Welcome to the third part of the Clutter 101 series on how to get your home thoroughly de-cluttered and keep it that way. Already I’ve discussed why we keep clutter and how to effectively deal with it. In this third post I will be looking at how clutter can be broken down into a number of different types. It’s not just all about junk and rubbish. Being able to identify a particular type of clutter allows you to process it much more quickly and effectively. For instance, if you recognize a piece of paper you need for reference you can immedately file it away without procrastinating over it. If you think I have missed out any types then leave a comment, it would be great to get feedback.
- Trash
This sort of clutter is pretty simple to deal with. It’s rubbish, it can go straight into the bin. It typically includes stuff like old receipts, scraps of paper and sweet wrappers. Don’t overthink this, just get rid of it. - Recyclable/saleable
If you are getting rid of your clutter and it is not trash, it may sometimes be easier to recycle the items or sell them on if there is any value to it. Once I have read a book I will either put it up for sale on sites like Amazon if it has maintained its value, or give it away to friends and family. - Reference
This covers stuff like bills and manuals which may or may not be useful in the future but you are obliged to keep them because they contain important and/or useful information. Create a filing system and store your reference material there. That way it takes up minimal room and allows for easy access in an organized manner. Just bear in mind that a lot of information can be found on the internet nowadays. For me, that makes most paper manuals and guides superfluous. - Broken/out of date
You’d think we would do something with an item when it breaks but it is surprising how often we just keep them lying around, perhaps for the day when we might actually get round to fixing it. Well, if you needed it you would have fixed it already. Also, if you’ve replaced an item with a more up to date version, why keep the old one? For instance, if you buy a DVD player, get rid of or sell on your old VHS player, don’t dump it in the cupboard where it will never get used. - Collectables/Antiques
If you have a collection of antique plates, old comic books and so on, find a good place to store them neatly and safely. Don’t just dump them in with the rest of your clutter where they are likely to get damaged. If you have collectibles for future investment, consider taking them in for valuation. Your intention is to sell them at some point so it makes sense to gain an idea of the sort of value you can expect. - Nostalgia
With this sort of clutter you need to decide your own acceptable level for clearing out nostalgic items. Different people have different levels of attachment to items of sentimental value and it’s not fair to push someone into throwing any away… providing they are keeping it for the right reasons. I know people who refuse to even throw away birthday cards from years ago even though they never look at them, while others get rid of any gifts that have not been used within six months. - Undecided
With all the best intentions in the world to de-clutter our homes, sometimes we just can’t decide whether to get rid of something or not. There are two options for dealing with this. Firstly you can box away all these undecided items and revisit them a few months down the line, or you can just assume you’re keeping it for the foreseeable future. Don’t feel forced into throwing stuff away if you’re not happy with it. The more often you de-clutter the higher your tolerance becomes as you realize what is fine to throw away and what isn’t - Essential
After you’ve worked through all of the above types of clutter, you should be left with the vital, essential items that you need use on a regular basis.
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April 23, 2007 Clutter 101
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