.
We do the same thing with kitchen gadgets, household tools, old papers, and old craft projects. Just stuff them in a drawer… or a box that gets stuffed in a closet… or a garage.
You’ve Got The Space, So Why Not?
Here’s an argument you might make: I’ve got a lot of storage space in my home. Why not use it? Let me explain:
I have more storage than I need or use in my house. My kitchen cupboards and drawers are half empty. I have a small utility basement that’s empty. My garage stores a few yard tools, household construction items, and a handful of totes with some of my daughter’s keepsakes. Closets are sparse. I don’t let things accumulate. Why? Because it becomes a habit.
If we always stuff things in boxes and stow them away, we’ll wind up with overflowing closets and garages. I remember an old lady whose home was stacked with boxes and papers. One day I drove by her house to find it had burned to the ground. Not only do we create habits, we create hazards.
It’s Mostly Stuff We’ll Never Use
Funny thing about deep clutter. It’s stuffed away because we never use it. We’ll probably never need it again. But we hold onto it just in case we might. Just like my pens.
We attach ourselves emotionally to our stuff, even after it’s of no use to us. The key to decluttering deep places is to break the attachment. So what if you spent $200 on that thingumabob? It’s worthless now. So what if they were your great uncle’s golf clubs? You’ve never golfed and have no interest in golfing. Besides, they’re outdated golf clubs. Do you really need your 2000-2010 tax records? Probably not!
How To Start Decluttering Deep Places
- Get started: This might be the hardest part, especially if you have lots of deep clutter. But if you want to live with less, you have to break the resistance to start. Getting rid of that stuff will benefit you and your family. You’ll reduce stuff, stress, and future headaches for other family members if something happens to you.
- Be brutally honest: The only way you’ll sell, give away, or toss out that deep clutter is to be honest with yourself. Ask these three questions: Do I really need this? Do I ever use this? Does this serve an aesthetic purpose? If the answer to those three questions is “No!” then let that stuff go.
- Let stuff go: If something is worth money, sell it on Craigslist. If not, box it up. Stuff it into garbage bags. Load it into your vehicle. Take it to a local charity. Don’t delay. I’ve taken thousands of items to Goodwill. If I’d have delayed, I may have changed my mind. I took the stuff straight to the drop-off. Guess what? I’ve never missed any of it.
- Repeat: Each time you work on decluttering deep places, you’ll get rid of more stuff. You start to notice more things that never get used. So repeat the process frequently. Let that stuff go!
Are You Ready To Declutter?
I hope this post has inspired you to get started. Remember, like anything else, you don’t have to get this done in a day. Start small. Take your time. But don’t give up. You can have clean closets this year!
