22 Ideas that are Helping Me Declutter My Life

We all know it. We are consumed by STUFF and it drives us crazy. And yet, somehow, we can never quite conquer the piles. Oh, sister (and brother) I am right there with you. Living in Hong Kong in 425+-sf, I sometimes start feeling smug. "Look at me," I tell myself," I have all I need right here in this tiny space. I am amazing! Who needs a McMansion?"

My tiny kitchen in Hong Kong. 

Then I remember that I have a 2700 sf home in the US that is full. (1800 sf of living space, plus a basement/attic that are jam packed.)

Our home in Maine. (PC the fantastic Morgan Wiley)

I am quite naturally a hoarder. I am sentimental. I love anything antique. Items received from any member of my family are precious to me and I feel like I am giving away a part of my soul when I part with them. OK...maybe a slight exaggeration, but still. I like to be be prepared. I hate to waste. These are just a few of the many reasons that is it difficult for me to part with...anything.

My grandson, Calvin, playing with a safe that belonged to his great, great, great, great grandfather. 

The last few years, I have been making a concerted effort to scale back, minimalize, declutter...call it what you will, but here are some thoughts that have helped me. I am a work in in progress.

1) Only keep one or two items from a loved one. This is one idea that has helped me immensely. I remember when my Great Aunt Blanche died and my mom had me chose some items to keep. For some reason, I felt I could never part with any of those items since they came from her. Now I have narrowed down my selection and saved items that are actually useful, like her bread box, which sits on my counter in Maine and her picnic basket, which I actually use.

Aunt Blanche's picnic basket in our borrowed canoe.

The reality is, my attachment to those items will mean nothing to my kids, who don't even remember this aunt.

Lilacs from my Mom's bush. Everything in this photo has sentimental value.

2) Ask yourself if you've used it in the past year.  There will always be items that we keep that don't fit this category--certain tools, craft supplies, books-you get the idea, but for me it has been best applied to clothing and dishes. 

3) Is it a rarely used item that you could borrow and/or rent if needed? We borrow items like extension ladders, baby equipment, air mattresses and power tools. We are always happy to lend items also.

4) Do you want to leave this to your family to deal with? This thought is what keeps me motivated. I have heard so many nightmare stories about "cleaning out" Gramma's/Dad's/Uncle's house. All these "things" that represented a whole lifetime, and no one is interested. I'd like to save my family the hassle as much as possible.

5) Can something else you have do the job just as well? How many kitchen gadgets do you really need? Small appliances are a huge money drain and space saver. That fancy yogurt maker? You can probably use your crock pot. The new instapot you were gifted for Christmas? Time to hand off your slow cooker because now you have an appliance that does the same thing. 

6) Is it online and on paper? I save many of my tax receipts in a folder online now. No need to print them. Likewise with recipes and owner's manual, most can be found online these days. 

7) Clothing? Does it even look good on you anymore? Do you have 20 sweaters, 40 pairs of shoes? You know what to do.

8) Scale photos back to about 20 per trip. I try to delete photos from my phone at the end of everyday while we are travelling and only save the best shots of the day. I need to go through my boxes of printed photos. I know I have duplicates.

Every time I go to Macau, I take this photo. Seriously? How many do I need? 

9) Does it make sense to sell the item and invest the money? I have some jewelry that I never wear. I doubt that anyone in my family would wear it either. I am contemplating selling some of it and investing the money elsewhere.

10) If you had to move to 300 sf, would you take it with you? Pretty self explanatory.

11) Can it serve someone else better?  I have too many winter coats. I'm pretty sure there are people who need a warm coat. Time to pass some of them along.

12) How many of any particular item do you need? Random coffee mugs. Scarves. Half burned candles. Sample sizes from hotel stays. You know what I'm talking about. You know what to do.

13) Can you sell it and use the money for something that will make you happier? I use this as a challenge to myself sometimes. While I was planning one of our trips, I really wanted to stay in certain hotel that was out of my price range. I challenged myself to sell enough items to pay for the difference in room prices. Effective. 

14) Can you give it to a family member now rather than later? I had a ring that belonged to my Great Uncle. It was a simple gold wedding band. I decided to give it to another cousin who was closer to this uncle. He was happy; I was happy. The ring stayed in the family. 

15) Does it cost you more for upkeep than it is worth? Case in point: our 1991 Honda Accord. I love this car. I really do, and it has been a great vehicle up until the last few years when it started nickel and diming us like the old vintage car it is. It's time to let it go and quit paying the annual registration, insurance and inspection fees. Especially since we only use it for 7 weeks every summer. 

16) Seasonal decor is nice, but can you simplify? It's easy to let seasonal decor get out of hand. One year when we were first married, my husband was gifted a ceramic village house. I found another I liked at a yard sale. The collection kept growing. As pretty as it is when it's all set up, truth be told, I don't really enjoy it anymore. I need to pass it on or sell it.

17) For everything you bring in, send one out. Twice a year, the ladies at the school where I work have a clothing exchange. My goal is to never bring more home than I donate. 

An outfit from a few years back. 

18) A decluttered home looks cleaner. I read somewhere that a refrigerator with nothing on it looks much cleaner that one that is covered with magnets, pictures, coupons and takeout menus. It's true. Think about it. Both may be equally clean, but perception is reality. 

19) The bigger the space, the more you need to fill it. Downsize. Smaller home. Smaller vehicle. Less storage containers. Get. Rid. Of. Things. Don't give yourself more storage options, get rid of the stuff you were going to store.

20) Does it bring you joy? Marie Kondo made millions after her book "The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up" became an international best seller. Her key question? Does it spark joy? I read her books, and I did learn some very helpful tips. I changed the way I organize my closet and fold my clothes. I learned to work with the storage space I have rather than buy more shelves. I did actually get rid of some items that I really disliked, but kept because I thought I should.

21) Don't be afraid to ask for help. A few years ago, a younger colleague of mine was wanting to get rid of some of her clothing. She thought she had too much, but was afraid she would not be ruthless enough. I spent an afternoon with her and helped her evaluate. She got rid of several large bags of clothing.

22) Can you re-purpose something?  Several years ago, my cousin gave us a wooden boat that he had built in the 1960s. It has brought us lots of joy, but my husband has been having to repair leaks every summer lately. When the time comes, we are planning to turn the boat into a bookshelf in our cabin. 

These are few ideas that have been helping me. I'd love to hear what you would add to the list!