If you are planning a spring cleaning, you’re going to find out something really quick: you have a lot of ‘stuff.’

We do a big clean-out at least twice a year and each time I wonder how we accumulated so much! Nonetheless, more stuff means more organization. And it also means letting go of some things too.

Letting go of your stuff can be difficult. For most, memories are attached to these things, and giving them away or throwing them out feels like you do not treasure those moments you’ve had – at least not enough to keep them.

But you need to remember, clutter has a way of hampering happiness and productivity. In a way, a purge can be refreshing. A clean slate that you probably have long been in need of.

To jumpstart the process, below are a few tips you should consider while in the process of determining the things to keep, give or throw away.

Little by Little, Every Day

One of the major reasons people refuse to sort through their belongings is time. It takes time to do this.

Instead of working an entire weekend, set aside half an hour a day to go through your stuff. Doing tiny bits of organization often is less tiring than having to go through every room in the span of 48 hours. You can even use 10 minutes to do a small area.

Evaluate Each Item

It can be difficult to go through each item that you are thinking about getting rid of. However, it is important to ask yourself why you are hesitating to give or throw away a certain thing.

• Does it make you happy?
• Does it make you more productive?
• Or is it just because you think you MIGHT need it in the future?

If it’s the latter, then throw it out because chances are you won’t need it – especially if you’ve had it for over a year!

Test Your “Maybe” Pile

In order to move the process along, create a “Maybe” pile for the things you are unsure of whether you want to keep them or give them away. Stash this maybe pile somewhere hidden and keep it for a month. In the course of 30 days, if you do not find yourself needing any of the items in your pile, then you’ll know it is time to get rid of them.

Create a System that Works for You

Organizing your things and throwing away those you do not need can be very therapeutic. However, it is very easy to fall into the same hoarding patterns. This needs to be addressed in order for your purge to be sustainable.

Develop a system that works for you and commit to

Thank goodness 2020 is done. It’s been so odd from all the fires to the pandemic, and just normal everyday things seemed less… normal.

Have you made any resolutions? Do any of those resolutions involve home decorating? I’m not a resolution person per se (I normally say I’m resolute on no resolutions.) Yet, I’m yearning for something new in 2021.

As a matter of fact, to get my decorating done this new year, I created a Trello board with a calendar. I know, a bit anal. But even with all the ‘free time’ at home, I wasn’t able to make some holiday decorations (mid-century fabric trees) I wanted to before the holiday season hit. And I still haven’t wallpapered my secretary desk to give it that mid-century vibe I want.

So sometimes, the best way to get things done (like my list of decor projects) is just to resolve to do it.

And since I already have a list of those to-dos (and then some), I’m resolving to have a productive attitude! Also, I am resolved to complete those projects in small steps (and my Trello board helps with that).

Want to join me in home decorating resolutions?  Here are a few to get you started that I’ve added to my Trello board:

Clearing Clutter Step by Step

Clearing out clutter. Isn’t that something we all wish we could do every year day? And don’t we inevitably end up overwhelmed and more buried in clutter than ever?

Not this year! Resolve to clear the clutter in steps. It’s indeed overwhelming to look at your whole house and imagine tackling it all at once, not stopping until it’s finished.  Instead, approach it on a room-by-room basis, resolving to clear the clutter from, say, one room a month.

You could even begin with corners of rooms to make it even less overwhelming – say, clear the clutter from one corner of the living room every Saturday for four weeks. Then move on to the next room or area.

Organize Your Stuff

Although 2020 saw me throwing away a ton of unused items as I made space for remote working for Matt and me and remote school for the girls, I didn’t throw away everything.  And when you clean up the clutter, you won’t be throwing away everything this year, either. There will be “stuff” you’ll need to organize and store in an aesthetically pleasing way.

Here are some suggestions.

• Baskets are definitely your friend. Baskets can be used to hold items like shoes by the front door, CDs, DVDs, remote controls, and all those adapters for cell phones and computers.
• Decorative boxes are also handy. Slip them onto shelves and look like decorative pieces but they’re actually holding stuff. I have some next to that desk I need to wallpaper. They contain paper clips and other desk-related items that can look cluttered otherwise.
• If you have items to display, use simple trays or clear bowls. I love my British inspired tray with my mid-century cocktail glasses display in our dining room/piano bar pub area. It really makes the place look organized with a theme.

Living Decorations

Although I wish I could be talking about my girls and the cats, what I mean is houseplants. Adding them brings beauty; they are also gaining a reputation for detoxifying indoor air. Not enough sunny areas? You can get plants that do well in low light areas (and that’s most of my house). I recommend starting with spider plants. We have tons of them and can’t kill them.

Sparking Joy – And Function

I learned this year to keep items only that spark joy. Yes, just like Marie Kondo said. Yet, if the item had a functional purpose that I was really using, even when it didn’t spark joy, I kept it too. The result was paring down many items and using nostalgic items, such as my grandmother’s hope chest, as real functional pieces in the home.

Whatever you do, don’t rush the process. After all, you have a whole year to get it done.  I also recommend checking out Joan Silva’s Tidy Up Tuesdays.  She has some great tips if you make home decorating tidy.