Cutting Clutter Can Be Simple

by Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger

18 May 2009 11:34 AM

Whenever I am faced with clutter or even the idea of bringing something new into the house, I try to ask myself, "Who are you?" Knowing who I am and want I want to do makes it simple to lose the clutter. Here is what I mean.

First decide who it is you are or want to be and what it is you want to do. What do you love doing? Do you like to network with other people? Do you enjoy being a caregiver to your children? Are you an artist? Do you like country? Get a clear sense of what you want to be in the world.

For an example, let's take a look at some of the things in my basement, where during our move anything that didn't immediately have a home went to die, um I mean be in storage. This is a place jumbled with all sorts of things, and chances are, many of them aren't really needed.

A real simple statement of what I want to do might go something like this. I want to be a good and loving mother, wife and Christian. I want to write, I want to contribute financially to our household, and I want to reach out within my community.

In the basement there sits a juicing machine that was given to me. It hasn't ever been used, by me at least in the two years that I have owned it. Would it be nice to have fresh juice? Of course. Am I worried about hurting the giver's feelings? Yes, to that too. But does it fit in with who I am and what I want to do? Not really.

I don't have any dreams of making and living on homemade juice, earning or raising opening up a juice stand, writing about juice (except for now), or reaching out to the community through juice. I personally don't feel that my family would be better off with homemade juice (they eat plenty of whole fruit and vegetables), and I don't feel that homemade juice would influence my spirituality.

This makes the decision on whether or not to keep the juice maker much easier on me. I can pack it up and gift it to someone who has really been wanting one for years--all the years that it has been sitting on my basement shelf.

Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog, caring for little ones in the Baby Blog and now relationships in the Marriage Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here or subscribe to the blog using the subscription box on the right.

Related Articles:

Get Rid of Those Bad Memories

Tips for Organizing Your Closet

Add a Little Nature to Brighten Your Home and Your Mood

Three House Rules that Will Eliminate Clutter

The Clutter Exit Plan

The Link Between Time and Clutter

Fitting in the Spring Cleaning

2 Big Ways to Keep the Clutter Out

How to Help Your Kids Clean Their Room

Have a Donation Day!

Avoiding the Paper Pile

How to Organize Home E-Mail

Learn more about Mary Ann Romans

Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat.

View Full Profile | More from this Blogger